Tally Hall

Tally Hall's first memory of soccer isn't as a keeper. The Dynamo lucked out.

WHAT IS YOUR EARLIEST MEMORY OF SOCCER?

No one’s ever asked me that! Gosh, it would probably be scoring a goal. I don’t know how old I was, but my dad was the coach and the other team had a goal kick, and I remember we all just to used to line up on the 18 because no one could kick it past the 18. It came to me: one touch and hit. I don’t know why that memory stands out. It’s not a goalkeeper memory. I just remember when the other team got a goal kick you knew that you might have a chance to shoot because it was awesome that no one could kick it past you.

WHO WAS YOUR SOCCER HERO GROWING UP?

Definitely, Kasey Keller. Being from kind of the same area as a kid, knowing about him. Then also, I got to watch him train one time. Watching him train, it was just so cool seeing a goalkeeper train at a high level. I still have a shirt that he signed, I think it's still in my closet, when I was like 13,14 that I just thought was so cool. Then, whenever. 15 years later I’ve played against him and then on the all-star team was able to play with him. Kind one of those surreal moments of my life.

DESCRIBE YOUR FIRST EXPERIENCE SUITING UP FOR THE U.S.

The January camp was my first real getting called up to the national team [experience]. Talk about another surreal moment. I know that there was a group of players called up, and I wasn’t in that group, so I wasn’t expecting to be a part of it. And it kind of worked out that I was still invited. And so it’s one of those times where you have a chance, an opportunity, to play at a higher level to represent not only where you’re from locally, Houston, but also the U.S. It’s a opportunity to bring your game to the next level, and also it means more to represent your country. You’re not just playing soccer. You’re playing soccer for the U.S., and it means something more. To kind of have all that, it’s not something that I could do yet, but getting called up was that first step to making it, hopefully, to that next level. It was a cool feeling that it’s up to me it’s in my hands how the rest of my career develops. That was my sense of getting called it.

WHAT IS THE QUALITY YOU MOST ADMIRE IN A SOCCER PLAYER?

I think its teamwork, the ability to sacrifice what you want to do. To be honest, I don’t enjoy as a goalkeeper getting a ball smashed at my face and it hitting my nose. But my team knows that the ball’s coming at my face, and I’m gonna do everything I can [to stop it]. I don’t care that it hits my face as long as the ball doesn’t go in. That sacrifice is different for every player. Sometimes as a midfielder it means in the 90th minute following your runner when the last thing you want to do is run more, because you’re on a team because everyone wants to win together. There’s no glory in making a defensive run following your man, especially when he doesn't get the ball. There’s no glory in that, but it’s something that needs to be done. So when you look at a soccer player the discipline, the determination, to have that team effort is something I admire more than anything else.

WHAT IS THE QUALITY YOU MOST DISLIKE IN AN OPPONENT?

The quality that I absolutely hate watching in soccer, and I’m very fortunate I don’t think anyone on my team is a softie, but people diving and not really being strong, falling down when you don’t need to fall down. I despise that. I’m with every American football fan that watches soccer. It just looks bad, and I think it brings the game down. I absolutely despise it. Especially as a goalkeeper coming out guys are going down “get up don’t do that.” I don’t usually say it that nice either.

WHAT IS THE KEY TO YOUR SOCCER SUCCESS?

Hard work and determination because I didn’t have a great youth career and there were a lot of things that happened and maybe I was too ignorant to the fact that things weren’t going as good as I thought they were going. There were times growing up that I was the backup for three or four years, and then looking at colleges I was like “Well, I want to go to a Division One school and I was the backup goalkeeper for my youth club so how to I get to that level?” So I tried working hard. I tried to be the best goalkeeper I could be, even though I wasn’t the go to guy on my team. It kind of just worked out well for me. And then I had same kind of attitude in college and at the professional level. It’s been me looking at myself and saying I want to be better. Not saying necessarily I want to beat someone out. I just want to be the best goalkeeper I can be and whenever that takes me is where it takes me.

WHAT IS ONE SOCCER SKILL YOU WANT TO IMPROVE?

The go-to answer there is distribution with my feet because the modern goalkeeper seems to be using his feet more. That’s an easy answer just cause its not one of my strengths. I’m never going to be the best in the world with my feet, but I think there’s a chance that I can be very good at being a big presence in my box; whether that’s coming out for crosses, punches, or just having a bigger role in defending and moving players around. If there’s one thing that I want to improve that I think I can be better than other goalkeepers at, it's having a big presence inside the 18.

WHO HAS HAD THE GREATEST INFLUENCE ON YOUR DEVELOPMENT?

That’s like choosing a favorite kid. You can’t make me do that. At each stage in my career where I have found success, there has been someone who I owe that success to. At each point, I have been blessed and very fortunate to have the support that I have.

WHO IS YOUR CLOSEST FRIEND IN THE GAME?

Brad Davis

WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST SOCCER ACHIEVEMENT?

Making it to the MLS Finals the last two years. We obviously didn’t win, but as a team we came together. And those runs to the final are memorable. And to be a part of that have been probably my greatest accomplishments.

WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST SOCCER DISAPPOINTMENT?

Not making the Olympic team for the Beijing Olympics. It was kind of a jarring process. I was called into a couple camps and I thought a pregame meal was 30 minutes later than it was, so I showed up what I thought was 15 minutes early and I was really 15 minutes late. In an act of immaturity, I didn’t say anything to the coaches, I didn’t explain myself, I didn’t say anything. I just sat down at a table nervous like “Ah crap, I just messed up.” It was a learning process in how not to help yourself out. I think I slept in another time at the camp. I didn’t do everything off the field that I could’ve to help myself out. But I thought I played well on the field. The coaches didn’t choose me. It was heartbreak for me to not be a part of that. It was a huge goal of mine. And it was tough to not be a part of that group.

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON YOU LEARNED FROM THE GAME?

The value of teamwork, the value of making good relationships and utilizing those. It’s been kind of eye-opening how well relationships can solve problems when everyone's on the same page. Something I can hopefully take away into the business world or with other players is you have to develop a relationship to work together well. Especially with defensive roles. We talk about center backs and outside backs and the goalkeeper and how everyone has to be united. You handle everyone a little bit different, but the goal has to be the same. Probably the greatest lesson is work together, and be one to accomplish one goal.

WHO ARE THE MOST TALENTED TEAMMATES YOU HAVE PLAYED ALONGSIDE?

Brad is probably the most talented teammate I’ve ever had. He’s really good. It didn’t take very long for me when I came to the team [to realize that]. I was like “I don’t know that guy’s name, but he’s really good.” I think he’s had a resurgence in his career. I think he’s gotten actually better these past couple years. It’s kind of been cool cause now we’re friends, and having him play well you’re happy for your friends when they have success. So it’s been pretty cool. And he’s definitely the best guy that I’ve ever, ever played with.

WHO ARE THE TOUGHEST OPPONENTS YOU HAVE LINED UP AGAINST?

Manchester United because they scored every shot they had against me. It wasn’t a confidence booster. I’ll tell you that much.

IF YOU WEREN'T A PROFESSIONAL SOCCER PLAYER, WHAT WOULD YOU DO FOR A LIVING?

I would’ve joined the military, and I don’t know what I would’ve done after that. I would have gravitated towards that without soccer. It was kind of a forgone conclusion, as much as my mom would hate that answer.

WHAT IS YOUR ULTIMATE DEFINITION OF SUCCESS IN THE GAME?

It’s got to be enjoying what you do. I know it’s such a cliché answer, but when it comes down to it... Maybe not having fun. I don’t know. It’s tough cause I have a personal belief that if you’re not a nice person while you’re playing soccer, but you’re really good, once you’re done playing soccer you’re just gonna be not a nice person. And to me if you’re not a good person, it’s hard for me to count that as a success. Even if you enjoy doing what you’re doing. Have fun. If you could be a good soccer player and a positive force in the world, then I think that’s success.

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