No plans to honor World Cup champion Solo in Richland

Richland’s mayor admits it can be a tough call on whether the city should do anything to pay tribute to Hope Solo’s performance in the Women’s World Cup.

Seven years ago when she helped the U.S. win two Olympic gold medals, the city honored the Richland native with a “Hope Solo Day.”

Again, Solo gave a dominant performance as goalkeeper for the World Cup-winning United States soccer team, but her image is still suffering from off-the-field issues.

Mayor David Rose considered some sort of public recognition of Solo’s accomplishments after Sunday’s 5-2 championship-clinching victory over Japan, but decided against it.

“I was wondering what we could do when I was watching the game,” Rose said. “I was wondering if the city could recognize her somehow, but I couldn’t think of anything appropriate.”

Sunday’s final was the most-watched soccer match ever in the United States, with 26.7 million people viewing between English and Spanish broadcasts, according to The Associated Press.

Solo won her second consecutive Golden Gloves award as the top goalkeeper in the tournament, allowing three goals in seven matches. She did not allow a goal in 540 minutes, a record for the Women’s World Cup spanning the United States’ first match to the final.

But off-field problems lingered over Solo going into the tournament. She was suspended from the team for a month after her husband, former Seattle Seahawks tight end Jerramy Stevens, was arrested and charged with DUI while driving a team van during training camp in January. Solo also was in the van.

Solo previously had been arrested after a June 2014 altercation at her half-sister’s house, though charges were later dropped.

Richland is proud of the U.S. women’s team, but isn’t planning any special recognition for Solo right now, said Trish Herron, Richland communications and marketing manager.

Solo now lives in the Seattle area where she plays professionally for Seattle Reign FC in the National Women’s Soccer League. She was born in Richland and is a 1999 Richland High School graduate, leading the Bombers to the 1998 Class 4A state soccer championship.

Solo came back to Richland for a public event weeks after leading the United States to her first of two Olympic gold medals in 2008. According to Herald archives, she signed autographs, posed for pictures and encouraged aspiring young soccer players before 500 people in September 2008.

Then-Mayor John Fox presented Solo with a certificate and crystal plaque and proclaimed it “Hope Solo Day.”

“As your name says, you provide hope for many,” Todd Baddley, the Richland School District’s assistant superintendent of instruction and secondary schools, told Solo at the time.

Solo discussed the “true guidance here in this community” when talking about her second-guessing of her coach after being benched during the 2007 World Cup.

The city took the lead on planning the 2008 events honoring Solo, school district spokesman Steve Aagaard said Monday.

Anything the school district does in regard to Solo this time would likely come after school restarts in the fall, he said.

“We’re pretty much closed down for July, so we haven’t had anybody really further the idea or talk about it,” he said.

Solo’s publicist did not return a message about any plans for her to visit the Tri-Cities.