Jaelene Hinkle, a former member of Team USA soccer, said that she declined to play for U.S. women’s national team last year over religious objections to the team’s LGBTQ Pride jerseys.
In an interview with the 700 Club, Hinkle said that her christian faith prevented her from donning the jersey.
“I just felt so convicted in my spirit that it wasn’t my job to wear this jersey,” Hinkle said in a recently released interview from last summer.
“I gave myself three days to just seek and pray and determine he [God] was asking me to do in this situation,” she continued.
“I’m essentially giving up the one dream little girls dream about their entire life, and that I’m saying no to. It was very disappointing,” she lamented.
Hinkle has not received another invite to play for the national team, since walking away from the squad last year. Though, the 25-year-old defender does still play professionally for the North Carolina Courage of the National Women’s Soccer League.
Hinkle has never been shy about expressing her christian beliefs, especially on issues regarding homosexuality. Soon after the Supreme Court handed down their ruling legalizing gay marriage, she tweeted:
Though, those expressions of faith have not always been received with grace.
On Wednesday night, Hinkle’s team faced the Portland Thorns. Fans in attendance booed her loudly and carried signs saying “PERSONAL REASONS.” A reference to the explanation Hinkle originally gave for declining to play for the national team last year:
Still, despite the backlash, Hinkle says she’s willing to stand for her faith even if she never gets invited to play for the national team again.
“If I never get a national team call-up again, that’s just part of his plan and that’s ok. And maybe this was why you were meant to play soccer. Just to show other believers to be obedient.”
Follow Dylan Gwinn on Twitter @themightygwinn