Wonder Women of the Week: 2015 USWNT

Excuse me for all of my fangirling, but I am in full Women’s World Cup mode. With the recent arrests of twelve FIFA officials, news of sexual harassment and latent sexism within the organization, and the fact the United States will likely have an incredible run this round; I have no contest for who should be the Wonder Woman of the Week. This week, there twenty-three of them. Your Wonder Women of the Week is the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015 United States National Team. This week’s spotlight is unique for this blog. Only in rare cases has more than one woman been one week’s WWoW. This week, with all of my prep for my field study, I wanted to write about every woman on the team because each one of them is an inspiration to young athletes.

Abby Wambach, Forward for Team USA is a two-time Olympic Gold winner and the 2012 FIFA Player of the Year. She played soccer and basketball growing up before choosing soccer to play for the Gators. In the 2012 Olympics, one Colombia player straight out sucker punched Wambach in the middle of the game, and Abby just kept playing. [1] (There’s no flopping among American Women). Fellow Forward Amy Rodriguez became a mother in 2013 after being part of the US 2012 Olympic victory. Her club traded her after she gave birth. Rodriguez had to prove her motherhood did not negatively affect her performance, and she did. [2] Christen Press, also a forward, started her career on some terrible luck. She was traded after one year to a Florida team when women’s soccer in the professional women’s soccer was dissolved almost overnight. She decided to move everything she had to Sweden and told herself she would be the person to define her destiny. In college, she had faced immense pressure- pressure that she was letting friends, family, and fans down. In Sweden, the pressure was gone. Press improved her game and made the national roster as an alternate for the 2012 Olympic team. [3] In 2011, Alex Morgan was the youngest member of Team USA. In 2012, she helped the US earn Gold at the London Olympics. Morgan too was affected by the 2011 Women’s Professional Soccer League dissolve. She joined fellow Olympians Solo, Leroux, Cox, and Rapinoe at the Seattle Sounders Women and continued playing. And thank heavens she did. She’s one of Team USA’s lead forwards. [4] Speaking of Leroux; Sydney Leroux was a self-defined boy growing up. She played baseball with the boys among other sports. She was goal driven from a young age and made a bet with her mother on how well she would do in soccer. At 14, after achieving her goal, Mamma Leroux stuck to her word and paid for Sydney’s first tattoo. Leroux could not over-express how much of an impact her mother made on her. Sydney’s mother is the reason she is on Team USA. [5]

Saying Midfielder Shannon Boxx has internal conflict would be an understatement. Boxx has a diesease called Lupus that causes the immune system to attack itself. For a while, she kept it from her teammates- save for her closest fellow athlete Rampone. Eventually, she opened up to her team, and her team supported her one hundred percent. Like Rodriguez, Boxx is also a mother, and her infant daughter is her biggest inspiration for success. [6] Morgan Brian’s height says nothing about her performance. She’s short enough to have earned the nickname “Plankton” by her teammates, but she helped the US win the 2012 U-20 Women’s World Cup. She wasn’t always so successful though. After not making the ODP team in college, her club coach gave her a Braveheart-level pep talk which fueled Brian to push herself toward success. She started setting goals that even she thought were impossible, but it paid off. [7] Midfielder Tobin Heath takes her off-the-field personality into her sport. The free-spirit is most passionate about the freindliness within the sport. She calls herself a “homebody without a home,” because she’s technically homeless. With her travel schedule, Heath crashes on friends’ and families’ couches and has never felt the need to have a place to call her own. [8] Midfielder Lauren Holiday was voted 2014 Women’s Soccer Player of the Year. She became the first US woman to earn both the Women’s and Youngest Women’s Soccer Player of the Year Award and is a two-time Olympic Gold winner. [9] Carli Llyod grew up in a working class New Jersey neighborhood. Even though she’s traveled the world with her sport, she still calls it home. She would practice by herself on a nearby field growing up- proving her dedication to the sport from a young age. She sets high expectations for herself, and loves sharing her victories with her teammates. [10] Heather O’Reilley also grew up in New Jersey. Being the oly girl of four siblings forced O’Reilly to learn fast how to hold her own against the boys. Her brothers pushed her, often sending her to beat their friends in basketball. O’Reilly developed a “game-face” from a young age contradicting her nature off the field. She’s an intense soccer player and her face shows it. [11] Megan Rapinoe’s twin sister Rachel was her biggest inspiration growing up. They built tree houses together, but also played sports against each other. She learned displine from her mother who had a strict tardiness policy for dinner- enforced by whistle. Her crawdad hunts with the twin birthed Rapinoe’s competitive nature and rocketed her into her career in soccer. [12]

Growing up with two prankster brothers turned Becky Sauerbrunn strong fast. The two young hockey players ducktaped plywood to Becky’s arms, made her the goalie, and took shots at her. While learning how to read, Becky’s brothers would read to her- but make her read most of the words back to them. She developed a love for reading at a young age and is passionate about world cultures. [13] Defender Christie Rampone has been one the Women’s National Team for eighteen years. She used to be the quiet girl of the group, but her teammates pushed her to open up. She’s now the captain of the team. She has two daughters that drive their mom to continue her career in the sport. [14] Kelley O’Hara played every sport available growing up. She eventually stuck to soccer and played for both the youth and senior national teams. Her Standford carrer not only ended in success on the field, but also helped her overcome her shyness. [15] In 2006, Ali Krieger broke one of her legs. It was two days before the NCAA tournament and she thought her soccer life was over. Her condition worsened and she feared her actual life was over. She was suffering blood clots throughout her body and the doctors told her if she had gone to sleep the night she went to the hospital, she wouldn’t have woken up. She was 21. Her brother at the time was struggling with addiction. Krieger survived her surgery and her brother decided to become sober. The two of them became closer than ever and became each other’s inspiration to never quit. [16] Meghan Klingenberg’s (Kling) working-class parents made it a point to attend all of their young daughter’s games. She was the tough girl in school performing her taekwondo skills in talent shows while other girls danced and played piano. She sets impressive goals for herself and doesn’t settle for minor victories. [17] Defender Julie Johnson grew up competing with her sister. Johnson self-identified as a soccer player from a young age. After asking herself how far she could go in the sport, she decided to set the goal to become professional and is now set to play for Team USA. [18] Whitney Engen grew up in what her family called a “fun house.” Engen, her brother, and their parents always loved playing together. The family play helped her become passionate about playing soccer. [19] Lori Chalupney grew up in St. Louis, Missouri (represent!) and played soccer from the start. She was shy until being a part of the youth national team opened her up. She’s a college coach when not training for the World Cup- after not being a player for five years. [20]

Goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris grew up in a low-income family. She spent her days as a child surfing, skateboarding, and playing sports with boys. She had t be aggressive to be taken seriously. She proved her strength by taking a red-tide affected fish and slapped it across a bully’s face. Her mother refused to discipline her for fighting back against sexist boys. She overcame addiction within her family through soccer and works with To Write Love on Her Arms a non-for-profit that helps suicidal youth. [21] Alyssa Naeher and her twin sister played on opposite ends of the soccer field growing up. Amanda became a forward and Alyssa was the goalie. They pushed each other to become better at their respective roles on the pitch and they’re each other’s biggest fans. [22] Hope (fighting the urge to add a badass impromptu nickname) Solo. Hope Solo is considered to be the best Women’s Soccer goalie in the world. She was an All-American athlete in both high school and college. In every instant when her skills as a goal keeper were needed the most, she never let her team down- whether at the club or national level. She’s a two-time Gold Medal Olympian. She’s also not without controvercy. She was benched for the remainder of a World Cup after being benched during a game led to her voicing her frustrations. She led the 2011 Team USA and won the Golden Glove Award. [23]

The US Women’s national team is diverse to say the least. One kept a serious illness from her teammates, another came seriously close to death at 21 years old, and a third member of the team is technically homeless. Three members of the team are mothers. One member has gotten into hot water for alleged abuse against her nephew. Some overcame shyness, others overcame addiction or self-doubt. What all of them have in common is that they all had heroes standing up for them. Parents, siblings, coaches; all twenty-three members of the team had role models that pushed them to be the absolute best that they could be. Your Wonder Women of the Week is the 2015 US Women’s National Team not because they are superhuman, but because they are super humans.

Abby Wambach. (2015). Biography. Retrieved 27 May 2015, http://www.biography.com/people/abby-wambach-21331043.

Amy Rodriguez’ Story- One Nation. One Team. 23 Stories. (2015). US Soccer. Retrieved 27 May, 2015, http://www.ussoccer.com/players/2014/03/15/05/00/amy-rodriguez

Christen Press’ Story- One Nation. One Team. 23 Stories. (2015). The US Soccer. Retrieved 27 May, 2015, http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2015/04/29/15/24/150429-wnt-1n1t23stories-press

Alex Morgan. (2015). Biography. Retrieved 27 May 2015, http://www.biography.com/people/alex-morgan-20837393#olympic-medalist

Sydney Leroux’s Story- One Nation. One Team. 23 Stories. (2015). US Soccer. Retrieved 27 May, 2015, http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2015/04/29/15/18/150429-wnt-1n1t23stories-leroux

Shannon Boxx’s Story- One Nation. One Team. 23 Stories. (2015). US Soccer. Retrieved 27 May, 2015, http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2015/04/29/14/57/150429-wnt-1n1t23stories-boxx

Tobin Heath’s Story- One Nation. One Team. 23 Stories. (2015). US Soccer. Retrieved 27 May, 2015, http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2015/04/29/15/11/150429-wnt-1n1t23stories-heath

Lauren Holiday Voted 2014 U.S. Female Soccer Athlete of the Year (2014). US Soccer. Retrieved 27 May, 2015, http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2014/12/06/14/24/141206-wnt-holiday-wins-female-aoty

Carli Lloyd’s Story- One Nation. One Team. 23 Stories. (2015). US Soccer. Retrieved 27 May, 2015, http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2015/04/29/15/20/150429-wnt-1n1t23stories-lloyd

Heather O’Reilly’s Story- One Nation. One Team. 23 Stories. (2015). US Soccer. Retrieved 27 May, 2015, http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2015/04/29/15/27/150429-wnt-1n1t23stories-oreilly

Megan Rapinoe’s Story- One Nation. One Team. 23 Stories. (2015). US Soccer. Retrieved 27 May, 2015, http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2015/04/29/15/31/150429-wnt-1n1t23stories-rapinoe

Becky Sauerbrunn’s Story- One Nation. One Team. 23 Stories. (2015). The US Soccer. Retrieved 27 May, 2015, http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2015/04/29/15/34/150429-wnt-1n1t23stories-sauerbrunn

Christie Rampone’s Story- One Nation. One Team. 23 Stories. (2015). The US Soccer. Retrieved 27 May, 2015, http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2015/04/29/15/29/150429-wnt-1n1t23stories-rampone

Kelley O’Hara’s Story- One Nation. One Team. 23 Stories. (2015). The US Soccer. Retrieved 27 May, 2015, http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2015/04/29/15/26/150429-wnt-1n1t23stories-ohara

Ali Krieger’s Story- One Nation. One Team. 23 Stories. (2015). The US Soccer. Retrieved 27 May, 2015, http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2015/04/29/15/16/150429-wnt-1n1t23stories-krieger

Meghan Klingenberg’s Story- One Nation. One Team. 23 Stories. (2015). The US Soccer. Retrieved 27 May, 2015, http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2015/04/29/15/15/150429-wnt-1n1t23stories-klingenberg

Meghan Klingenberg’s Story- One Nation. One Team. 23 Stories. (2015). The US Soccer. Retrieved 27 May, 2015, http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2015/04/29/15/14/150429-wnt-1n1t23stories-johnston

Whitney Engen’s Story- One Nation. One Team. 23 Stories. (2015). The US Soccer. Retrieved 27 May, 2015, http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2015/04/29/15/06/150429-wnt-1n1t23stories-engen

Lori Chalupney’s Story- One Nation. One Team. 23 Stories. (2015). The US Soccer. Retrieved 27 May, 2015, http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2015/04/29/15/08/150429-wnt-1n1t23stories-chalupny

Ashlyn Harris’ Story- One Nation. One Team. 23 Stories. (2015). The US Soccer. Retrieved 27 May, 2015, http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2015/04/29/15/09/150429-wnt-1n1t23stories-harris

Alyssa Naer’s Story- One Nation. One Team. 23 Stories. (2015). The US Soccer. Retrieved 27 May, 2015, http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2015/04/29/15/22/150429-wnt-1n1t23stories-naeher

Hope Solo. (2015). Biography. Retrieved 27 May 2015, http://www.biography.com/people/hope-solo-20883135