Joy Fawcett facts for kids
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Joy Lynn Fawcett | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Birth name | Joy Lynn Biefeld | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | February 8, 1968 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Inglewood, California, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1987–1989 | California Golden Bears | 72 | (55) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ajax America | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2003 | San Diego Spirit | 43 | (12) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1987–2004 | United States | 241 | (27) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992 | Long Beach City Vikings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993–1997 | UCLA Bruins | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Joy Lynn Fawcett was born on February 8, 1968. She is a famous American soccer coach and a former professional player. She played 241 games for the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team. When she stopped playing in 2004, she was the top-scoring defender in the team's history.
Joy was one of the first players in the WUSA, a professional soccer league. In 2009, she was chosen to be part of the National Soccer Hall of Fame. She also appeared as herself in the movie Soccer Mom.
Contents
Early Life and College Soccer
Joy Fawcett grew up in Southern California. She went to Edison High School in Huntington Beach, California. Her high school soccer team won four league championships.
After high school, she attended the University of California, Berkeley. She played on the women's soccer team from 1987 to 1989. She was named an All-American three times, which means she was one of the best players in college soccer. In 1987, she set a school record by scoring 23 goals in one season. Joy graduated from UC Berkeley in 1992 with a degree in Physical Education. In 1997, she was added to the school's Hall of Fame.
Professional Club Career
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Joy Fawcett played for a club team called Ajax in Manhattan Beach. She played alongside another great player, Carin Jennings. Their team often played at Columbia Park in Torrance, California.
- In 1992 and 1993, Ajax won the U.S. National Amateur Cup. This was the championship for amateur women's soccer teams.
- In 1998, she played for Ajax in the first season of the Women's Premier Soccer League.
- In 2001, Joy joined the San Diego Spirit team in the new WUSA league. She missed most of that season because she was pregnant.
- In 2002, she played in 19 games, leading her team in playing time.
- In 2003, she had an ankle injury early in the season. But she recovered and played 18 games. She was even named a WUSA All-Star.
Playing for the National Team
Joy Fawcett was a key player for the U.S. National Team. She helped the team win many important tournaments.
- She helped the U.S. team win the first Women's World Cup in 1991, which was held in China.
- She also helped them win the 1999 World Cup, which took place in the United States.
- Joy was the only player on the U.S. team to play every minute of the 1995, 1999, and 2003 Women's World Cups.
- She also played every minute of the 1996 and 2000 Olympics.
- She helped the team win Olympic gold medals in 1996 and 2004.
- The team also won a silver medal in 2000.
- She retired from the National Team in 2004. At that time, she was the highest-scoring defender for the U.S. Women's National Team.
Coaching Career
After her playing career, Joy Fawcett became a soccer coach.
- In 1992, she was the head coach for the Long Beach City Vikings women's soccer team.
- From 1993 to 1997, she was the first coach of the UCLA Bruins women's team.
- She is also an assistant soccer coach for the United States women's national deaf soccer team.
Personal Life
Joy Fawcett is married to Walter Fawcett. They have three daughters:
- Katelyn Rose (born May 17, 1994)
- Carli (born May 21, 1997)
- Madilyn Rae (born June 5, 2001)
Their oldest daughter, Katey, played soccer for the University of Washington from 2012 to 2015. Joy's brother, Eric Biefeld, also played soccer for the United States men's national soccer team.
Joy appeared in an HBO documentary called Dare to Dream: The Story of the U.S. Women's Soccer Team. She is also part of the ownership group for Angel City FC, a team in the National Women's Soccer League.
Awards and Achievements
Joy Fawcett has received many honors and awards throughout her soccer career.
United States Women's National Team
- World Cup Winner: 1991, 1999
- Olympic Games Gold Medal: 1996, 2004
Ajax (Manhattan Beach)
- U.S. National Amateur Cup Winner: 1992, 1993
Individual Awards
- All-Star, Women's United Soccer Association: 2003
- Inducted into the US Soccer Hall of Fame: 2009
See also
In Spanish: Joy Fawcett para niños
