Getting to Know Forward Ashley Hatch

Ashley Hatch has been a mainstay for the Washington Spirit since joining the team in 2018. The 29-year-old forward’s accolades speak for themselves. She has led the Spirit in regular season goals every season since 2018. In 2021, Hatch won the NWSL Golden Boot while leading the Spirit to a NWSL Championship. At the international level, Hatch has made over 20 appearances for the USWNT, scoring five goals and adding one assist. The Gilbert, Arizona attended Brigham Young University from 2013 through 2016 where she twice earned First Team All-WCC honors and was named a finalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy following her senior campaign.  

 

What career highlight are you most proud of? 

I would have to say the NWSL Championship in 2021. It was a very challenging year as a team and as individuals. There was just so much chaos going on. To be able to lift the trophy at the end of the season was really rewarding, having all the hard work pay off. 

 

 

What is your favorite meal?
Barnie (Nicole Barnhart) shared this salmon recipe with my husband, Jeff, and I last year. It’s become our favorite meal to make. It’s this barbecue brown sugar crusted salmon with mango avocado salsa on top and rice. I make a coconut milk rice, it’s really easy and so delicious.  

 

What’s your favorite movie?
That’s hard. I would probably have to say How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days. It’s a good one, and an old one. It’s either that or She’s The Man. I feel like that’s a classic, too. I loved it.  

 

What’s your favorite TV show?
Friends… well, I have two TV shows for you. Friends is a classic, a favorite. It’s one that I’ll put on when I’m bored or if I want something on in the background. But my guilty pleasure is reality TV, so things like Love is Blind, The Bachelor, shows like that. I haven’t gotten into Love Island just because I’m afraid that once I start watching it, I will be addicted.  

 

Who is the funniest player on the team right now?
Dang, that’s really hard. I’d have to say probably Lena (Silano) or Tara (McKeown). If I had to decide, Lena is pretty funny, I’ll give her the vote.  

 

What is your favorite hobby, outside of soccer?
Right now, I’m getting into sewing, so I’d say that’s at the top of my list. It’s new, and I’m learning a lot. I have crocheted before, but I’d need to relearn. I have a sewing machine, so it’s a little different.

 

 

What is your favorite band or genre?
I feel like bands aren’t very common now as they use to be, it’s more individual artists. Let’s start with genre. I like folky alternative music, and, right now, I’m on a big Zach Bryan kick. I really like his music. It’s kind of annoying, to be honest. I’m annoyed with how much I listen to him. He is very different. I like the mellow stuff. I have to be in the mood for it, but during my drive to training, and home, it’s a good time for that. It’s a good reflection time for me.  

 

What is your favorite food spot in the DMV?
Jeff and I haven’t really explored a ton. All of the places we go to are chains. We live right by Artie’s, it’s a like a Great American Restaurant chain. They’re all a part of this family chain of restaurants. All of their menus are pretty similar. I wouldn’t say I’m in love with it, but it’s convenient and has decent food. Sweetwater Tavern is one of them, too.  

 

What is the coolest place you have ever traveled and why?
Probably Australia. I went and played there after my rookie season for Melbourne City FC. A standout was when I went to the first part of the Great Ocean Road, it was beautiful.  

 

What is a non-soccer goal of yours?
That’s a good question. I am pretty entrepreneurial spirited. I feel like I have a lot of ambitions outside of soccer with my podcast. I want to continue to grow that. I don’t have an end goal. A short-term goal would be to get to 26 episodes – that’s until mid-September. Outside of that, I do a lot of soccer camps and want to work on my brand outside of soccer. I want to get to a point where, once I’m done playing soccer, that can be my career; I can live off that. 

 

What is the story behind your jersey number?
It’s not super crazy. At some point in my youth career, my club team folded and combined with another club team. For some reason the other team got to choose their numbers first and my favorite number was six, and it got taken. There were six members in my family, so that’s why I liked #6. I didn’t want anyone to ever steal my number again, so I thought 3+3 is 6, and it’s something unique and different. I don’t think anyone else would want 33, and every team I’ve been on, it’s always available.   

 

What is the most essential part of your day?
This sounds stupid, but my car. I love my car. I have a Toyota 4Runner. It’s definitely a gas guzzler, but it’s my dream car. It’s very comfortable. I love it maybe too much. The name of the paint is lunar rock, so when we were naming it, we came up with Luna. I feel like it fits her personality.  

 

Did you ever play a sport that wasn’t soccer?
Yeah, I played tennis – that was the first sport I tried. I played softball and basketball. I hated tennis at first, and now I wish I played it more. I loved all the other sports. Once I got to high school, soccer was the one that made more sense to me, and now we are here.  

 

What’s always in your fridge?
I would say almond milk or eggs. I consume those the most. I eat an egg every morning.  

 

What is one word to describe this team on and off the field?
I have the same words for both: united and committed. On the field we are all committed to each other, the game plan, and getting better. We’re also really united in that effort. Off the field, I feel the same way, we’re committed to getting to know each other and making it a good environment. We’re all very united and do a lot of stuff off the pitch together.  

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