Hope Solo: I Have No Regrets in My Career
As Hope Solo continues to bask in the glory of the Olympic gold medal that she the USA Women's Soccer team earned in London, the outspoken goalkeeper has published a memoir entitled SOLO: A Memoir of Hope, which includes detailed accounts of some of her more controversial moments.
In her interview with ET, Solo said that although her forthright personality has sparked a few controversies, she has learned from her shortcomings and has no regrets about the past.
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"I don't like the word 'regret' to be honest," the 31-year-old Washington native said. "Yeah, I've done some things I probably shouldn't have but I've learned; I've grown from them."
Solo's first major controversy arose during the 2007 Women's World Cup after she expressed discontent with U.S. coach Greg Ryan's decision to bench her and play veteran goalkeeper Briana Scurry instead. Ryan subsequently dismissed Solo from the team for her unrefined comments.
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"Do I regret my comments in '07? That's what people ask me about...I don't regret any of that. I don't regret '07, the way I handled it," she said. "I certainly don't regret my current tweets that caused controversy. So, no, I have no regrets when it comes to my career."
The tweets that Solo made reference to stirred up a media storm when she recently called out Olympic telecast analyst and former USA Women's Soccer player Brandi Chastain for making consistent negative comments about the team's defense.
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Although Solo received backlash for sticking up for her teammates by blasting a former women's soccer legend in Chastain, she writes in the memoir that she felt the need to voice her opinion on a national platform just as Chastain had done. She also reveals that her teammates supported her comments.
Solo's blunt personality has garnered her plenty of media attention over the past years that has transcended the world of sports and elevated her notoriety. After the 2011 Women's World Cup, Solo competed on Dancing with the Stars, an experience that she says wasn't what she had hoped for.
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"'Dancing with the Stars' was one of the toughest things I've ever done. It's not me," she said. "I like to be very real. I like to work hard and show my ability...I spent hours in the studio training and I wanted that to come off on camera, but in reality, it's reality television and you have to speak to the camera. You have to always be on. That's not me; I shy away from cameras."
In relation to her new book, Solo says that she would have felt fulfilled even if it had not been written but she's nevertheless proud of the finished piece.
"It's scary; I do have anxiety about it, but I'm proud," she stated. "It was hard work; it wasn't easy. I think it's written really well and it's true, it's honest. [At] the end of the day, I can look anybody their eyes and say...'This is as honest and as real as any book you'll ever find.'"
SOLO: A Memoir of Hope is in stores now.