University of Minnesota Athletics
Photo by: Mike Gridley/ISI Photos
Get to Know New Gopher Soccer Assistant Coach Maya Hayes
7/14/2020 12:35:00 PM | Soccer
At the onset of July, the Minnesota women's soccer program officially hired Maya Hayes as assistant coach. Since then, Hayes has been hard at work with head coach Stefanie Golan and company since assuming the duties associated with her new position.
Hayes, who was a three-time All-American at Penn State, played professionally for Sky Blue FC of the National Women's Soccer League from 2014-18. Before bringing her talents to the U, the new Gopher assistant coach spent the previous two seasons as a graduate assistant coach for the Auburn women's soccer program.
Although Gopher Sports has already gone into the details regarding Hayes' impressive resume both on the playing field and on the sidelines, there is still plenty to learn about one of the newest members of the Minnesota family.
Gopher Sports: Where did you grow up?
Hayes: "I grew up in New Jersey, about 35-40 minutes outside of New York, so Northern Jersey. I was actually born in New York and then when I was one or two, we moved to New Jersey, which is where my mom grew up and where our family was. I grew up in Montclair, New Jersey and then when I was a freshman in high school, we moved about 15-20 minutes away to West Orange, which was where I lived during high school."
GS: Why Minnesota for your first full-time coaching position?
Hayes: "All the reasons, honestly. I think the soccer piece is the easy one. It's easy to see the prolonged success of the program and the success that Stef has had. I got to see that up close and personal, playing against Minnesota for four years. I got to see what a strong team culture can produce on the field. Once I got on the phone with Stef and had a conversation with her, the very first conversation lasted an hour and a half and just naturally flowed. The same thing happened with [assistant coach Becky Fletcher]. That was a good sign, because even more so than the soccer piece, I care about people as people and I want to make sure the people I'm working with are genuine people and good people. And everybody I talked to reiterated that. The final piece was that the coaching staff has some core beliefs that align with my core beliefs. Talking about that value in making sure players are viewed as more than just players and as people, and you can build those relationships outside of soccer. All of those things considered, it was almost more the question of, 'how can it not be Minnesota?'"
GS: How did you first become involved with the sport of soccer?
Hayes: "I honestly feel like it was kind of a "monkey see, monkey do" situation, if I'm being honest. Growing up, especially in elementary school, I felt like all of my friends played soccer in the rec league in our town. I kept begging and begging my mom to let me play. But at the time, my mom was a single parent and worked in New York, so it was really hard for her to get me to any of the practices because she wasn't making it home until 5:30. When I was around seven or eight, I think she finally gave in and let me start playing. I just started playing with our township team and I absolutely loved it."
GS: When was the moment you knew you loved the game and wanted to pursue it long-term?
Hayes: "To be honest with you, I don't think I knew all of the things that soccer could bring. I don't think I really understood that until I was in high school or late middle school. It had always been this thing that I happened to be good at and that I really enjoyed and brought me some of my best friendships. I never really looked too much farther down the line. It wasn't until my freshman year of high school. Right after my freshman year, we had a tournament out in San Diego. I was playing with my club team. Right after that tournament, my best friend and I got a call about going to the U15 National Team Camp. I didn't even know that existed. I think that was the moment when I was like, 'Wow, this is a really big deal. I guess I'm kind of good at this.' I think that was the hard hitter that sparked everything else."
GS: You accomplished quite a lot during your playing career, but what are you most proud of?
Hayes: "I feel like I accomplished exactly what I set out to do when I committed to Penn State. I think back to when I was doing interviews when I first got there and when I first committed. At that point, I wanted to be a part of something bigger and help make [Penn State] great. I wanted to help make a good program great and spark that forever change. Looking back, I can say I was a part of that and accomplished that goal, in terms of leaving the program better off than when I first got to it. I think that's something I'm most proud of, being able to do what I actually set out to do. Outside of soccer, I'd say it comes down to just the relationships you build. I don't even mean just teammates and the coaching staff. I mean the pathways it led me further into, in terms of Youth National Team stuff and U20 World Cups and the players I was able to build relationships with from those teams, and the staffs I was able to build relationships with from those teams."
GS: What was it like to play the sport you love as a professional?
Hayes: "I think I still have to pinch myself that that was real life. Honestly, just from the sense that I played the sport from when I was seven or eight, and from that time until I was playing professionally, the driving force was always just that you enjoyed it. A natural love of the game and the things that the game brings for you, speaking to those relationships that I just mentioned. All of a sudden, you're doing the exact same thing, but you're receiving a paycheck for it. Again, I have to pinch myself a little bit. Definitely surreal and a unique experience, not one many people can relate to, but I'm very grateful and appreciative of that experience."
GS: When did you first know that you wanted to be a coach?
Hayes: "For whatever reason, I always thought I'd get into coaching. Prior to college, even, I felt this natural desire to help players along. Maybe that was from the way I naturally saw the game or the relationships I built through the game, I'm not entirely sure. It wasn't until my collegiate career solidified that I wanted it to be college soccer, just from the experience I had with my own coaches and seeing the development and growth in players from when they get there and they're 18 to when they leave and they're 22 and going into the real world. Making players feel that value as people and not just as players."
GS: What are some of your hobbies away from the soccer field?
Hayes: "I'm pretty chill. I enjoy spending time with my dog, Milo. He's an Australian Shepherd and he'll be four in a couple days. Spending time with my girlfriend, getting home when I can. For me, all of my hobbies are simple things because being in the career that I'm in, you become very accustomed to always missing out on things and always being busy. When you do have the time to relax and chill for a little bit, it's getting to do the things that you don't always get to do. I enjoy working out. I enjoy spending time with family and friends."
GS: What is your favorite movie or television show?
Hayes: "I'd say my favorite movie is Love & Basketball. I have a lot of favorite movies, but I think that one is probably at the top of the list. TV shows, I like the epitome of watching shows over and over again, because I have a hard time watching new shows when they're currently happening. I can't stand having to wait until the next week to see what happens next. I like being able to binge-watch things. Ironically, some of the shows I consistently re-watch are Gossip Girl and One Tree Hill. But I'm sure there will be some newer shows down the line that I'll get hooked on."
GS: Who is someone that inspires you?
Hayes: "In terms of that true inspiration, I'd have to say my mom - from the standpoint of seeing someone with such strength and go through everything with such grace and a fighting mentality of never going to give up. Certainly, going to hear an earful from her. But I'd say my mom, especially from the sense of that until I was about eight, she pretty much raised me. From that standpoint, just seeing all of the trials and tribulations of just being a single parent and what she was able to do and accomplish. From an inspiration and soundboard type of thing, I'd honestly have to say my coaches at Penn State, which might solidify why I've wanted to get into coaching and my purpose. Both Erica Dambach and Ann Cook, they've been amazing and make you feel that value as a person, more than just a player."
GS: What did you learn during your two years at Auburn that you will bring with you to Minnesota?
Hayes: "I specifically chose to do a graduate assistant position because I wanted to get my master's. Even more so, I wanted to get my feet wet and immerse myself into what the coaching career looked like without diving in head first. I think being a graduate assistant was the perfect combination of being involved in pretty much every aspect of things, but also at the same time, being able to sit back and watch a lot of things and take in a lot. I would even say my position evolved over those two years, to the point that by the end of it I truly found my voice within the staff. I found my value in the staff and truly felt like a part of the coaching staff. In terms of the soccer piece, I understood that part. It was more so everything else that comes with it: getting to see what recruiting was like, getting to see what the day-to-day basis was like, understanding the importance of how to actually instill a team culture – all of those things."
GS: What is one piece of advice for young athletes that you wish you had as a developing player?
Hayes: "Enjoy the journey. That was something Erica said to me when I went to my second U20 World Cup in 2012… take it all in and enjoy it every step of the way, because it definitely goes fast. The other thing I'd say is learn how to work your butt off sooner. Everybody has their learning curve, but I think that's something that playing in college taught me – that work ethic and that blue collar mentality."
Hayes, who was a three-time All-American at Penn State, played professionally for Sky Blue FC of the National Women's Soccer League from 2014-18. Before bringing her talents to the U, the new Gopher assistant coach spent the previous two seasons as a graduate assistant coach for the Auburn women's soccer program.
Although Gopher Sports has already gone into the details regarding Hayes' impressive resume both on the playing field and on the sidelines, there is still plenty to learn about one of the newest members of the Minnesota family.
Gopher Sports: Where did you grow up?
Hayes: "I grew up in New Jersey, about 35-40 minutes outside of New York, so Northern Jersey. I was actually born in New York and then when I was one or two, we moved to New Jersey, which is where my mom grew up and where our family was. I grew up in Montclair, New Jersey and then when I was a freshman in high school, we moved about 15-20 minutes away to West Orange, which was where I lived during high school."
GS: Why Minnesota for your first full-time coaching position?
Hayes: "All the reasons, honestly. I think the soccer piece is the easy one. It's easy to see the prolonged success of the program and the success that Stef has had. I got to see that up close and personal, playing against Minnesota for four years. I got to see what a strong team culture can produce on the field. Once I got on the phone with Stef and had a conversation with her, the very first conversation lasted an hour and a half and just naturally flowed. The same thing happened with [assistant coach Becky Fletcher]. That was a good sign, because even more so than the soccer piece, I care about people as people and I want to make sure the people I'm working with are genuine people and good people. And everybody I talked to reiterated that. The final piece was that the coaching staff has some core beliefs that align with my core beliefs. Talking about that value in making sure players are viewed as more than just players and as people, and you can build those relationships outside of soccer. All of those things considered, it was almost more the question of, 'how can it not be Minnesota?'"
GS: How did you first become involved with the sport of soccer?
Hayes: "I honestly feel like it was kind of a "monkey see, monkey do" situation, if I'm being honest. Growing up, especially in elementary school, I felt like all of my friends played soccer in the rec league in our town. I kept begging and begging my mom to let me play. But at the time, my mom was a single parent and worked in New York, so it was really hard for her to get me to any of the practices because she wasn't making it home until 5:30. When I was around seven or eight, I think she finally gave in and let me start playing. I just started playing with our township team and I absolutely loved it."
GS: When was the moment you knew you loved the game and wanted to pursue it long-term?
Hayes: "To be honest with you, I don't think I knew all of the things that soccer could bring. I don't think I really understood that until I was in high school or late middle school. It had always been this thing that I happened to be good at and that I really enjoyed and brought me some of my best friendships. I never really looked too much farther down the line. It wasn't until my freshman year of high school. Right after my freshman year, we had a tournament out in San Diego. I was playing with my club team. Right after that tournament, my best friend and I got a call about going to the U15 National Team Camp. I didn't even know that existed. I think that was the moment when I was like, 'Wow, this is a really big deal. I guess I'm kind of good at this.' I think that was the hard hitter that sparked everything else."
GS: You accomplished quite a lot during your playing career, but what are you most proud of?
Hayes: "I feel like I accomplished exactly what I set out to do when I committed to Penn State. I think back to when I was doing interviews when I first got there and when I first committed. At that point, I wanted to be a part of something bigger and help make [Penn State] great. I wanted to help make a good program great and spark that forever change. Looking back, I can say I was a part of that and accomplished that goal, in terms of leaving the program better off than when I first got to it. I think that's something I'm most proud of, being able to do what I actually set out to do. Outside of soccer, I'd say it comes down to just the relationships you build. I don't even mean just teammates and the coaching staff. I mean the pathways it led me further into, in terms of Youth National Team stuff and U20 World Cups and the players I was able to build relationships with from those teams, and the staffs I was able to build relationships with from those teams."
GS: What was it like to play the sport you love as a professional?
Hayes: "I think I still have to pinch myself that that was real life. Honestly, just from the sense that I played the sport from when I was seven or eight, and from that time until I was playing professionally, the driving force was always just that you enjoyed it. A natural love of the game and the things that the game brings for you, speaking to those relationships that I just mentioned. All of a sudden, you're doing the exact same thing, but you're receiving a paycheck for it. Again, I have to pinch myself a little bit. Definitely surreal and a unique experience, not one many people can relate to, but I'm very grateful and appreciative of that experience."
GS: When did you first know that you wanted to be a coach?
Hayes: "For whatever reason, I always thought I'd get into coaching. Prior to college, even, I felt this natural desire to help players along. Maybe that was from the way I naturally saw the game or the relationships I built through the game, I'm not entirely sure. It wasn't until my collegiate career solidified that I wanted it to be college soccer, just from the experience I had with my own coaches and seeing the development and growth in players from when they get there and they're 18 to when they leave and they're 22 and going into the real world. Making players feel that value as people and not just as players."
GS: What are some of your hobbies away from the soccer field?
Hayes: "I'm pretty chill. I enjoy spending time with my dog, Milo. He's an Australian Shepherd and he'll be four in a couple days. Spending time with my girlfriend, getting home when I can. For me, all of my hobbies are simple things because being in the career that I'm in, you become very accustomed to always missing out on things and always being busy. When you do have the time to relax and chill for a little bit, it's getting to do the things that you don't always get to do. I enjoy working out. I enjoy spending time with family and friends."
GS: What is your favorite movie or television show?
Hayes: "I'd say my favorite movie is Love & Basketball. I have a lot of favorite movies, but I think that one is probably at the top of the list. TV shows, I like the epitome of watching shows over and over again, because I have a hard time watching new shows when they're currently happening. I can't stand having to wait until the next week to see what happens next. I like being able to binge-watch things. Ironically, some of the shows I consistently re-watch are Gossip Girl and One Tree Hill. But I'm sure there will be some newer shows down the line that I'll get hooked on."
GS: Who is someone that inspires you?
Hayes: "In terms of that true inspiration, I'd have to say my mom - from the standpoint of seeing someone with such strength and go through everything with such grace and a fighting mentality of never going to give up. Certainly, going to hear an earful from her. But I'd say my mom, especially from the sense of that until I was about eight, she pretty much raised me. From that standpoint, just seeing all of the trials and tribulations of just being a single parent and what she was able to do and accomplish. From an inspiration and soundboard type of thing, I'd honestly have to say my coaches at Penn State, which might solidify why I've wanted to get into coaching and my purpose. Both Erica Dambach and Ann Cook, they've been amazing and make you feel that value as a person, more than just a player."
GS: What did you learn during your two years at Auburn that you will bring with you to Minnesota?
Hayes: "I specifically chose to do a graduate assistant position because I wanted to get my master's. Even more so, I wanted to get my feet wet and immerse myself into what the coaching career looked like without diving in head first. I think being a graduate assistant was the perfect combination of being involved in pretty much every aspect of things, but also at the same time, being able to sit back and watch a lot of things and take in a lot. I would even say my position evolved over those two years, to the point that by the end of it I truly found my voice within the staff. I found my value in the staff and truly felt like a part of the coaching staff. In terms of the soccer piece, I understood that part. It was more so everything else that comes with it: getting to see what recruiting was like, getting to see what the day-to-day basis was like, understanding the importance of how to actually instill a team culture – all of those things."
GS: What is one piece of advice for young athletes that you wish you had as a developing player?
Hayes: "Enjoy the journey. That was something Erica said to me when I went to my second U20 World Cup in 2012… take it all in and enjoy it every step of the way, because it definitely goes fast. The other thing I'd say is learn how to work your butt off sooner. Everybody has their learning curve, but I think that's something that playing in college taught me – that work ethic and that blue collar mentality."
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