Tobin Heath

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Tobin Heath

Tobin Heath during PSG-Juvisy in 2013
Personal information
Full nameTobin Powell Heath
Date of birth (1988-05-29) May 29, 1988
Place of birthBasking Ridge, New Jersey, United States
Height5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Playing positionMidfielder
Club information
Current clubParis Saint Germain
Number27
Youth career
2006–2010North Carolina Tar Heels
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2004–2005New Jersey Wildcats7(1)
2007Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues5(5)
2009Pali Blues6(1)
2010Atlanta Beat3(0)
2011Sky Blue FC12(0)
2012New York Fury1(0)
2013–Paris Saint-Germain12(5)
2013–Portland Thorns FC8(2)
National team‡
2008–United States69(8)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of May 19, 2013.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of June 22, 2013

Tobin Powell Heath (born May 29, 1988) is an American professional soccer player. She is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and FIFA Women's World Cup silver medalist who plays for the United States women's national soccer team. According to the United States Soccer Federation, Heath is "perhaps the USA's most skillful player".[1] Heath usually plays as a flank midfielder or the attacking midfielder. Heath was the first overall pick in Women's Professional Soccer 2010 draft. She currently plays professionally for Portland Thorns FC and Paris Saint Germain.

Early life

Heath was born in Morristown, New Jersey to parents Jeff and Cindy Heath. She grew up in Basking Ridge, New Jersey. Heath has a younger brother, Jeffrey, and two older sisters, Perry and Katie, who are active in Athletes for Action and Champions for Christ.[2] Heath has said herself she is a proud and devout follower of her Christian faith and is very close to her family [2][3] Her oldest sister, Katie, played NCAA Division-1 tennis for the University of Delaware.[4] Heath has said she enjoys playing a multitude of sports, such as tennis and surfing, and enjoys playing outside when given the time and opportunity.[5][6] Tobin was named after her great grandmother's last name.[7]

Heath graduated from Ridge High School in Basking Ridge, New Jersey in 2006, where she was four-year letter winner and a three-time Parade All-American in soccer. She also played for the PDA Wildcats team that won the 2003 Club National Championship.

Heath was ranked as the No. 2 recruit in the nation in the Class of 2006 by Soccer Buzz magazine. She was named to the Parade Magazine All-America team in 2003, 2004 and 2005. Other awards include: Gatorade New Jersey Player of the Year, Newark Star Ledger's First Team All-State squad, and Newark Star-Ledger's New Jersey Player of the Year.

North Carolina Tar Heels

Tobin Heath after the National Championship game at SAS Soccer Park in Cary, NC on Sunday, December 3, 2006.

Heath committed to attend University of North Carolina (UNC) heading into her junior year of high school and did not play high school soccer her senior year, opting instead to train with boys.[8] She was a consensus freshman All-America on UNC’s 2006 national championship team and started 22 of the 23 games she played for the Tar Heels at the left midfield spot, scoring four goals with nine assists.[8] As a sophomore, she scored two goals with five assists and was named to the First-Team NSCAA All-American and First-Team All-ACC.[8] As a junior for the Tar Heels, she scored eight goals with eight assists, helping UNC to a 25-1-2 record and the NCAA title.[8]

As a senior at UNC, she scored five goals with 10 assists for the Tar Heels, who compiled a record of 23-3-1 and pulled out 1-0 victories in both the NCAA semifinal and championship game. She was named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team. She was also the first runner-up for the MAC Hermann Trophy, given to college soccer’s top player.[8]

Heath finished her UNC career with 19 goals and 32 assists. She helped lead UNC to NCAA Women's Soccer Championship titles in 2006, 2008 and 2009 and four straight Atlantic Coast Conference titles. UNC soccer coach Anson Dorrance said himself that Heath preferred to nutmeg opposing players rather than dribble the ball around them. Heath played under #98 at UNC. Heath's academic major at UNC was Communications.

Club career

Women's Professional Soccer, 2010–11

In 2010, she was the first overall pick in the Women's Professional Soccer 2010 college draft and was selected by the expansion Atlanta Beat. After suffering an injury to her right ankle in her third appearance for the Beat, she did not play for the remainder of the 2010 season.[9] She started in all three of her appearances for the club.[10]

On December 10, 2010, Heath, along with Beat teammates Eniola Aluko and Angie Kerr were traded to Sky Blue FC in return for the fourth and eighth pick in 2011 WPS Draft and "future considerations in 2012."[11] Heath made twelve appearances for Sky Blue, starting in three games.[10] The team finished fifth during regular season play with 5 wins, 4 draws, and 9 losses.[12]

New York Fury, 2012

With the folding of WPS in 2012, Tobin Heath joined New York Fury of WPSL Elite League.[13] She played one game with the team after recovering from an ankle injury during the start of the season and later being called to the national team.[14]

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), 2013–present

Heath during a match against FCF Juvisy on March 23, 2013.

In 2013, Heath signed a six-month contract with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the top-tier French league, Division 1 Féminine until the end of the season on May 23, 2013.[15] She scored two goals in the seven appearances she made for the club.[16]

Heath returned to PSG in September 2013.[17]

Portland Thorns FC, 2013–present

The newly established National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) announced on January 11, 2013 that Heath was one of the seven players allocated to the Portland Thorns FC for their initial roster as part of the NWSL Player Allocation.[18] After completing the season with Paris-Saint Germain, she joined the Thorns in July 2013, helping them attain a third-place finish in the NWSL. The Thorns won the 2013 NWSL Championship after defeating the Western New York Flash 2-0, with Heath scoring the game-winning goal on a free kick.[19][20] She was voted Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the championship game.[21]

International career

National youth teams

Heath played on the U-16 USA Women's National Team from 2003–2004, with the U-17 team in 2004–05 and with the USA Women's U-20 National Team at the 2006 FIFA U-20 Women's World Championship in Russia. She was a standout at the 2006 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Russia, was one of five players to make the World Cup roster without participating in CONCACAF Qualifying, and was the third youngest player on the World Cup roster. Heath played in 24 matches for the U-20s in 2006, scoring five goals including two in international matches (scored her first international goal at the U-20 level against Canada in April in Brazil). Heath finished her U-20 international career with 14 caps and two goals. Heath started for the silver medal winning USA Women's team in the 2007 Pan American Games in Brazil.

Senior national team debut, 2008

Heath made her first appearance for the senior team on January 18, 2008 against Finland in the Four Nations Tournament. Heath nutmegged a Finland player on her first touches in her first cap. She was a reserve midfielder on the U.S. squad at the 2008 Summer Olympics and was the youngest squad member (age 20). She earned three caps during the tournament where the Women's National Team went on to win the Gold Medal. Heath was one of just three active collegians chosen to play on the U.S. Team at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. In 2008 alone, Heath earned her first 17 caps and scored her first two goals, the first-ever WNT goal against China at the Algarve Cup.[22]

Heath was named the 2009 U.S. Soccer Young Female Athlete of the Year and played in two matches for the USA WNT, both against Canada in July 2009. Heath did not play for the USA in 2010 as she recovered from illness and a major ankle injury suffered early in the WPS season that eventually required surgery.[1]

2011 FIFA Women's World Cup

Heath made her FIFA Women's World Cup debut at the age of 23 during the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup in Germany, playing in the second half during the USA WNT's group-stage match against Colombia.[23] Heath earned a total of four caps in the Women's World Cup Tournament, the remaining three coming from the quarter-final against Brazil (108th minute substitution), the semi-final against France (87th minute substitution), and the final against Japan. In the World Cup Final Heath was one of the players elected to take a penalty kick for the United States. Heath had her shot blocked by Japan's goalie.[24]

2012 London Olympics

Heath at the 2012 Summer Olympics final

Heath was a member of the 2012 Olympic team, playing in all six matches, starting and playing the entire match in four of them. She had three assists, against France, Colombia, and New Zealand. Against France, at the 66th minute, she ran down the left flank with the ball received from a through pass from Megan Rapinoe, and sent a crossing pass to Alex Morgan who scored the last goal of the match making the final score 4–2. Against Colombia, she played a 1–2 pass with Wambach for her 2nd assist. Her third assist came in the quarter final match against New Zealand, at the 87th minute, when she provided a long ball down the left flank to Sydney Leroux, who scored through the legs of the goalkeeper Jenny Bindon, sealing the match at the final score of 2–0.

International goals

Honors and Awards

College

University of North Carolina

International

  • Four Nations Tournament (2): 2008, 2011

League

  • NWSL 2013 Championship

Individual

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Tobin Heath". U.S. Soccer. Retrieved 2011-07-17. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Player Bio: Tobin Heath – North Carolina Official Athletic Site". Tarheelblue.cstv.com. Retrieved 2011-07-17. 
  3. ↑ "Faith and Family Night: Tobin Heath‏". YouTube. Retrieved 2011-07-17. 
  4. ↑ http://www.bluehens.com/sportsinfo/womens_tennis/roster03.html
  5. ↑ "Studio 90 Extra Time: Tobin Heath, Pt. 1‏". YouTube. Retrieved 2011-07-17. 
  6. ↑ "Studio 90 Extra Time: Tobin Heath, Pt. 2‏". YouTube. Retrieved 2011-07-17. 
  7. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtuIDgObZ-A
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 "Tobin Heath U.S. Soccer Player Bio". USSoccer.com. Retrieved 2013-04-20. 
  9. ↑ Purdy, Jacqueline (9 August 2010). "Tobin Heath eyes return to the Beat". ESPN. Retrieved 16 October 2013. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Tobin Heath". Soccer Way. Retrieved 16 October 2013. 
  11. ↑ "Women's Professional Soccer :: Beat Trade Three Players for Three Picks". Womensprosoccer.com. Retrieved 2011-07-17. 
  12. ↑ "Standings". Women's Professional Soccer. 17 October 2011. Archived from the original on 17 October 2011. Retrieved 16 October 2013. 
  13. ↑ "NEW YORK FURY SIGN TOBIN HEATH FOR WPSL ELITE LEAGUE SEASON". WPSL Elite. Retrieved 2 December 2012. 
  14. ↑ "New York Fury 2012 Stats". WPSL. Retrieved 2 December 2012. 
  15. ↑ "Tobin Heath to play for PSG until May". January 22, 2013. 
  16. ↑ "MEGAN RAPINOE, TOBIN HEATH MATCH UP POSSIBLE". National Women's Soccer League. September 27, 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2013. 
  17. ↑ Kassouf, Jeff (October 5, 2013). "Heath returns from injury, Horan scores in PSG win". Equalizer Soccer. Retrieved 16 October 2013. 
  18. ↑ "NWSL Announces Allocation of 55 National Team Players to Eight Clubs". January 11, 2013. Retrieved January 11, 2013. 
  19. ↑ Golazo de Tobin Heath. YouTube.
  20. ↑ Arnold, Geoffrey C. (31 August 2013). "Thorns Tobin Heath ignores sore foot to play big role in title game". Oregon Live. Retrieved 16 October 2013. 
  21. ↑ Hays, Graham (8 September 2013). "PORTLAND BLAZES TRAIL WITH NWSL TITLE". ESPN. Retrieved 16 October 2013. 
  22. ↑ "Women's Professional Soccer :: Atlanta Beat :: News :: 2010 WPS Draft Day Preview". Womensprosoccer.com. 2010-01-15. Retrieved 2011-07-17. 
  23. ↑ "Studio 90 Extra Time: Tobin Heath, Pt. 1‏". YouTube. Retrieved 2011-07-17. 
  24. ↑ "United States lose to Japan in penalties 3–1". Fox Sports. Associated Press. July 17, 2011. Retrieved January 28, 2012. 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tobin Heath.
United States women's football squad – 2007 Pan American Games – Silver Medalists
United States
United States women's football squad – 2008 Summer Olympics – Gold Medalists
United States
United States squad – 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup Runners-up
United States
United States women's football squad – 2012 Summer Olympics – Gold Medalists
United States
Paris Saint-Germain Féminines – current squad
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