A certain soccer team took the pitch yesterday for what was a thankfully low-stakes contest with Turkiye, who is already eliminated from the tournament. (I won’t spoil the ending for you.) Nonetheless, the match wasn’t meaningless. The U.S. national soccer team was able to rest their four starters wth yellow cards, get some run for their bench players, and see how Christian Pulisic held up post-injury.
Now, most folks would say the reason the US club is in this favorable position is because they won both their previous matches. Which is true if not incomplete. They have won both contests but the reason they won them is because of coffee. Last week we brought news that Defender Joe Scally is a total coffee nerd who moonlights as the team’s resident barista.
That moniker, though, is an unofficial one. The U.S team has a barista, and the real resident barista is none other than Becky Reeves.
Yes, that Becky Reeves. The coffee professional extraordinaire and 2023 USBC Semi-Finalist has worked at cafes in Las Vegas, Portland, Austin, and now Detroit. If you have been involved in American specialty coffee for any time over the past decade, you know Becky.
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Her latest role is as the official barista at U.S. soccer base camp in California, where La Colombe serves as the official coffee sponsor. Though this is not Reeves’s first time caffeinating the club—she first connected with them back during her stint in Austin, and on any subsequent trips back to the Texas capital. So when the need for a live-in barista arose, the team knew who to call.
And so who better to talk to about the coffee habits of our boys than official team barista Becky Reeves. Reeves was nice enough to take a few moments out of her busy schedule (and the team is certainly keeping her busy) to answer a few questions about being the team’s barista.
Hey Becky! So tell us, what does the team drink? What is the most popular order?
Americanos, cortados, and iced matcha lattes have been taking the cake over here. There’s also a strong affinity for mochas among the team.
What’s the weirdest order you’ve received from a member of the team?
There haven’t been any “weird” orders, but there’s been a lot of fun ones. As camp progresses, the team is getting more creative. Lots and lots of cold foam is being ordered. People will put that on everything! The blueberry cold foam made with Chobani’s American Blueberry creamer has been a massive hit. And there’s a unique order, a peaches & cream latte with whole milk and blueberry cold foam, that’s been quite popular.
How popular is coffee with the team? Quantify it for us. How many drinks a day are you making for them?
I’m making so many drinks! It’s nonstop from 6:30-9:15am and 2-5pm. Definitely hitting around 200 drinks on high energy days!
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Joe Scally has famously become the sort of resident coffee nerd on the team. Has he tried to hop behind the bar with you?
Joe ALWAYS comes behind the bar. Within the first week of camp when he noticed I was surrounded by other players and staff, he offered to jump in. He didn’t hesitate and spent at least 15 minutes helping me behind the bar through the rush. A lot of the team has gotten behind the bar. The players who have espresso machines at home love to throw down.
Last question. If the team do the impossible and wins the World Cup, should Becky Reeves receive a gold medal for her pivotal role in keeping the team at peak performance?
I guess that’s not up to me but I do have a pipe dream of being lifted up by the team in the center of the field and then we all go to the three-story Olive Garden in Times Square after. Would be so much better than a gold medal. (I’d happily accept the gold medal).
Thanks Becky!
Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.
Photo credit courtesy of Becky Reeves.
