Emma Hayes doesn't always get it right. She's made decisions others disagreed with, and yes, though rare, she's lost a game or two. But absolute perfection isn't an achievable human trait, and what makes Emma Hayes so cherished besides her soccer acumen and genuine care for her players is her humanity. She's relatable, seemingly approachable, and flawed, but she's trying her absolute best, and her best is rather phenomenal.
It might as well be in every coach's job description that they will be hated by some and loved by others. Losing important games? They'll be hated. Benching fan favorites? Again, hatred. But Emma Hayes has stayed comfortably above water despite camp rosters that go through more changes than my postpartum hormones, and an imperfect win/loss record (albeit still an impressive one).
Emma Hayes is a breath of fresh air
You could look at it in one of two ways. Either Emma Hayes is an adorable human with an often childlike joy for life, a caring and attentive mother, and a coach that puts her players' well-being first, or she's hired a social media manager who knows how to brilliantly sculpt her image. I chose option one. I think she's really as easy to rally behind as her social media would have you believe.
One day, she's like a kid in a toy store, crafting her custom cowboy hat in Nashville or nerding out at Disneyland's Galaxy Edge. Another day, she's Auntie Emma recruiting Sophia Wilson's baby, Gigi, to be her assistant coach while melting from baby smiles. Recently, she's documented her fitness journey as she pursues a physical version of herself that can better tolerate the stresses of her job, motherhood, etc.
Her life outside of Olympic gold medals and Grand Ole Opry announcer appearances isn't necessarily spectacular, but it's one worth following. She's a healthy reminder that you can be loud about the things in life that bring you joy, you can prioritize people over results, you can show up daily to a job fraught with scrutiny and still be loved, you can laugh and dance one minute and still be prepared to go to battle the next, and you can be a present mother and a career go-getter.
You can be unapologetically yourself, and some stranger somewhere, perhaps a former player turned writer, will think that you, in all your Star Wars-obsessed glory, are someone worth raving about.
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