Cat Whitehill facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Cat Whitehill

Whitehill before a match in 2013.
Personal information
Full name	Catherine Reddick Whitehill
Birth name	Catherine Anne Reddick
Date of birth	(1982-02-10) February 10, 1982 (age 43)
Place of birth	Richmond, Virginia, United States
Height	5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Position(s)	Defender
Youth career
1996–2000	Briarwood Christian School
	Briarwood Soccer Club
	Vestavia Hills Soccer Club
College career
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2000–2003	North Carolina Tar Heels
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2005	New Jersey Wildcats	9	(3)
2009–2010	Washington Freedom	42	(4)
2011	Atlanta Beat	17	(0)
2012	Boston Breakers (WPSL)	14	(0)
2013–2015	Boston Breakers (NWSL)	46	(1)
International career
2000–2010	United States	134	(11)
Managerial career
2013	Boston Breakers (player-coach, a.i.)
2016	Boston Breakers (assistant)
2017	Needham Soccer Club
2017	Wellesley Raiders
2019–	Emory Eagles (assistant)
Medal record Women's soccer Representing  United States Olympic Games Gold 2004 Athens Team competition FIFA Women's World Cup Bronze 2003 USA Team Bronze 2007 China Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Catherine "Cat" Whitehill (born Catherine Anne Reddick on February 10, 1982) is a former American professional soccer defender. She also worked as an assistant coach for the Boston Breakers in the NWSL. Whitehill played her last professional game for the Boston Breakers in 2015. Before that, she played for the Washington Freedom and the Atlanta Beat in the WPS. She was a key player for the United States women's national soccer team from 2000 to 2010. During this time, she won a gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics.

Cat Whitehill's Early Life and High School Soccer

Cat Whitehill was born in Richmond, Virginia, and grew up in Birmingham, Alabama. She went to Briarwood Christian School. While in high school, she was an amazing soccer player. She scored 211 goals during her high school career! She was also the only player to score more than 70 goals in a single season twice.

Whitehill played soccer for four years and basketball for three years at Briarwood. She was chosen as a Parade All-America player in 1999 and 2000. She was also named All-State four times. The Birmingham News called her the State and Metro Player of the Year in soccer. She also won the Gatorade Soccer Player of the Year for Alabama twice. Whitehill helped her school's basketball team reach the state Final Four twice. She also led the soccer team to win four high school state titles.

Playing for the University of North Carolina

Whitehill played college soccer for the University of North Carolina from 2000 to 2003.

• Freshman Year (2000): She scored four goals and had five assists. She played in all 24 games and was named North Carolina's Rookie Player of the Year. She also helped the Tar Heels win the national title in the NCAA championship game. She was named the Most Valuable Defensive Player of the NCAA Final Four.
• Sophomore Year (2001): She played in 23 games, scoring three goals and making 10 assists. She helped the Tar Heels have a perfect regular season and reach the NCAA championship game.
• Junior Year (2002): She played in 17 games, scoring six goals and five assists. She missed some games because of her commitments to the national team. She helped North Carolina win the ACC title. She also led the Tar Heels to the NCAA Final Four. She was named First-Team All-ACC and an NSCAA First-Team All American.
• Senior Year (2003): She played in 13 games, scoring six goals and five assists. She missed some games because she was playing in the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup. She won the 2003 M.A.C. Hermann Trophy, which is the top award in college soccer. Her leadership helped North Carolina finish their season with a perfect 27–0–0 record and win the NCAA Championship. She was named Defensive MVP of the Final Four.

Cat Whitehill's Professional Club Career

Playing in the WPS (2009–2011)

Inka Grings (left) and Whitehill (right) during a match between the Chicago Red Stars and Boston Breakers on June 9, 2013.

In 2009, Whitehill joined the Washington Freedom for the 2009 WPS season. She started in 19 games, scoring three goals and making two assists. The next season, she started 23 games for the Freedom. She scored one goal and had two assists.

In 2011, Whitehill signed with the Atlanta Beat for the 2011 WPS season. She started in 17 games for the team.

Playing in the WPSL Elite (2012)

After the WPS league stopped playing in early 2012, Whitehill joined the Boston Breakers in the WPSL. At that time, the WPSL was the top women's soccer league in the United States.

Playing in the NWSL (2013–2015)

Whitehill defending against Abby Wambach of the Western New York Flash on June 5, 2013.

Whitehill signed with the Boston Breakers for the first season of the National Women's Soccer League in 2013. Near the end of the season, the Breakers' coach, Lisa Cole, left the team. Whitehill then became the player-coach for the rest of the season.

On May 28, 2015, Whitehill announced she was retiring from professional soccer. She mentioned a recent injury and her plans to commentate during the World Cup that summer as reasons for her retirement.

Cat Whitehill's International Career

Whitehill played her first game for the United States women's national soccer team on July 6, 2000, against Italy. She played for the national team from 2000 to 2010. She was part of the team that won a gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics. She also won bronze medals at two FIFA Women's World Cup tournaments: in 2003 and 2007.

On June 10, 2008, Whitehill hurt her knee during practice for the Peace Queen Cup. Because of this injury, she missed the 2008 Beijing Olympics. After recovering, Whitehill played her first game for the national team on July 19, 2009. This was a friendly match against Canada. Her last game for the national team was on March 31, 2010, against Mexico. This game was played in the snow, which was a first for the USWNT.

International Goals Scored

Cat Whitehill scored 11 goals in 134 games for the United States women's national soccer team. It's quite special for a defender to score so many goals! On July 15, 2006, in Blaine, Minnesota, she scored a goal from a free kick that was 70 yards away against Sweden. This is the longest shot ever to score a goal for the USWNT.

Cat Whitehill's Broadcasting Career

Whitehill worked as a color commentator for ESPN during the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup. She also worked on the sidelines for Fox Soccer Channel. In 2012, she commentated on men's and women's NCAA College Cup matches for ESPNU.

Whitehill was a commentator for ESPN3's coverage of the UEFA Women's Euro 2017. She also worked as a color commentator for an NWSL Game of the Week between the Washington Spirit and Boston Breakers on August 12, 2017.

Cat Whitehill's Coaching Career

In March 2016, Whitehill was named Assistant Coach and Club Ambassador for the Boston Breakers. In 2017, she coached for Needham Soccer Club. Later that year, she became the head coach of the girls' soccer program at Wellesley High School.

Since 2019, she has been an assistant coach for the Emory Eagles soccer team.

Advocacy for Women in Sports

Whitehill is a strong supporter of women's rights to play sports. On February 1, 2006, she spoke at a meeting for the United States Senate. She spoke in favor of Title IX. This is a civil rights law that helps make sure girls and women have the same chances to play school sports as boys and men. In her speech, she talked about how she had to play on boys' soccer teams when she was young in Alabama. This was because there were no organized soccer teams for girls at that time.

Personal Life

Cat Whitehill married Dr. Robert Whitehill on New Year's Eve, 2005. He is a doctor who specializes in heart problems in children.

See also

In Spanish: Cat Whitehill para niños