It’s been two years since Ashley Hatch was surprisingly left off of the U.S.’s 2023 World Cup roster.
Hatch spoke about that disappointment as a guest on last week’s episode of “The Women’s Game,” hosted by her former national team and North Carolina Courage teammate Sam Mewis.
“I’ve come to terms with it just because there’s nothing I can do about it, and it is what it is,” Hatch said.
The snub was a “very key moment” in Hatch’s career, she said.
“I feel like I’ve often found myself referencing it and how I was able to overcome it because it was so challenging and so difficult,” she said.
Hatch called it the “biggest failure” of her soccer career.
“When I’m talking to youth players about trials or overcoming failures, that’s usually the one that I bring up because it does feel like the biggest ‘failure’ or trial in my career that I’ve been able to overcome,” she said.
But Hatch wants the world to know there’s more to her than that missed opportunity.
“From that moment on ... I was like, I don’t want to be known as the player that didn’t make a World Cup roster. There’s so much more to me than making a World Cup roster, and that is a really, really big deal but I don’t want to be known for that. There’s so much more that I’ve been able to accomplish and that I want to continue to accomplish,” she said.
While Hatch admits “it’s unfortunate,” she feels she’s “been able to turn it into a positive and it’s helped me continue to move on in my career and in my life.”
“I’m just going to focus on moving forward and doing all the things that I’m doing and playing soccer to the best of my ability and just seeing how far that can take me and how much I can accomplish with my teammates that I am with every single day,” she said.
Mewis said Hatch’s response made her reconsider asking her if she had come to terms with the decision.
“When I think of you, this is not what I think of first. I think of all of these accomplishments that you’ve had, and I think of all the incredible things that you’re doing beyond soccer,” Mewis said. “So I’m like really amazed and impressed with the way you have handled the ups and downs of your career.”
Ashley Hatch on current relationship with USWNT
Following the World Cup, Hatch was called up to the team’s October and December friendlies.
But those marked her last call-ups until she was invited to the national team’s January training camp this year.
Mewis asked Hatch if her experience being left off the World Cup roster had made her feel differently about her current and future relationship with the national team.
“I’m sure any player who’s been in and out of the national team has experienced those highs and lows or even feelings of bitterness for not getting called in or all of the emotions, like you name it, we felt it. But that’s part of life and ultimately at the end of the day, it’s always an honor to get called in and be a part of that environment whatever position you may be in,” she said.
The January camp didn’t include any matches, but was purely for training and talent identification purposes with head coach Emma Hayes.
“I feel like also going through what I went through of not making the World Cup roster, like I kind of experienced the worst of the worst, so like what else could happen? I’m here. I’m going to enjoy it. I’m going to play my best and just be grateful for any opportunity and so that’s kind of been my mindset and my approach. And any time that opportunity comes my way, I’m definitely going to make the most of it,” she said.
Hatch was later called up for the national team’s April matches.
“Anytime I get the chance, I’m always excited — a little bit nervous because you never know what it’s going to be like when you’re in there and what role you’re going to be asked to play,” she said.
The former BYU Cougar described the opportunity to be at a camp to learn under Hayes as “refreshing.”
“Emma brings a lot of exciting, new energy, like a very fresh but different perspective, and so, I really enjoyed it and I feel like I was able to play a little bit more freely,” she said.
Hatch has been doing what she can with the Washington Spirit to earn another call-up.
She’s scored six goals in 10 games and is fifth in the NWSL’s golden boot race for most goals scored this season.
Recently, she’s missed the last three games due to a back injury.