Q&A: USWNT player Kelley O'Hara opens up about Olympic postponement, how she's staying in shape
The United States women’s national team was hoping to become the first squad to win the Olympics the year after winning the World Cup this summer in Tokyo. But now with the Games delayed until 2021, the roster for could look a little different a year from now.
For fullback Kelley O’Hara, waiting until July 2021 is not necessarily a bad thing. Yahoo Sports spoke with the Utah Royals star and she opened up about how she and her teammates are maintaining their momentum under these circumstances, her favorite workout routines, plus how she and Under Armour are doing their part to flatten the curve.
Yahoo Sports: A New York Times report cited that out of 4,000 track and field Olympians, 78% voted to postpone the summer games. What was your initial reaction upon hearing the confirmation?
Kelley O’Hara: I’m not sure if this was before or after the report, but the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) also sent out a survey asking our feelings regarding the games being suspended. Before they made the official announcement, I had a feeling it would be and had to be postponed. As athletes, we have a very specific plan and journey to the Olympics in the physical and technical sense. Just being derailed two weeks or two months would affect players adhering to that method and their abilities to peak. Right now, the concern shouldn’t be about training and instead doing our part to make sure the COVID-19 pandemic is sorted out as quickly as possible. So, I’m not surprised, but it’s still disappointing. I don’t know if I’ve managed to wrap my head around the changes. Obviously a bummer, but ultimately it’s for the best.
YS: Coming off another tournament win in the She Believes Cup earlier this month, how does a delay of the Olympics impact momentum for you and the team?
KO’H: I personally don’t see it as we would lose any momentum. I’m just looking forward to the day we can play again. How I see it, everyone will be so excited about sporting events once everything resumes. In terms of the fan momentum, we’ll have even more coming out of this. From a team aspect, it didn’t cross my mind that we would lose momentum. There will be a time we’ll have to come together and get cohesive, of course. When it comes to USWNT, I don’t feel as if we’ll lose our drive because we’ve always been consistent and remain focused on improving.
YS: Considering all the preparation already done for this year’s summer games, how has your mindset regarding training changed now that you have 12 extra months, and how is Under Armour assisting in that process? What are some of your favorite indoor workouts supporters can do while quarantined to channel their inner Olympian?
KO’H: As athletes, we have a preseason phase of the year. For the first week or two of everything being shut down, people hoped that it would be over quickly. Now that it’s a lot longer than expected, I’m starting to approach working out as a means to remain active and fit but not necessarily being game day ready. Athletes need that break, so I’m going to take this time to do what I can to rest but also keep up with my routine. It’s a strange position to be in because there’s so much uncertainty. I’m fueled by the uncertainty, as that’s how many of us regularly live our lives.
To remain active I’ve been going on runs, doing track workouts, shooting hoops and I plan on purchasing a bike. I’m also going to do some creative body workouts. Several days ago, I filled an Under Armour duffel bag of books and did some strength drills. It’s great to have a sponsor that remains committed to making sure we’re equipped with the best gear so we don’t lose sight of our fitness goals.
YS: During this social distancing phase, how are you and your teammates staying in touch?
KO’H: I keep in touch with them several different ways. Prior to this, I was on FaceTime with Emily Sonnett (USWNT teammate). Since we play the same position and have been training buddies in the past, we like to swap fitness routines. It’s nice to have someone to bounce ideas with. I also recently caught up with [USWNT coach Vlatko Andonovski] and we were reviewing footage of our recent match against Japan.
YS: What message do you want to send to Americans about this time without Olympics and professional sports?
K’OH: At the end of the day, it’s just a postponement, so fans have another year to get excited for the games to take place. No sports are happening right now in the United States. When the restrictions are lifted, there will be so many matches to look forward to watching. Right now, we’re all missing sports in general. If we can all be united in doing our part and adhering to the social distancing guidelines and taking necessary precautions we can to overcome this pandemic. Right now, we need to be unified in flattening the curve.
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In an effort to ensure that health institutions are equipped with as many resources they need in order to succeed, Forbes reports that Under Armour pledged to manufacture 500,000 fabric face masks and assemble and distribute 50,000 specially equipped fanny packs to assist the 28,000 healthcare workers at the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS). In addition, The Baltimore-based company recently launched a $2 million initiative with $1 million going toward Feeding America to support hunger relief work and $1 million to sponsor a 30-day home fitness challenge alongside partners MyFitnessPal and MapMyRun.
