If you haven’t seen him yet, you have most likely heard him. If you had the opportunity to attend Pittsburgh’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade, you may have juggled a soccer ball with him! And above all else, if your child has worked with him, they love him!
Eddie Hayden is a Maryland native who came to Pittsburgh after spending two seasons with the Richmond Kickers of the USL. A graduate of Monmouth University in New Jersey, Eddie quickly became one of the top Riverhounds Academy instructors this year, after establishing himself as one of the most recognizable camp instructors during the 2008 summer.
“Sweaty Eddie” as he has become known, pours 110% of his energy into the game of soccer and into the development of all players he works with. A hard-as-nails defender with slick feet, Eddie is this month’s Academy Profile.
How has the transition from Richmond to Pittsburgh treated you? Besides the weather; very easy and rewarding. It's been quite easy to fit in and find my place here on the team, as well as in the academy. In Richmond, a lot of the players were older with day jobs and kids, so I never really got to know many of the guys on the team because I didn't spend time with them outside of training and traveling. Here we have good nucleus of guys that have become my friends and not just my teammates, making the transition on the soccer end simple. Aside from the difference in the teams, Pittsburgh has offered me the greatest opportunity ever; to be a full time coach, in a real soccer academy. I've coached kids every summer since I was thirteen years old, and whether it be a camp or an "academy," I have never been involved in something run so smoothly and professionally. I work with a great group of guys who dedicate their time to keeping the academy and our professional team moving, so Pittsburgh has treated me well.
What is it about soccer that captivates you? The beauty, continuity, and freedom of the game. Eleven players step on the field to think and work collectively to get the ball in the goal; there is no one telling you what play to run, you must think for yourself and figure it out with the guys you have on the field. The flow of the game is attractive as well; you play for 45 minutes at a time without interruption, no time outs, no replays, no commercial breaks. Soccer is just a beautiful, free flowing game, that the whole world can relate to.
If you have a day off, where would we find you? This depends on what time of the year it is. If it's summer time you can catch me laying by a pool, any other time you can catch me laying in my bed. Either way, on my day off, I'm laying somewhere...sleep is essential.
Have you experienced any “turning points” in your soccer career? I've been playing for seventeen years, so of course. I feel that I've had two turning points in my time as a player. The first occurred when I was about twelve years old. My club team got a new coach who joined us straight out of college, and applied all his college sessions to our team at a twelve year old level. All the time and effort he put into our team, and the skills we were developing made me love the game and not take any other sports too seriously from that point on. My second turning point was in my first two years of college. I played at St. Francis University here in PA, and was on a team with a majority of international players. These guys showed me a passion for the game that no American player had showed me, which ultimately made me really focus on trying to play professionally.
What was your lowest point as a soccer player? Definitely my rookie year professionally in 2006. It was a very tough time for me as a player; I couldn't break into the starting eleven regardless how I played in training. I was the only left-footed natural left back, but the coach was playing everyone other than me in the position. I was always the last to be subbed into games, if I even got in; it was a very trying time for me. I was under a pay-per-play contract which meant I had to at least dress for the game to get paid, so I was literally playing for my paycheck. It got to the point where I had to just forget about the money and get back to playing just for the fun of it, which helped me get through the season.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Near a beach (preferably west coast) coaching the game I love, with a family of my own. But if that doesn't work, I'll settle for coaching the game I love, with time to vacation to a beach (preferably west coast) with my family.
If you could spend a day with one person, currently living or deceased, who would it be and why? It would have to be my paternal Grandfather. He was a national champion track runner in the early 1940's while in high school and running for Fordham University, and passed away in 1991 when I was eight years old and just starting to play soccer. I'd like to spend a day with him to talk about our experiences and accomplishments in sports.
What is it about The Riverhounds Academy that you like the most? I think we all know the answer to that...the kids!!! But aside from the kids I like that I get to coach a variety of ages of kids. I get a bit of everything; from players that are older, whom you can really push hard in training, to those who are young, fun, and full of energy. It's great to see young smiling faces everyday; and it's amazing to see so many kids who are beginning to have a desire for the game, and so many parents willing to support their kids in youth sports.