A Life in Soccer: Haley Bostard
The captain of the Stockton Cargo and an assistant coach at Delta College, Haley Bostard has a unique view of the game due to both of her roles.
Haley Bostard has quickly turned into a face of soccer in Stockton. Whether it’s as the captain of the Stockton Cargo or as a coach with San Joaquin Delta College, she’s become a major part of the women’s soccer community in the Central Valley.
Joining the Cargo
When Bostard heard about Stockton getting a USL W team, she was at a turning point in her soccer career. She was coming off of a second hip surgery and had taken a considerable amount of time away from soccer. Everything all started with a message, one that would end up changing everything for Bostard. “I found out that Adrienne [Sorenson] was going to be the coach for the Cargo, so I sent her a DM on Instagram and was like, ‘Hey, I took, I've taken a little break off soccer, but really would like to get back into the game. Is there any chance that you would be willing to take me?’.”
Sorenson ended up responding to Bostard fairly quickly and invited her to train with Delta College in preparation for the Cargo’s first season.
The USL W as a whole took a major step forward for the 2024 season, and that included the Cargo. Many times, when an organization adds former professionals like Hannah Diaz and Bri Visalli, they may hand the captaincy to one of them. The Cargo didn’t go that route though, and kept Bostard as the captain which is an honor she absolutely deserves. She carries a positive, upbeat mindset while being a heart-and-soul player who is willing to do whatever it takes for her team to win. Although she hasn’t played professionally (yet), she’s an important player for her team both on and off the field and it’s great to see that the organization recognizes that.
During the 2024 season, Bostard took on a much different role with the Cargo, becoming a centerback. Previously, she was a midfielder but given her willingness to do whatever it takes to help the team, she dropped back into the back line for the home opener against the Oakland Soul. “I’m not gonna lie, I was a little terrified, because I just hadn't played that in a long time. But honestly, I loved it. I think I kind of found a new position that I really enjoy, and felt like it brought out a lot of my strengths as a player.” As always, Bostard took a situation that would be intimidating or stressful to most and put a positive spin on it.
Turning to Coaching
Coaching is something Bostard has always been interested in. She started with private lessons while she was still in high school but had never really seen a path forward as a full-time coach. She’s still hoping to get an opportunity to play professionally, but in the meantime, she used her time with the Cargo to earn a role at Delta College on their coaching staff. After the Cargo’s first season, Sorenson offered her the chance to be an assistant coach at Delta and now Bostard is heading into her second season in that role.
Bostard is excited for the upcoming season, stating: “I'm super excited the group of girls we have.” She then continued, “I feel like last year was a role that I was just soaking up as much as I could. I was pumping up balls, being equipment manager, that kind of stuff. That's where you got to start and I think this year I've definitely been able to step up and do more of practice planning and leading drills and stuff like that. That's been really cool to be able to learn in that way. The girls have just been so amazing, they’re being so receptive and coachable about where I want the team to go and all that good stuff. So I'm just really excited for the team, and the group of girls is just amazing. I definitely feel a good energy and buzz around the team.”
A Unique Dynamic
Typically, when someone begins the coaching phase of their career it means they’ve somewhat left the playing side of things in the past. That certainly isn’t the case for Bostard though, and now she has a unique set of circumstances that allow her to see things through a different lens than most which is a major benefit for her in both roles.
“Honestly, I think it helps me to be able to, one, connect with the players that I coach, but then two, just have a relatability. But for me, as a player, I feel like I see the game completely differently. Now, I think tactically, I've grown a ton because I've had to really think through situations and read the game as it flows, and make decisions on the fly. I think that's very relevant as a player as well.”
Looking Ahead
Despite her move into coaching, Bostard still has aspirations to play at the professional level. “I definitely want to be a head coach one day, just have my own program and really try to emulate what Adrienne’s doing, not only with Delta, but with Cargo too. She's just someone that I want to be like when I have my own program, and I feel really lucky to be able to learn from her, but yeah, I think in the next 10 years, however long it takes, I will just continue to move up and have my own program one day. It's been really cool to be able to find this, like, new passion of mine. I didn't know what I wanted to do when I grew up, I never had that dream job l, I always knew I wanted to try to play professionally, but I knew that’s not gonna last forever, unfortunately. It's been really cool to be able to get into the coaching world and I really feel like this is what I'm meant to do, not just right now, but down the road. Maybe after my professional career, or if I get to play professionally, then I have this to really fall back on to.”
One of her teammates at both Grand Canyon University and with the Cargo, Gianna Gourley signed with Ft Lauderdale in the USL Super League during the middle of the USL W season, meaning the path that Bostard has taken has the potential for her to go pro as well. Considering she’s still in her mid-20s, there’s plenty of time for her childhood dream to still come true and now that she has experience coaching as well, she’s set up very well for something many people hope for but can never achieve, a life in the sport that she loves.