I love my team.
That’s what is special in being part of something bigger than yourself. The training. The games. The chalk talks. Walking out onto the field together. Hands in. The grit. The intensity. The wins. Even the losses.
The team.
When I first heard about The Soccer Tournament in 2023, it was a post my fellow USWNT alum Heather O’Reilly made as she was looking to organize a team.
“Need a water girl?” I asked.
She said yes, and upgraded me to assistant coach of the US Women, our team name. We competed with a roster of retired World Champions and Olympians to play 7 on 7, and a handful of incredible college kids—and we competed against the men. We proved what was possible.
In 2024, Heather and the tournament founders created the first women’s division with a $1 million prize equal to the men’s side. History in the making.
And then we won it. Twice.
This year, we fell short.
We got to the semifinals but the Iowa Demon Hawks took the top prize in Cary, NC.
I hate losing. But what stays with me isn’t just the result. It’s the people. The friendships. The bond. The striving together. The generations of players coming together and continuing to build something that never existed before.
I’m proud of this team. And grateful to the legends, pioneers, and incredible athletes who continue to move the game forward.
