[Video] Rachel Hill hails Sam Kerr as major influence, enthused by new Orlando Pride coach

Interviewer: Paul McNeela; Cameraman: Chris Wilson.

Rachel Hill paid tribute to Sam Kerr’s exemplary conduct on and off the pitch, relished the prospect of working with new Orlando coach Marc Skinner and outlined her personal hopes for 2019 in a frank and wide-ranging interview with Prost International where her professionalism, authenticity and commitment as a team player shone through.

Speaking at Dorrien Gardens, where Perth Glory Women play most of their home games, Hill reflected on their recent disappointing away defeat to lowly Newcastle Jets, leaving Glory with a lot to do to qualify for the finals. Seven sides have a realistic prospect of finishing in the top four and Glory’s last two games are away to bottom side Western Sydney Wanderers and home to leaders Melbourne Victory. Four points from these two games should see Glory through but that may be a tall order on recent form.

“We’re going to go out and give it all we’ve got and end the season on a high. Making the Grand Final would be incredible.”

Hill has played the last two seasons on loan from Orlando Pride (who play from March to September) at Perth Glory (October to February), cunningly avoiding the Northern Hemisphere winter. She hopes to continue her permanent summer lifestyle of perpetual soccer by scoring another contract at Glory for the 2019-2020 season and grace the Indian Ocean shores in “beautiful Western Australia” a bit longer. But it’s not just the lifestyle and the beaches that makes Perth a great location for the New Englander.

“Playing alongside Sam especially has helped me develop a lot. Seeing what she does in games, in training, off the pitch as well…She’s just a really good person to learn from.”

Whilst retaining her professional focus on the task in hand with Glory, she admits to her thoughts understandably straying to the forthcoming season with Orlando Pride. The well-resourced Florida club have just appointed promising coach Marc Skinner, who has worked wonders with Birmingham City in England on a shoestring budget. Skinner’s coaching philosophy is built on developing the person first then the player. I asked Hill if this chimed with her values. Her answer again referenced Kerr.

“Sam always says she’s worried about who they bring in as a person more than as a player. If you’re a good person for the team… you could be technically so gifted, but if you can’t get along with your teammates it really doesn’t work out. It’s a huge thing. I’m glad that’s important to Marc Skinner.”

Quizzed on the prospect of facing Glory teammates Kerr, defender Katie Naughton and midfielders Alyssa Mautz and Nikki Stanton, who all line up for Chicago Red Stars, Hill savours the prospect of bragging rights.

“It’s always good fun playing your friends. But you’re determined to beat them; just to say you did.”

Hill has international pedigree and was selected in the under 20 and under 23 USA World Cup squads. She is hopeful but realistic about her prospects of making the Women’s World Cup squad for France in June. But if she doesn’t make the cut, she reframes it as an excellent opportunity to establish herself in the Orlando Pride first team “making more of an impact when they’re gone.”