Hannah Seabert returned home to continue her professional soccer career last year, joining Angel City Football Club.
The Riverside native had spent eight years in Europe before she returned to the United States.
“I went to Europe to get playing opportunities and I just had an amazing time over there,” she said. “I had so many opportunities to play for championship teams and win championships, travel the world and experience life over there. I’m super thankful that soccer took me abroad because it was an experience I wouldn’t have had otherwise.
“After being abroad for eight years, I just really wanted to be around my family and closer to home.”
After experiencing the joy of playing for her hometown club, Seabert is ready for the next phase of her career, announcing that she will retiring at the end of this season.
“It was super difficult,” Seabert, 31, said of the decision. “As athletes, we kind of put everything into our career and it really becomes part of your identity. So it kind of feels like I’m losing a part of myself. There’s been so much work that I’ve put in, blood, sweat and tears, that I’ve put into this and it’s really difficult to choose to let that go, but on the flip side, I’m really thankful that this is my choice and that I’m in control of when I get to retire.
“There’s been a whole grieving process around it, but I think that’s very natural and within the grieving process, there’s also a lot of healing, which has been super great and I’m thankful for.”
Seabert was a star goalkeeper at Woodcrest Christian High in Riverside, where she recorded 31 shutouts and 277 saves and allowed just 41 goals. After high school, she attended Pepperdine, where she again starred in goal, recording 331 saves and earned West Coast Conference Goalkeeper of the Year in 2016.
After playing in 2017 with the Orlando Pride, she set out for Europe, which included stops in Denmark, Norway and Portugal.
Her start in goal came early and unexpectedly. As an 11-year-old, her team needed someone at the position.
“Honestly, I was a really timid kid and when I was little, I would cry every time I got scored on,” she said. “I hated failing, but I think it taught me a lot of resilience. I had fun with it though. I chose to stay there. I don’t think anybody would have looked at me and been like, ‘She should be at goalkeeper,’ but my coach saw something in me.”
Seabert made four appearances last season for Angel City, recording two shutout wins.
“When Angel City came into the conversation, that was it for me, I knew that was exactly where I wanted to be, nothing else could have changed my mind,” she said. “I’m surrounded by staff and players that love me and love their work, which makes it a super enjoyable experience. It’s been fun to be part of a club that has clear goals. We’re a few years in, the club is still striving for that first championship, that’s a very clear goal and I think it’s fun to be part of that because you don’t always get to be part of a winning culture and I treasure that.”
As for what’s next, Seabert isn’t sure as of now, but expects to stay around the game.
“I 100 percent think I’ll be around soccer in some sort of capacity,” she said. “I haven’t decided my path exactly yet. But I know what the power of sport is and I know how much unity it can bring and the sense of belonging it can bring. I know everything that it can teach you and I would love to be part of passing that on to future generations and to more players. There’s so many ways to do that and I think that’s super cool and exciting.
“I’m just exploring and taking my time to see exactly where I can help and have that spot jump out at me and ignite a passion for my next step.”