Cat Whitehill
Encyclopedia
Cat Whitehill is an American soccer player. She plays as a defender
for the Atlanta Beat of Women's Professional Soccer
(WPS) and the United States women's national soccer team
, and formerly played on the Washington Freedom
W-League
team.
She was born in Richmond, Virginia
, but grew up in Birmingham, Alabama
attending Briarwood Christian School
. She played soccer from an early age, winning many awards, and attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
, a university which has produced several top American players, including Mia Hamm
, Kristine Lilly
and Eddie Pope
.
She debuted for the United States women's national soccer team
on July 6, 2000, against Italy
, and has since become a regular for her national side.
She was married to Robert Whitehill on New Year's Eve 2005.
Whitehill is an advocate for the rights of women to participate in sports. On February 1, 2006, she testified at a committee hearing of the United States Senate
in support of Title IX
, the civil rights law that, among other things, provides women and girls the same opportunities to participate in school sports that boys and men are offered. In her testimony, she described having to play on boys' soccer teams as a young girl in Alabama because there were no opportunities for girls to play organized soccer there at the time.
She was paired with Beth Mowins
as a color commentator
on ESPN's tertiary broadcast team for the telecasts of the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup.
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
for the Atlanta Beat of Women's Professional Soccer
Women's Professional Soccer
Women's Professional Soccer is the top level professional women's soccer league in the United States. It began play on March 29, 2009. The league was composed of seven teams for its first two seasons and fielded 6 teams for the 2011 season, with continued plans for future expansion...
(WPS) and the United States women's national soccer team
United States women's national soccer team
The United States women's national soccer team represents the United States in international soccer competition and is controlled by U.S. Soccer. The U.S. team won the first ever Women's World Cup in 1991, and has since been a superpower in women's soccer. It is currently ranked first in the world...
, and formerly played on the Washington Freedom
Washington Freedom
The Washington Freedom was an American professional soccer club based in the Washington, D.C. suburb of Germantown, Maryland that participated in Women's Professional Soccer. The Freedom was originally founded in 2001 as a member of the defunct Women's United Soccer Association. Since 2004, the...
W-League
W-League
The USL W-League is a national women's soccer league in the United States on the 2nd level of women's soccer in the United States soccer pyramid, alongside the Women's Premier Soccer League and below Women's Professional Soccer....
team.
She was born in Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, but grew up in Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
attending Briarwood Christian School
Briarwood Christian School
Briarwood Christian School is a school in Birmingham, Alabama. It was started by Briarwood Presbyterian Church in 1965. In 1977, the school had its own dedicated facilities constructed on Highway 119, about 15 miles south of the current church campus...
. She played soccer from an early age, winning many awards, and attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
, a university which has produced several top American players, including Mia Hamm
Mia Hamm
Mariel Margaret "Mia" Hamm is a retired American soccer player. Hamm played many years as a forward for the United States women's national soccer team and was a founding member of the Washington Freedom. Hamm has scored more international goals in her career than any other player, male or female,...
, Kristine Lilly
Kristine Lilly
Kristine Marie Lilly Heavey is a retired American soccer player who last played for Boston Breakers of Women's Professional Soccer and was a member of the United States women's national soccer team for 24 years...
and Eddie Pope
Eddie Pope
George Edward Pope is a retired American soccer player who last played for Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer and spent eleven years as a defender for the United States national team. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.-Youth:Born in Greensboro, he attended Southwest Guilford...
.
She debuted for the United States women's national soccer team
United States women's national soccer team
The United States women's national soccer team represents the United States in international soccer competition and is controlled by U.S. Soccer. The U.S. team won the first ever Women's World Cup in 1991, and has since been a superpower in women's soccer. It is currently ranked first in the world...
on July 6, 2000, against Italy
Italy women's national football team
The Italy women's national football team represents Italy in international women's football. The team is controlled by the Italian Football Federation .- Performances in the World Cup :...
, and has since become a regular for her national side.
She was married to Robert Whitehill on New Year's Eve 2005.
Whitehill is an advocate for the rights of women to participate in sports. On February 1, 2006, she testified at a committee hearing of the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in support of Title IX
Title IX
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a United States law, enacted on June 23, 1972, that amended Title IX of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In 2002 it was renamed the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act, in honor of its principal author Congresswoman Mink, but is most...
, the civil rights law that, among other things, provides women and girls the same opportunities to participate in school sports that boys and men are offered. In her testimony, she described having to play on boys' soccer teams as a young girl in Alabama because there were no opportunities for girls to play organized soccer there at the time.
She was paired with Beth Mowins
Beth Mowins
Beth Mowins is a play-by-play announcer and reporter for ESPN and CBS. She mostly calls women's college sports but became only the second woman to call nationally televised football games for ESPN in 2005...
as a color commentator
Color commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
on ESPN's tertiary broadcast team for the telecasts of the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup.