On the Pitch
On the Pitch
Tim Ream Answers 26 Questions
The 38-year-old talks fatherhood, growing up in St. Louis and being a veteran player on the USMNT
Are you a morning person or night person?
I used to be a night person, but I’m a morning person.
What’s your typical wake-up time?
5:30 a..m. because I have kids, and I have dogs.
What’s the first thing you’re doing in the morning?
Making a cup of coffee.
Electric or manual toothbrush?
What’s your perfect breakfast?
Some type of omelet with avocado on toast.
What’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face?
My kids are guaranteed to put a smile on my face. Watching them do whatever they’re doing, hearing them laugh and giggle is something that will always make me smile.
Soft smiles or smile with teeth?
It depends, but more often times than not it’s smile with teeth.
Favorite way to pass the time with family?
Usually watching my kids do whatever sport they’re doing, or a lot of the time it’s taking the dogs out with family.
How has having kids influenced your career?
Having kids has given me more of a reason to continue to push and perform. When all of a sudden, you’re providing for not just yourself and your wife, you’re providing for your little ones, it makes you reevaluate everything that you’re doing. They give me purpose and reason to continue.
What’s one rule in the Ream household?
We like to have fairly early bedtimes. Sleep is important for Mom and Dad, but we know for kids growing up, it’s important as well.
What’s your favorite non-soccer sport?
Ice hockey. The St. Louis Blues would be my favorite team.
Growing up in St. Louis, what’s something people don’t know about your hometown?
Toasted ravioli is our thing. I don’t think people have probably heard of that outside of St. Louis, which is ravioli breaded and then either fried or thrown in the oven and toasted up.
Did you play any other sports growing up?
I did; I played a few. I played a little hockey. I played baseball until I was 14 and basketball until I was 17.
What’s something people don’t know about you?
I’m an avid fisherman. I love going out and getting on the water and throwing a line in and trying to catch fish.
When did you start rocking the man bun?
I started to grow my hair out in 2020, but it didn’t actually take shape as a man bun until 2021.
How does it feel to be a vet on the USMNT?
It’s interesting. I never thought I would be that guy, but I’ve come to embrace the role. I enjoy passing on whatever knowledge I think I have and helping guys out knowing that I’ve played for a lot of managers. I’veplayed in a few different countries. Any type of wisdom I can pass on is always nice to help the guys out with.
What are your pool skills 1-10?
If 10 is professional, and one is never played, I would give myself a seven.
What’s something you wish you could tell your younger self?
Keep dreaming. Keep chasing your dreams, and the way to get there is to work hard. You never know when you’ll make those dreams a reality, and it doesn’t happen overnight, but if you work at something, you can make it happen.
How do you mentally reset after a match?
It’s all about my family, hanging out with my kids and my wife. I get to go home and be Dad and be myself and not have to worry about any games or matches. That’s the best way for me to go about resetting.
Who is the first person you text after a match?
The first person I text is always my wife. It never fails. As soon as I grab my phone, it’s a message to her.
What does a perfect rest day look like for you and your family?
Wake up not much later than 5:30-6:30, couple cups of coffee, taking the dogs out for a walk, and then just going around to whatever sporting events are going on that day for my three kids.
Who is one person who really assisted you on your journey to becoming a pro soccer player?
I had a coach in my youth level. His name was Tommy Howe. He coached me for 10+ years. He really helped in my development in terms of technical ability, seeing the game and how that works.
What’s one thing you want U.S. Soccer fans to know about you?
I’m a normal guy. I want to do the best I possibly can for the team, and I’m just like everybody else. I’m just a cog in a machine, and I’m here to everything I can for all the guys and for this team as a whole.
When this tournament is over, and you look back, what do you hope people say about the way that you played and carried yourself?
I want to perform on the team. I want to do the absolute best I can, but I would hope that everybody said I was a good person and a good teammate and someone that could be relied upon in every moment and every situation.
