Louisville City FC forward Chandler Hoffman recently chatted with LouCity writer Caitlin Ladd for the first in a series of question and answer sessions with the club’s players. Get to know the recently named USL Midseason MVP below.
What’s your favorite thing to do off the field?
I love music. I love going to live music concerts and I love films. I love watching movies.
Because you like watching films, what’s your favorite?
That’s tough. I love Denzel (Washington). I think he’s a great actor, so I love Man on Fire. That’s probably one of my top movies. Then there are some foreign films that I really like. There’s this one called The Untouchables. It’s a French film that I really like.
What do you usually do to prepare for a game?
The main thing is hydration, sleep, and I love music before the games. It really gets my mindset right. I watch a lot of players, and I even watch some of my own goals to get that confidence right before the game.
Do you have a game day playlist?
I do, but it kind of changes as the season progresses. I can’t just listen to the same thing.
What do you have on it? Certain artists?
It depends. I like a lot of hip hop. Before games I like music that has good beats and gets my mindset going.
Do you have any pregame rituals or traditions?
For some reason, I’ve always taped my right wrist. I always put my shoes on in a certain order, so I put my left boot on first.
How do you usually approach training or know when you’ve had a good day?
For me as a striker, the main thing is scoring goals. I judge my whole performance — games, trainings — on how many opportunities I’m getting and how many I put in the back of the net.
Do you have a favorite soccer memory?
I have a couple. Winning the MLS cup in 2014 was a professional moment. Scoring my first professional goal for the LA Galaxy in the Champions League was another big moment.
If you had to play another position, which would it be and why?
This may sound crazy, and I’ve told a lot of people this, but I love to play anywhere in the attacking part of the field, and I think if I had to play defense I don’t know if I would play anymore. I just love to score goals, and if I had to play anywhere else I think I would retire from soccer.
If you weren’t a pro soccer player, what would you be doing?
I majored in communication and film and television, so I think something in TV or film.
If you could eat dinner with anyone, who would it be?
Oh, anyone. I guess Robin van Persie since I really admired him from a young age. I have a lot of questions I’d like to ask him about the position and his experiences.
Speaking of food, do you prefer to cook for others, or have others cook for you? What would you like to eat?
Have others cook for me, for sure. I love salmon. I love — you don’t really cook it — but sushi, so that wouldn’t really be cooked for me. Fresh vegetables, sweet potatoes, that type of thing.
Where is some place you’d like to travel?
I always wanted to go to Australia. Since I was a kid I started making goals and most of my life goals I’ve accomplished, but I’ve not been to Australia yet.
What are you hoping to do this offseason?
I will be going straight back to UCLA and finishing my college degree. I’ve enrolled in classes, and as soon as we’ve won the championship then I go straight back.
What’s one thing on your bucket list?
I want to play for the U.S. National team. That would be a big thing on the bucket list for me.
What’s your favorite TV show?
I loved Entourage. Entourage was my all-time favorite. I watched that right before I was going out to college because I was going to UCLA. Since I was from Alabama, I was thinking this is what L.A. was all about and I was really excited to go out there.
What’s something that you completely geek out over?
I love Kings of Leon, so when I got to seem them live at the Hollywood Bowl, that was a pretty cool moment for me.
What’s something your teammates don’t know about you?
A really random thing: When I was young I got bit by a chipmunk. It was getting attacked by my next-door neighbor’s cat, and I go over and save the chipmunk’s life and I pick him up, and it repaid me by biting my finger. So I go to the emergency room and it turns out squirrels have rabies — chipmunks don’t. So if you ever get bit by a chipmunk, you’re okay.
