Quotes: Chicago Stars FC Media Availability with Goalkeeper, Halle Mackiewicz, and Interim Head Coach, Masaki Hemmi
NWSL Chicago Stars FC

Quotes: Chicago Stars FC Media Availability with Goalkeeper, Halle Mackiewicz, and Interim Head Coach, Masaki Hemmi

Published on June 20, 2025 under National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Chicago Stars FC News Release


PORTLAND, Ore. - The Chicago Stars held a media availability with goalkeeper, Halle Mackiewicz, and interim head coach, Masaki Hemmi, today, June 20, ahead of the team's match against Portland Thorns FC June 21, at 9 p.m. CT at Providence Park.

Who: Halle Mackiewicz, Chicago Stars goalkeeper

Masaki Hemmi, Chicago Stars interim head coach

What: Media availability ahead of match against Portland Thorns FC

Quotes:

What that was like and what have you experienced over the last few weeks as you've been a starter in the NWSL? (from Joe Chatz)

Halle Mackiewicz: Yeah, I've really honestly just been trying to embrace opportunities, embrace all the moments. Obviously, the team has been super supportive, and my family, so relying on them, but it's been cool.

What has the reaction from both the team and your family been like over these past few weeks? (from Joe Chatz)

Mackiewicz: With my family, my dad has been able to be at both games, fortunately. And then I had some more family at the Chicago games, so that's been really cool to have them there to see. Then from the team, it's just been complete support and belief. I think, honestly, it goes a long way, so that's been awesome.

What do you think you have improved on or your growth has been over these last few games? What have you adjusted to and changed over these last few weeks? (from Joe Chatz)

Mackiewicz: I try not to change too much, you know? Just relying on our preparation, our game plan, and then obviously, the people around me. I think just trying to be as comfortable as possible in all those moments.

What have you seen from this goalkeeper as well as she's gotten this opportunity? (from Joe Chatz)

Masaki Hemmi: Just impressive. Just amazing. Halle's an amazing professional, so when the injuries happened with Alyssa [Naeher] and [Mackenzie Wood], full confidence for her to come in and do the job, and she's shown that on the field. I'm really proud of her. You know, it's difficult. There's one game per weekend, so there's less opportunities for players that are maybe not in the rotation, quite frankly. For her to be able to put her head down and train as hard as she did and be prepared for this moment, I'm really proud of her. She took the opportunity and performed really well. Just continuing to see her progress and she's growing through the minutes that she plays. I think that's very good for her, and all testament to her.

What is the progress that needs to be made to finally get that three points? (from Joe Chatz)

Hemmi: Yeah, I think, you know, [we're] still giving up goals in a late game. Some of the injury or minutes restrictions have made us make a lot of substitutions in the second half, and that's not an excuse for us to give up chances and goals against. We need to be on the same page in terms of how to close out games, and little actions are shifting the momentum of the game sometimes. We have to continue to play forward, we need to be aggressive in a line of confrontation even later in the game, regardless of the score line. That's something we talked about throughout the week. We'll bounce back from this moment. How we came out of the game, in the last game, I'm really proud of the team for that. We've just got to continue to build on from the game-by-game.

When you're when you are that third keeper, there is a lot of work that happens behind the scenes that no one really sees. What is it like for you now, to take all that work and put it into the everyday? (from Lesley Ryder)

Mackiewicz: I think that's kind of something that, as a goalkeeper, you've got to focus on every day. You never know what's going to happen, so I think just working hard every day. Just keep progressing, working and getting better, and then, like I said, you never know what's gonna happen.

How supportive has Alyssa Naeher been to you in this whole process? (from Lesley Ryder)

Mackiewicz: Yeah, she's been great. She's been, obviously, super helpful. Just the amount of knowledge that she has and the way that she's able to help both [Mackenzie Wood] and I with whatever we need on and off the field, it's been really cool.

How important is that to have when you're a young keeper coming into the league? (from Lesley Ryder)

Mackiewicz: Yeah, I think in general, having a good goalkeeping group is honestly a game changer. Having good relationships with those that you are working with every day, like I said, it's every day, so it kind of can make or break an experience. So, I've been really lucky to have this group here.

With transfer window opening up again, do you expect any more additions to the squad over the summer? (from Lesley Ryder)

Hemmi: I know the club's continuing to try to improve the roster every day, and you know, we'll see. [Kathrin] Hendrich's announcement was very exciting news for us, and we've just got to continue to look at what we have and be self-aware, and trying to improve the roster.

Is there a resetting of the goals the club had at the beginning of the season to now? Where's the vision right now? (from Lesley Ryder)

Hemmi: The expectation for this club is... I mean, this is a club with tons of history, with tons of success as well. You know, for us, we don't want to be where we are today. I think the continuation of improvement is a must. We're focused on what we can control from the field standpoint. We are getting points; on the road, against LA. We got points against Seattle, a great side. We're actually getting points from that? Yes. Do we need to get three points? Yes, absolutely. We're not a club that's okay with sitting in 13th on the table and we need to continue to improve. I think my focus right now is to improve everybody in the locker room. I think the club standpoint is continuation of growth. I believe that the vision of the club is good in that sense, and we have for trust in that. But you know, my focus is really the players we have in the locker room today, trying to improve and get points. Obviously, tomorrow's goal is for us to get three points and that's just the main focus right now.

Do you feel supported in that goal from the club right now? (from Lesley Ryder)

Hemmi: Yes.

Besides from getting points, what do you think is the sole thing that you can get from this game to have a positive momentum for when you come back from the midseason break? (from Jim Alexander)

Hemmi: Getting three points obviously gives us momentum going into the break, and that's our goal. However the outcome is not in our control. So, what we're trying to do is improve our play in all phases, in possession, out of possession, in transition, set pieces. And I think we're doing that. Obviously, the goal coming into this game is we need to showcase what we've been working on, play well and hopefully get three points. We get three points, and that that fixes a lot of things, but that's out of our hand, that's not in our control. I mean, I saw a game, [Sporting Kansas City] on the men's side, probably a couple months ago- they had zero shots on goal and they won, 1-0, in the game. I think we're really focused on our product, and what we need to do is we've got to try to the roster, improve the players that are in the locker room today. To be honest, these players have gone through a lot of things in the first half of the season, and going into this break, I hope all the players get rested- outside of international players- and have fresh minds going into the second part of season. That's our focus right now.

How do you sort of mentally approach your opportunity here? (from Jim Alexander)

Mackiewicz: Yeah, like I said, I'm kind of just embracing every moment, you know? Trying to do what I can to help the team and just taking it game by game, not really getting ahead of myself. Just focusing on the task at hand, what I can do to help the team, and that's about it.

Do you feel like you want to take a sort of a leadership role during this fill-in, like Alyssa Naeher? (from Jim Alexander)

Mackiewicz: Honestly, I've just been myself, really. Relying on the people around me to step up where her leadership is obviously missed, because she's a big-time player. But not really overthinking it, just being myself and whatever happens from there.

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