Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain where we're up and not crying, which is allegedly an old Norwegian response.

Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain where we're up and not crying, which is allegedly an old Norwegian response.

To how are you up and not crying? That'll have to do today.

To how are you up and not crying? That'll have to do today.

Or maybe, as Miracle Max would say in The Princess Bride, we're only mostly dead, which is still a little alive.

Or maybe, as Miracle Max would say in The Princess Bride, we're only mostly dead, which is still a little alive.

Either way, we need it now.

Either way, we need it now.

It's Thursday, March thirteenth, and on today's show, we'll be chatting with goalkeeper a Listenaier of the Chicago Stars, not the Red Stars, the color neutral Stars, about her wedding filled off season, the nerves that hide behind her stone cold game face, and when she knew it was time to retire from the international game. Plus ranking NWSL teams on a scale of holding steady to madly chaotic, a reminder to savor the final moments of an undefeated season while you can, and a shout out to a team making its first big Dance appearance. It's all coming up right after this welcome back slices. Before we get to the need to know now that I'm back home, I just need to give a quick shout out to all the folks at iHeart after an incredible five days in Austin at south By Southwest. I'm going to chat some more about a little serendipitous convo with a musical friend, the backstage scenes at the iHeart Podcast Awards, and my new celebrity BFF later in the show. But I just wanted to say thank you again to the many, many, many iHeart people I worked.

It's Thursday, March thirteenth, and on today's show, we'll be chatting with goalkeeper a Listenaier of the Chicago Stars, not the Red Stars, the color neutral Stars, about her wedding filled off season, the nerves that hide behind her stone cold game face, and when she knew it was time to retire from the international game. Plus ranking NWSL teams on a scale of holding steady to madly chaotic, a reminder to savor the final moments of an undefeated season while you can, and a shout out to a team making its first big Dance appearance. It's all coming up right after this welcome back slices. Before we get to the need to know now that I'm back home, I just need to give a quick shout out to all the folks at iHeart after an incredible five days in Austin at south By Southwest. I'm going to chat some more about a little serendipitous convo with a musical friend, the backstage scenes at the iHeart Podcast Awards, and my new celebrity BFF later in the show. But I just wanted to say thank you again to the many, many, many iHeart people I worked.

With and met over the weekend. It was blast. Okay, here's what you need to know today.

With and met over the weekend. It was blast. Okay, here's what you need to know today.

Let's start with college hoops, where a few more teams clinch spots in the NCAA Tournament by winning their conference tourney. That includes Yukon, which won its twelfth straight Big East title on Monday night, defeating Creighton seventy to fifty. Page Beckers, who finished that game with twenty four points and eight rebounds, became the first player to be named Most Outstanding Player of the Big East Tournament three times. The win also means that Beckers closes out her career having never lost a conference game, boasting a personal Big East record of sixty six and oh to the West Coast Conference, where Oregon State, competing in that conference journey for the first time following the dis solution of the PAC twelve, defeated Portland fifty nine to forty six on Tuesday.

Let's start with college hoops, where a few more teams clinch spots in the NCAA Tournament by winning their conference tourney. That includes Yukon, which won its twelfth straight Big East title on Monday night, defeating Creighton seventy to fifty. Page Beckers, who finished that game with twenty four points and eight rebounds, became the first player to be named Most Outstanding Player of the Big East Tournament three times. The win also means that Beckers closes out her career having never lost a conference game, boasting a personal Big East record of sixty six and oh to the West Coast Conference, where Oregon State, competing in that conference journey for the first time following the dis solution of the PAC twelve, defeated Portland fifty nine to forty six on Tuesday.

Having clinched the.

Having clinched the.

Automatic bid, the Beavers are now headed to their fourteenth NCUBAA tournament appearance. Now this is especially impressive after the Beavers lost four starters from last year's twenty seven win NCUBLEA Elite eighteam to new schools after the PAC twelve breakup, heading to the Sun Belt Conference, where the Arkansas State Red Wolves defeated James Madison eighty six seventy nine in overtime on Monday night to earn that program's first ever NCUBA Tournament bid. Entering the season, Arkansas State was predicted to finish thirteenth of the fourteen Sun Belt Conference teams, but the squad went on to post a fifteen to three record in conference play to nab a number two seed in the tourney and go on to win conference tournament championships. Continue through the weekend leading up to the NCAA March Madness Selection Show on Sunday to College Hockey, where the nc Doubleatorney gets underway tonight with three games and you better get out a couple screens because it's going to be a busy few hours. Two games start at seven pm Eastern with Penn State taken on Saint Lawrence and Minnesota Duluth going up against Sacred Heart. Then at eight pm Eastern, it's Clarkson versus Boston University.

Automatic bid, the Beavers are now headed to their fourteenth NCUBAA tournament appearance. Now this is especially impressive after the Beavers lost four starters from last year's twenty seven win NCUBLEA Elite eighteam to new schools after the PAC twelve breakup, heading to the Sun Belt Conference, where the Arkansas State Red Wolves defeated James Madison eighty six seventy nine in overtime on Monday night to earn that program's first ever NCUBA Tournament bid. Entering the season, Arkansas State was predicted to finish thirteenth of the fourteen Sun Belt Conference teams, but the squad went on to post a fifteen to three record in conference play to nab a number two seed in the tourney and go on to win conference tournament championships. Continue through the weekend leading up to the NCAA March Madness Selection Show on Sunday to College Hockey, where the nc Doubleatorney gets underway tonight with three games and you better get out a couple screens because it's going to be a busy few hours. Two games start at seven pm Eastern with Penn State taken on Saint Lawrence and Minnesota Duluth going up against Sacred Heart. Then at eight pm Eastern, it's Clarkson versus Boston University.

Those games are all available on.

Those games are all available on.

ESPN plus to Softball where Athletes Unlimited announced its inaugural AUSL season will kick off on June seventh. Teams will tour during this first season, hitting up at least ten cities, including Rosemont, Illinois, Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Round Rock, Texas. We'll linked info on games and tickets in the show notes, and expect a little did you Know segment coming up about how Chicago invented softball.

ESPN plus to Softball where Athletes Unlimited announced its inaugural AUSL season will kick off on June seventh. Teams will tour during this first season, hitting up at least ten cities, including Rosemont, Illinois, Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Round Rock, Texas. We'll linked info on games and tickets in the show notes, and expect a little did you Know segment coming up about how Chicago invented softball.

That's right too.

That's right too.

Unrivaled where entering the championship weekend, the upstart three on three league has a new investor in MNBA player Steph Curry. In a statement announcing his stake, he said, quote, I am incredibly proud to join the Unrivaled family as the league continues to set a new standard for how women's professional sports should operate, empowering athletes and ensuring they have a real stake in their own success. Unrivaled is not just innovating the way we play basketball, but also we value and invest in the athlete to drive the game forward.

Unrivaled where entering the championship weekend, the upstart three on three league has a new investor in MNBA player Steph Curry. In a statement announcing his stake, he said, quote, I am incredibly proud to join the Unrivaled family as the league continues to set a new standard for how women's professional sports should operate, empowering athletes and ensuring they have a real stake in their own success. Unrivaled is not just innovating the way we play basketball, but also we value and invest in the athlete to drive the game forward.

End quote.

End quote.

Steph has been a longtime fan and supporter of women's sports.

Steph has been a longtime fan and supporter of women's sports.

It's so awesome to see him get on board with Unrivaled.

It's so awesome to see him get on board with Unrivaled.

The league's playoffs begin on Sunday, with the number one seed Lunar Owls facing the number four Vinyl and the number two Rows taking on the number three laces. We'll have more on those games in tomorrow show and now I will not be taking questions about my team Phantom BC not appearing in the playoffs. All right, slices, It's tournament time in Unrivaled and college hockey and basketball. But we've also got the NWSL kicking off and reminding us of the beauty of a blank slate. Think of all the possibilities that exist when everyone's team is still undefeated.

The league's playoffs begin on Sunday, with the number one seed Lunar Owls facing the number four Vinyl and the number two Rows taking on the number three laces. We'll have more on those games in tomorrow show and now I will not be taking questions about my team Phantom BC not appearing in the playoffs. All right, slices, It's tournament time in Unrivaled and college hockey and basketball. But we've also got the NWSL kicking off and reminding us of the beauty of a blank slate. Think of all the possibilities that exist when everyone's team is still undefeated.

That's right.

That's right.

The twenty twenty five NWSL season gets under way this weekend. Here's a quick team by team primer primer heading into the league's thirteen season. Somebody tell me primer primer, I've heard both, just once and for all. Okay, First up, we've got the Orlando Pride, who entered the season as the defending league champs and defending Shield winners. They dropped last Weekend's Challenge Cup to the Washington Spirit, but we've still got super high expectations for the Pride this year, as the team returned star forwards Barbara Banda and Marta, last year's NWSL Defender of the Year Emily SAMs and gm Hailey Carter, and head coach seb Hines. The least stable thing about this team the state it plays in, King Florida to the Washington Spirit, a team lucky enough to boast both Trinity Rodman and twenty twenty four Rookie of the Year Croy Bethune, and that also managed to win the aforementioned Challenge Cup without either player, as Bethune is still rehabbing a meniscus injury while Rodman stayed on the bench due to a lingering back issue. The squad also added to its depth in the off season, meaning the target on this team's back is only likely to grow. And now that Trinity Rodman is on record saying it's not a matter of if, but when she'll go play overseas in her career, they better try to get some more winning in while she's around let's head over to Kansas City, where former US women's national team head coach vladco and Danovsky continues to show why he's one of the best at the club level. Kansas City is still likely to be the Temwachewinga Show. The twenty twenty four MVP and Golden Boot winner, signed a three year contract extension with the current this offseason. So while those three teams, Orlando, Washington and Kansas City seem to have just gotten stronger since last year, it was a much more chaotic offseason for a bunch of other clubs, and that includes Gotham FC, a team that saw a mass exodus of top players during the offseason, including Crystal Dunn, Jenna Niswanger, Yasmine, Ryan Delaney, Shean, and Lynn Biandolo formerly Lynn Williams. A total of eleven players left the squad, while an additional three retired. But Gotham also has plenty of talent returning, including US women's national team players Emily Sonnet, Tierna Davidson and Rose Level, so don't count out those batties yet.

The twenty twenty five NWSL season gets under way this weekend. Here's a quick team by team primer primer heading into the league's thirteen season. Somebody tell me primer primer, I've heard both, just once and for all. Okay, First up, we've got the Orlando Pride, who entered the season as the defending league champs and defending Shield winners. They dropped last Weekend's Challenge Cup to the Washington Spirit, but we've still got super high expectations for the Pride this year, as the team returned star forwards Barbara Banda and Marta, last year's NWSL Defender of the Year Emily SAMs and gm Hailey Carter, and head coach seb Hines. The least stable thing about this team the state it plays in, King Florida to the Washington Spirit, a team lucky enough to boast both Trinity Rodman and twenty twenty four Rookie of the Year Croy Bethune, and that also managed to win the aforementioned Challenge Cup without either player, as Bethune is still rehabbing a meniscus injury while Rodman stayed on the bench due to a lingering back issue. The squad also added to its depth in the off season, meaning the target on this team's back is only likely to grow. And now that Trinity Rodman is on record saying it's not a matter of if, but when she'll go play overseas in her career, they better try to get some more winning in while she's around let's head over to Kansas City, where former US women's national team head coach vladco and Danovsky continues to show why he's one of the best at the club level. Kansas City is still likely to be the Temwachewinga Show. The twenty twenty four MVP and Golden Boot winner, signed a three year contract extension with the current this offseason. So while those three teams, Orlando, Washington and Kansas City seem to have just gotten stronger since last year, it was a much more chaotic offseason for a bunch of other clubs, and that includes Gotham FC, a team that saw a mass exodus of top players during the offseason, including Crystal Dunn, Jenna Niswanger, Yasmine, Ryan Delaney, Shean, and Lynn Biandolo formerly Lynn Williams. A total of eleven players left the squad, while an additional three retired. But Gotham also has plenty of talent returning, including US women's national team players Emily Sonnet, Tierna Davidson and Rose Level, so don't count out those batties yet.

Also on Team Chaos.

Also on Team Chaos.

The San Diego Wave, whose twenty twenty four season was defined by allegations from former staff of a toxic workplace and the shocking firing of head coach Casey Stoney, who react simply was named head coach of the Canadian national team. The Wave also entered twenty twenty five with out star Naomi Germa, who broke the women's transfer fee record this offseason when she signed with Chelsea in the Women's Super League. Major upheavals seems to be the theme for the NWSL's two other California teams too. There continue to be a lot of questions surrounding BAYFC, both because of the hiring of Graham Abel who later resigned, as well as a newly reported investigation into the team's technical staff, including head coach Albertin Montoya. And the last CALLI team, Angel City, enters the season still lacking a permanent head coach. The club hired a new sporting director, Mark Parsons, but still has Sam Lady serving as head coach in an interim capacity, So no coach, but they did lock up the Thompson sisters, Alyssa and Giselle to multi year extensions in January. Both sisters were part of the recent US women's national team call ups for the she Beliefs Cup. A few states over from the California chaos, we find the Utah Royals and NWSL sophomore Ali Sentnore, who should be a bright spot for the squad that finished eleventh in the standings in its returned to the NWSL in twenty twenty since the conclusion of last season. Centner made her US women's national team debut in November and was named twenty twenty.

The San Diego Wave, whose twenty twenty four season was defined by allegations from former staff of a toxic workplace and the shocking firing of head coach Casey Stoney, who react simply was named head coach of the Canadian national team. The Wave also entered twenty twenty five with out star Naomi Germa, who broke the women's transfer fee record this offseason when she signed with Chelsea in the Women's Super League. Major upheavals seems to be the theme for the NWSL's two other California teams too. There continue to be a lot of questions surrounding BAYFC, both because of the hiring of Graham Abel who later resigned, as well as a newly reported investigation into the team's technical staff, including head coach Albertin Montoya. And the last CALLI team, Angel City, enters the season still lacking a permanent head coach. The club hired a new sporting director, Mark Parsons, but still has Sam Lady serving as head coach in an interim capacity, So no coach, but they did lock up the Thompson sisters, Alyssa and Giselle to multi year extensions in January. Both sisters were part of the recent US women's national team call ups for the she Beliefs Cup. A few states over from the California chaos, we find the Utah Royals and NWSL sophomore Ali Sentnore, who should be a bright spot for the squad that finished eleventh in the standings in its returned to the NWSL in twenty twenty since the conclusion of last season. Centner made her US women's national team debut in November and was named twenty twenty.

Four Young Player of the Year by US Soccer.

Four Young Player of the Year by US Soccer.

If you want bangers, Centener is bangers only, don't blink. The North Carolina Courage also boast a young US women's national team star on the rise in Jaden Shaw, who joined the team in a trade from San Diego during the off season. North Carolina also managed to snag rookie Brooklyn Courtnall as the team's first signee in the post draft era. Courtnall has already made an impact for Team Canada at the youth level and is expected to bring a steadying presence to the Courage's back line.

If you want bangers, Centener is bangers only, don't blink. The North Carolina Courage also boast a young US women's national team star on the rise in Jaden Shaw, who joined the team in a trade from San Diego during the off season. North Carolina also managed to snag rookie Brooklyn Courtnall as the team's first signee in the post draft era. Courtnall has already made an impact for Team Canada at the youth level and is expected to bring a steadying presence to the Courage's back line.

Moving on to the Houston Dash, a.

Moving on to the Houston Dash, a.

Club that went shopping at the Gotham Store, snagging Yasmine Ryan and Delaney Shehan from their East Coast opponents this offseason. They also named a new head coach and for bris Katraw will also be keeping tabs on Houston's ownership status. It was reported earlier this year that the team's majority owner is exploring options to bring in additional investors or even sell the club entirely heading to the Pacific Northwest. Last year was a weird one for the Seattle rain with the normal study club missing the NWSL playoffs for the first time since twenty eighteen. The team did have a big get in the offseason, though, trading with Gotham for Lynn Biandolo to the Portland Thwards, where fans are likely feeling pretty uneasy after the athletic recently summed up the team's key performer as quote anyone who's available for selection end quote oof. That designation is thanks to lots of roster turnover since last season. Team is now without Christine Sinclair and Becky Sowerbrun, who both retired last season, and three of Portland's starters, Morgan Weaver, Marie Mueller, and Nicole Paine have been placed on the season ending injury list. Last up, the Chicago Red Star Excuse me, the Chicago Stars, where our biggest adjustment this season will undoubtedly be getting used to the team's new color neutral name.

Club that went shopping at the Gotham Store, snagging Yasmine Ryan and Delaney Shehan from their East Coast opponents this offseason. They also named a new head coach and for bris Katraw will also be keeping tabs on Houston's ownership status. It was reported earlier this year that the team's majority owner is exploring options to bring in additional investors or even sell the club entirely heading to the Pacific Northwest. Last year was a weird one for the Seattle rain with the normal study club missing the NWSL playoffs for the first time since twenty eighteen. The team did have a big get in the offseason, though, trading with Gotham for Lynn Biandolo to the Portland Thwards, where fans are likely feeling pretty uneasy after the athletic recently summed up the team's key performer as quote anyone who's available for selection end quote oof. That designation is thanks to lots of roster turnover since last season. Team is now without Christine Sinclair and Becky Sowerbrun, who both retired last season, and three of Portland's starters, Morgan Weaver, Marie Mueller, and Nicole Paine have been placed on the season ending injury list. Last up, the Chicago Red Star Excuse me, the Chicago Stars, where our biggest adjustment this season will undoubtedly be getting used to the team's new color neutral name.

The biggest question mark for.

The biggest question mark for.

The roster entering the year is how the squad will adjust to the absence of superstar forward male Swanson, who's been away from the team due to personal reasons, with no date set for return. We'll have plenty more on this squad coming up next. With goalkeeper Alyssa Nyer. I caught up with her last week. That conversation is next stick around Slices.

The roster entering the year is how the squad will adjust to the absence of superstar forward male Swanson, who's been away from the team due to personal reasons, with no date set for return. We'll have plenty more on this squad coming up next. With goalkeeper Alyssa Nyer. I caught up with her last week. That conversation is next stick around Slices.

Joining us now.

Joining us now.

She's the goalkeeper for the NWSL's Chicago Stars, the reigning US Soccer Female Player of the Year and FIFA Women's Goalkeeper of the Year, a World Cup champion and an Olympic Golden Bronze medalist, the first goalkeeper in women's soccer history to keep clean sheets in a World Cup final and an Olympic final. She's a proud nitny lyon, and she's everybody's uncle. It's Alyssa Mayer. Hi, Melissa, Hi, ser so glad to have you on the show. It's kind of hard to believe that the start of the NWSL season is already here. I imagined for you, in particular because your off season was entirely weddings.

She's the goalkeeper for the NWSL's Chicago Stars, the reigning US Soccer Female Player of the Year and FIFA Women's Goalkeeper of the Year, a World Cup champion and an Olympic Golden Bronze medalist, the first goalkeeper in women's soccer history to keep clean sheets in a World Cup final and an Olympic final. She's a proud nitny lyon, and she's everybody's uncle. It's Alyssa Mayer. Hi, Melissa, Hi, ser so glad to have you on the show. It's kind of hard to believe that the start of the NWSL season is already here. I imagined for you, in particular because your off season was entirely weddings.

It was, which was a lot of fun, fat to celebrate with a lot of teammates, a lot of friends. So definitely had a good offseason, but went quick, that's for sure.

It was, which was a lot of fun, fat to celebrate with a lot of teammates, a lot of friends. So definitely had a good offseason, but went quick, that's for sure.

I feel like you went to every single women's soccer wedding this offseason.

I feel like you went to every single women's soccer wedding this offseason.

Did you hit all of them? Or was there a single one you weren't invited to?

Did you hit all of them? Or was there a single one you weren't invited to?

I hit most that I played with, I would say, I think there were some additional ones of other players that I haven't had the opportunity to play with. But I think anybody that I would have been teammates with, I was at their wedding, which was which was awesome. I love that.

I hit most that I played with, I would say, I think there were some additional ones of other players that I haven't had the opportunity to play with. But I think anybody that I would have been teammates with, I was at their wedding, which was which was awesome. I love that.

Yeah, and it was kind of nice timing too, Like right after you announce your stepping away from the international game, you get this series of celebrations in your honor where you get to hang out with all the people that you might miss.

Yeah, and it was kind of nice timing too, Like right after you announce your stepping away from the international game, you get this series of celebrations in your honor where you get to hang out with all the people that you might miss.

Yeah. I mean, honestly, I can't believe it really worked out that I was able to like physically beat at all of them. They spaced it out well enough that nothing actually overlapped, which was which was great for me. I didn't have to make any decisions and have to choose between people because that would have had been the worst I was able to hit them all.

Yeah. I mean, honestly, I can't believe it really worked out that I was able to like physically beat at all of them. They spaced it out well enough that nothing actually overlapped, which was which was great for me. I didn't have to make any decisions and have to choose between people because that would have had been the worst I was able to hit them all.

It was like eight and thirty two days or.

It was like eight and thirty two days or.

Something six six and twenty nine or thirty.

Something six six and twenty nine or thirty.

That's insane.

That's insane.

That's just the travel and the different outfits alone. Did you double up any outfits?

That's just the travel and the different outfits alone. Did you double up any outfits?

Definitely doubled up comfits.

Definitely doubled up comfits.

Necessary.

Necessary.

But yeah, so you spent your off season going to weddings and now you're you gotta play soccer. What are you most excited about at the start of the Star season.

But yeah, so you spent your off season going to weddings and now you're you gotta play soccer. What are you most excited about at the start of the Star season.

I think just you know, the new the start of any new season is always exciting. New team, got some fresh faces, a lot of returning familiar faces, got some players coming back from injury that excited to get back onto the field. You know, to be able to have the same coaching staff that we had last year and build off of what I felt like was a pretty successful season for us last year and obviously a disappointing way to to lose and go out, but you know, get to go right back to Orlando where it ended last year to play the same team. You know, we've we've been working hard this this preseason to get ready and prepared, and I think now is the you know you you get excited about what's to come for the season and what we're gonna be able to put together and compete on the field and hopefully get some results and get ourselves back into a playoffs.

I think just you know, the new the start of any new season is always exciting. New team, got some fresh faces, a lot of returning familiar faces, got some players coming back from injury that excited to get back onto the field. You know, to be able to have the same coaching staff that we had last year and build off of what I felt like was a pretty successful season for us last year and obviously a disappointing way to to lose and go out, but you know, get to go right back to Orlando where it ended last year to play the same team. You know, we've we've been working hard this this preseason to get ready and prepared, and I think now is the you know you you get excited about what's to come for the season and what we're gonna be able to put together and compete on the field and hopefully get some results and get ourselves back into a playoffs.

You mentioned a lot of younger players on the squad. How have you grown as a leader in your years with the team. I was listening to Tieranna Davidson, your former teammate, our buddy Tierna on sam Uis's Pot and she talked about having to be intentional about not only taking in as she learned how to be a professional player, but making the pivot to pushing out and what she was giving back to the players around her as a veteran, That's sort of something that might core organically with age and time in the league, but also might be something you have to really think about in order to be a leader. How have you seen yourself grow because you've been with this team for a long time now your hands down the vet that is running the show.

You mentioned a lot of younger players on the squad. How have you grown as a leader in your years with the team. I was listening to Tieranna Davidson, your former teammate, our buddy Tierna on sam Uis's Pot and she talked about having to be intentional about not only taking in as she learned how to be a professional player, but making the pivot to pushing out and what she was giving back to the players around her as a veteran, That's sort of something that might core organically with age and time in the league, but also might be something you have to really think about in order to be a leader. How have you seen yourself grow because you've been with this team for a long time now your hands down the vet that is running the show.

Yeah, I think it's you know, I've always been I've never necessarily been the most the most vocal, the most you know, high energy, the most in your face kind of leader. I've I've always been more of the lead by example, show show up and do my job. And you know, but I think even within that, especially the last couple of years, you know, I've I've had a lot of different experiences over my career. I've had every up, every down, every success, every failure, and I think, you know it, I think it's my job as as a leader and a veteran to be approachable, to be that person that is, you know, I may not be the one just initiating and going in and saying something right away, but hopefully I can be approachable enough that young ones feel comfortable to ask questions, to learn through my experiences and kind of pick my brain about different things, and see how I carry myself, and see what I do in a training session, how I recover off the field, and what that looks like. And I think I had the luxury of having so many great veteran players that I got to learn from and watch. And I think the beauty of having or the benefit of having those veteran players is they take on such a burden of a lot of the media, a lot of the talking, a lot of conversations with coaches and gms, and a lot of the off field stuff that when I was a younger player, whether it was professionally or even with the national team, my only job was just to keep the ball out of the back of the net. That was my sole focus, the only thing I had to do. And I don't think I realized until I got a little bit older. And that naturally becomes your role as you play in a second and a third Orld Cup, or second or third Olympics, when it's now going into I don't even know what season this is all. I know it's ten with Chicago, but some are fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, I lost track. But you know, you just naturally take on those responsibilities. And I think the intentionality that Tierne is probably talking about as well is that connection with teammates. Are that approachability or making yourself available to have some of those conversations.

Yeah, I think it's you know, I've always been I've never necessarily been the most the most vocal, the most you know, high energy, the most in your face kind of leader. I've I've always been more of the lead by example, show show up and do my job. And you know, but I think even within that, especially the last couple of years, you know, I've I've had a lot of different experiences over my career. I've had every up, every down, every success, every failure, and I think, you know it, I think it's my job as as a leader and a veteran to be approachable, to be that person that is, you know, I may not be the one just initiating and going in and saying something right away, but hopefully I can be approachable enough that young ones feel comfortable to ask questions, to learn through my experiences and kind of pick my brain about different things, and see how I carry myself, and see what I do in a training session, how I recover off the field, and what that looks like. And I think I had the luxury of having so many great veteran players that I got to learn from and watch. And I think the beauty of having or the benefit of having those veteran players is they take on such a burden of a lot of the media, a lot of the talking, a lot of conversations with coaches and gms, and a lot of the off field stuff that when I was a younger player, whether it was professionally or even with the national team, my only job was just to keep the ball out of the back of the net. That was my sole focus, the only thing I had to do. And I don't think I realized until I got a little bit older. And that naturally becomes your role as you play in a second and a third Orld Cup, or second or third Olympics, when it's now going into I don't even know what season this is all. I know it's ten with Chicago, but some are fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, I lost track. But you know, you just naturally take on those responsibilities. And I think the intentionality that Tierne is probably talking about as well is that connection with teammates. Are that approachability or making yourself available to have some of those conversations.

It feels like this is an obvious answer based on the number of weddings you were invited to, But is it difficult at all as a goalkeeper to integrate yourself with the rest of the team.

It feels like this is an obvious answer based on the number of weddings you were invited to, But is it difficult at all as a goalkeeper to integrate yourself with the rest of the team.

It feels very siloed.

It feels very siloed.

I don't think so. I think there's there's so much opportunity off the field anytime you traveled. You know, we just got back from a preseason trip. We were in Florida for two weeks. And obviously anytime you're away with the team and traveling and you know in and out of you know, locker rooms and meals and anything like that. Yet in training and in different things like that, we're probably a little bit more isolated as goalkeepers. But there's enough opportunity within within travel and just every day practice and training room and locker room experience that you can kind of make those connections.

I don't think so. I think there's there's so much opportunity off the field anytime you traveled. You know, we just got back from a preseason trip. We were in Florida for two weeks. And obviously anytime you're away with the team and traveling and you know in and out of you know, locker rooms and meals and anything like that. Yet in training and in different things like that, we're probably a little bit more isolated as goalkeepers. But there's enough opportunity within within travel and just every day practice and training room and locker room experience that you can kind of make those connections.

Yeah, a lot of changes with the Stars, not just the name. I'm going to keep saying Red Stars by mistake, but I'm gonna stick with it. So a lot of changes with the Stars in recent years, including new ownership. Have you had an interest in or have you already pursued connections with the new front office and staff and owners to try to figure out how you can help them promote and support the team make this transition from a previous iteration to what it looks like going forward.

Yeah, a lot of changes with the Stars, not just the name. I'm going to keep saying Red Stars by mistake, but I'm gonna stick with it. So a lot of changes with the Stars in recent years, including new ownership. Have you had an interest in or have you already pursued connections with the new front office and staff and owners to try to figure out how you can help them promote and support the team make this transition from a previous iteration to what it looks like going forward.

Yeah, I think my biggest rule has been just letting them know that, you know, I want to be part of the changes in the future, and I want to be part of you know, making this place better for not just players but staff and you know, from a whole organization. So I think where I've been able to kind of lend my experience is lending my experience. I think that's you don't know what you don't know, and I know nothing about what it takes to you know, own a club or run a club or an organize, but I have the lived experience. I know what the day to day looks like. I've seen what works and what doesn't work. I've seen what builds trust and what tears down trust. And I think I've been able to develop a good relationship with you know, both Lauren and Karen, our president. And doesn't mean we always agree on everything, but I think there's we've always had very healthy conversations and there's a lot of mutual respect there of we have these conversations. Sometimes they say no, sorry, we can't do that. Here's why, and I respect that. I understand that. And then there's other things that they go, that's great, we can definitely incorporate that. We can add that in. So I think just being able to have that communication and that mutual respect, again, it's just being able to share what my lived experience has been over the last you know, fifteen years, and then allow them to use their area of expertise of you know what that looks like from a business standpoint or from a club organization standpoint.

Yeah, I think my biggest rule has been just letting them know that, you know, I want to be part of the changes in the future, and I want to be part of you know, making this place better for not just players but staff and you know, from a whole organization. So I think where I've been able to kind of lend my experience is lending my experience. I think that's you don't know what you don't know, and I know nothing about what it takes to you know, own a club or run a club or an organize, but I have the lived experience. I know what the day to day looks like. I've seen what works and what doesn't work. I've seen what builds trust and what tears down trust. And I think I've been able to develop a good relationship with you know, both Lauren and Karen, our president. And doesn't mean we always agree on everything, but I think there's we've always had very healthy conversations and there's a lot of mutual respect there of we have these conversations. Sometimes they say no, sorry, we can't do that. Here's why, and I respect that. I understand that. And then there's other things that they go, that's great, we can definitely incorporate that. We can add that in. So I think just being able to have that communication and that mutual respect, again, it's just being able to share what my lived experience has been over the last you know, fifteen years, and then allow them to use their area of expertise of you know what that looks like from a business standpoint or from a club organization standpoint.

Yeah, we've already seen some really cool examples of Laura Ricketts and her or background affecting the team, including that incredible game at Wrigley Field. You know, some of the marketing ideas around the team have changed as results of them already having this established team in the Chicago Cubs that she also is an owner of here in the city. I had a really illuminating conversation with Lauren Holliday back at the NWSL Championship weekend, and one of the things we talked about was her being a player for so long and seeing these different iterations of pro leagues and then wanting to get on the ownership side, and my coming from the media side entering the ownership side. It benefits people to come from different spaces and come together and try to figure out what works, what doesn't, and what's needed, especially when it's a player activating on the ownership side and being able to really be a part of the decision making because not only then do you understand, oh, it's way more expensive to do this thing that we've been asking for than we thought, and so we think they're just being jerks, but it's really not feasible at this point for that to happen. But also being able to then tell them, Okay, if we can't have this, this is actually way more important to us, and you're spending a ton over here and our experience is way more benefited by you spending over here. It feels like there should almost always be a player liaison in the front office. Is that too much to ask of a player in the middle of a season, you think.

Yeah, we've already seen some really cool examples of Laura Ricketts and her or background affecting the team, including that incredible game at Wrigley Field. You know, some of the marketing ideas around the team have changed as results of them already having this established team in the Chicago Cubs that she also is an owner of here in the city. I had a really illuminating conversation with Lauren Holliday back at the NWSL Championship weekend, and one of the things we talked about was her being a player for so long and seeing these different iterations of pro leagues and then wanting to get on the ownership side, and my coming from the media side entering the ownership side. It benefits people to come from different spaces and come together and try to figure out what works, what doesn't, and what's needed, especially when it's a player activating on the ownership side and being able to really be a part of the decision making because not only then do you understand, oh, it's way more expensive to do this thing that we've been asking for than we thought, and so we think they're just being jerks, but it's really not feasible at this point for that to happen. But also being able to then tell them, Okay, if we can't have this, this is actually way more important to us, and you're spending a ton over here and our experience is way more benefited by you spending over here. It feels like there should almost always be a player liaison in the front office. Is that too much to ask of a player in the middle of a season, you think.

I think maybe in the middle of a season. I think a lot of that stuff comes in an off season as you're building. But I think, again, it doesn't need to be necessarily a you know, let's meet weekly, let's meet every two weeks and kind of catch up. But I think again, building the relationships and having that mutual trust of like, hey, just picking up a phone and they can call me at any point in the season. I'm more than willing to and want to have the country. I love that they're willing and they want to hear from me. That shows me a lot of that. They want to get this right, they want to do the best thing. And I think where that player liaison comes in is availability as well. And it's that conversation that they're like, hey, sorry, I don't have thirty minutes right now, we're about to get out of the bus, or hey, like, we've got a big game coming up, can we chat next week? And there's always been that communication. I think what I am able to share with them, and to their credit, what they've also been able to share with me, is the why behind certain decisions. Yeah, you know, when I go and I say, hey, this is you know, we don't want to travel or this food or whatever, is actually like, okay, here's why that is what it is not just like the blanket of you know, because if you again, you don't know what you don't know, so I can see sometimes the light bulb go off when it's uh, that does make a lot more sense. You kind of put it like that, like I never really thought about it.

I think maybe in the middle of a season. I think a lot of that stuff comes in an off season as you're building. But I think, again, it doesn't need to be necessarily a you know, let's meet weekly, let's meet every two weeks and kind of catch up. But I think again, building the relationships and having that mutual trust of like, hey, just picking up a phone and they can call me at any point in the season. I'm more than willing to and want to have the country. I love that they're willing and they want to hear from me. That shows me a lot of that. They want to get this right, they want to do the best thing. And I think where that player liaison comes in is availability as well. And it's that conversation that they're like, hey, sorry, I don't have thirty minutes right now, we're about to get out of the bus, or hey, like, we've got a big game coming up, can we chat next week? And there's always been that communication. I think what I am able to share with them, and to their credit, what they've also been able to share with me, is the why behind certain decisions. Yeah, you know, when I go and I say, hey, this is you know, we don't want to travel or this food or whatever, is actually like, okay, here's why that is what it is not just like the blanket of you know, because if you again, you don't know what you don't know, so I can see sometimes the light bulb go off when it's uh, that does make a lot more sense. You kind of put it like that, like I never really thought about it.

That communication helps.

That communication helps.

And again they do the same thing like, hey, well we've got a budget, We've got dollars over here, We've got dollars over here, And I'm a logical person I can under like, okay, I can understand that. I can see where that makes more sense to me than you just saying no or you just say like we're not doing that. So and it all comes back to that, that communication and that building and continuing to build levels of trust and respect and just keeping the dialogue going. I think at the end of the day, we all want the same thing. We want this club to be successful. We want this club to be, you know, a place that players and coaches and staff want to want to come to, want to be at. We want to build you know, that culture within an organization that is a place that people want to be. And in that regard, we're all very much aligned, which helps kind of tick towards the end goals of from an organizational standpoint.

And again they do the same thing like, hey, well we've got a budget, We've got dollars over here, We've got dollars over here, And I'm a logical person I can under like, okay, I can understand that. I can see where that makes more sense to me than you just saying no or you just say like we're not doing that. So and it all comes back to that, that communication and that building and continuing to build levels of trust and respect and just keeping the dialogue going. I think at the end of the day, we all want the same thing. We want this club to be successful. We want this club to be, you know, a place that players and coaches and staff want to want to come to, want to be at. We want to build you know, that culture within an organization that is a place that people want to be. And in that regard, we're all very much aligned, which helps kind of tick towards the end goals of from an organizational standpoint.

Do you think you'll approach this n WSL season differently knowing that you don't have national team duties.

Do you think you'll approach this n WSL season differently knowing that you don't have national team duties.

I think I've always been pretty good throughout my career of kind of you know, keeping everything compartmentalized, compartmentalized, thank you, compartmentalizing. And when I've when I've been here, I've been here and focused on on you know, Chicago and the Red Stars, and when I've been gone. I've been focused on, you know, whether it was a friendly or a tournament, things like that. Obviously it always does overlap, just in terms of training or different things and wanting to stay in form and everything else like that up, but I think it's going to be I'm excited to kind of just be here one singular focus, not have It's gonna be nice to have some extra off days. I haven't had those. Usually I'm playing a game and then flying right into camp. So I'm going to have a little bit more time here kind of with its players, with the team in Chicago, to enjoy Chicago summer, which I don't often get to do. So. But yeah, I'm excited again just to build off of, you know, where we were last year and how we finished, and hopefully keep growing.

I think I've always been pretty good throughout my career of kind of you know, keeping everything compartmentalized, compartmentalized, thank you, compartmentalizing. And when I've when I've been here, I've been here and focused on on you know, Chicago and the Red Stars, and when I've been gone. I've been focused on, you know, whether it was a friendly or a tournament, things like that. Obviously it always does overlap, just in terms of training or different things and wanting to stay in form and everything else like that up, but I think it's going to be I'm excited to kind of just be here one singular focus, not have It's gonna be nice to have some extra off days. I haven't had those. Usually I'm playing a game and then flying right into camp. So I'm going to have a little bit more time here kind of with its players, with the team in Chicago, to enjoy Chicago summer, which I don't often get to do. So. But yeah, I'm excited again just to build off of, you know, where we were last year and how we finished, and hopefully keep growing.

You announced your international retirement on November twenty fifth. You played your final two games for the US women's national team on the thirtieth and then December third, both of them in the Netherlands. It felt very illicit a or to not give you, as fans, a chance to say goodbye on home soil. It felt like you were like, let me just slip on out of here.

You announced your international retirement on November twenty fifth. You played your final two games for the US women's national team on the thirtieth and then December third, both of them in the Netherlands. It felt very illicit a or to not give you, as fans, a chance to say goodbye on home soil. It felt like you were like, let me just slip on out of here.

What was that intentional.

What was that intentional.

I think the intentionality behind it was keeping it clean. Is just like at the end of the year, it was not you know, let me avoid the us, let me avoid things like that.

I think the intentionality behind it was keeping it clean. Is just like at the end of the year, it was not you know, let me avoid the us, let me avoid things like that.

I think it shows of affection and love and praise and adoration from everyway.

I think it shows of affection and love and praise and adoration from everyway.

It just felt clean. It felt like the most I wanted to finish the year. Emma and I had had the conversation in when we had those three games. I think it was October. I think we had the initial conversation in Austin of you know, this is what I'm thinking for next year. You know, what are your thoughts? Where are you going? Where do you see me? Where do you see the team going? And it was a good conversation. I think where we ended up leaving it was okay, yeah, I'm pretty I'm pretty settled on this is what this is what my plan is. You know, I would like to finish the year with the team. I would like to see it through. But if you are you know, I'm telling you I'm looking to walk away and move on. If this, if this needs through the end here in October, then I respect that too. If you need to get other players game and kind of build, and I think we had the mutual kind of understanding of it all. We want to finish the year we've been We've had a good year together with the team. We've had a strong year with the team. We knew we were going in to play two great opponents in England and the Netherlands, and I wanted to have I was grateful that she gave me the opportunity to to play in those games and finish my time with the team on a high note. But no, it was not. There was intentionality in the timing of the time of the year, but not in terms of you know, avoiding the US or anything like that.

It just felt clean. It felt like the most I wanted to finish the year. Emma and I had had the conversation in when we had those three games. I think it was October. I think we had the initial conversation in Austin of you know, this is what I'm thinking for next year. You know, what are your thoughts? Where are you going? Where do you see me? Where do you see the team going? And it was a good conversation. I think where we ended up leaving it was okay, yeah, I'm pretty I'm pretty settled on this is what this is what my plan is. You know, I would like to finish the year with the team. I would like to see it through. But if you are you know, I'm telling you I'm looking to walk away and move on. If this, if this needs through the end here in October, then I respect that too. If you need to get other players game and kind of build, and I think we had the mutual kind of understanding of it all. We want to finish the year we've been We've had a good year together with the team. We've had a strong year with the team. We knew we were going in to play two great opponents in England and the Netherlands, and I wanted to have I was grateful that she gave me the opportunity to to play in those games and finish my time with the team on a high note. But no, it was not. There was intentionality in the timing of the time of the year, but not in terms of you know, avoiding the US or anything like that.

We'll get to you either way.

We'll get to you either way.

They'll have a they'll have a giant celebration for you, and you'll have to sit in all the love that people have for you.

They'll have a they'll have a giant celebration for you, and you'll have to sit in all the love that people have for you.

I still felt a lot of love, that's for sure. Yeah, it's now there feel very special. The you know, the outpouring of support and love. I think it was a bit overwhelming, for sure. It was more overwhelming than I expected, but there was There was a lot of emotion, for sure. But it made me feel, you know, very very special in that in that week, and I was grateful for all of the love.

I still felt a lot of love, that's for sure. Yeah, it's now there feel very special. The you know, the outpouring of support and love. I think it was a bit overwhelming, for sure. It was more overwhelming than I expected, but there was There was a lot of emotion, for sure. But it made me feel, you know, very very special in that in that week, and I was grateful for all of the love.

I got to do some like science or research on why it's so uncomfortable to like take in compliments and appreciation because I love attention and I love compliments, but even I don't like them directly in front of me. I want to like read about them later when someone says something nice about it. It's like very uncomfortable to be in the moment and have people shower you. There's got to be some good research on that. Do you remember the moment that you decided to retire? I mean obviously when you're on an international team and you're looking ahead, you're looking at what's the Olympic cycle, what's the World Cup cycle? So it's not just the right now like it is for so many other sports. It's the what's the next big thing? What age will I be? What will the team look like? Was it a struggle or was it just logistical for you?

I got to do some like science or research on why it's so uncomfortable to like take in compliments and appreciation because I love attention and I love compliments, but even I don't like them directly in front of me. I want to like read about them later when someone says something nice about it. It's like very uncomfortable to be in the moment and have people shower you. There's got to be some good research on that. Do you remember the moment that you decided to retire? I mean obviously when you're on an international team and you're looking ahead, you're looking at what's the Olympic cycle, what's the World Cup cycle? So it's not just the right now like it is for so many other sports. It's the what's the next big thing? What age will I be? What will the team look like? Was it a struggle or was it just logistical for you?

I think the struggle comes from like the emotional side of it. It's like what like to actually follow I think in your mind like it makes sense certain things and timing wise, but then to actually make the decision, follow through on the decision, and you start making a is this the right decision? Is it and then it's like, I think that emotional side of that makes it challenging. I think for me, if I'm being really, really honest, I probably knew in January that it was at least most likely the end. And I think that's obviously hard to say because at that point I had no idea even if I was on the Olympic roster, if I was playing as the starter at the Olympics, if I was on the roster, and kind of you know, if the Olympics go a different way, the decision may not even have been mine once I was. So I think there's obviously so many different things that went into play throughout the whole year. But I think my mindset going into January into the Gold Cup was I think it was like this settled feeling of like this it felt like the last year. It felt like, you know, let me take everything in a little bit extra, let me try to, you know, soak it all in. This could be And I think we all have that once we start getting older. It's something I've always talked to to Becky about into other Yeah, I think once you start reaching i mean even the last few years, every time you go into not even just any major tournament, but any game you're like, this could be it. I mean, that's that's the life of sports. You never really know when the end is the end. And I think for me that's something that is not lost on me that I got to kind of control the ending of it, which is not normal, it's not common, but I think it was. It was very much of you could, I could, I could feel it coming, a little bit more of let me, let me really take take all this in and it's it's probably going to be it.

I think the struggle comes from like the emotional side of it. It's like what like to actually follow I think in your mind like it makes sense certain things and timing wise, but then to actually make the decision, follow through on the decision, and you start making a is this the right decision? Is it and then it's like, I think that emotional side of that makes it challenging. I think for me, if I'm being really, really honest, I probably knew in January that it was at least most likely the end. And I think that's obviously hard to say because at that point I had no idea even if I was on the Olympic roster, if I was playing as the starter at the Olympics, if I was on the roster, and kind of you know, if the Olympics go a different way, the decision may not even have been mine once I was. So I think there's obviously so many different things that went into play throughout the whole year. But I think my mindset going into January into the Gold Cup was I think it was like this settled feeling of like this it felt like the last year. It felt like, you know, let me take everything in a little bit extra, let me try to, you know, soak it all in. This could be And I think we all have that once we start getting older. It's something I've always talked to to Becky about into other Yeah, I think once you start reaching i mean even the last few years, every time you go into not even just any major tournament, but any game you're like, this could be it. I mean, that's that's the life of sports. You never really know when the end is the end. And I think for me that's something that is not lost on me that I got to kind of control the ending of it, which is not normal, it's not common, but I think it was. It was very much of you could, I could, I could feel it coming, a little bit more of let me, let me really take take all this in and it's it's probably going to be it.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I mean also, not just to get to sort of dictate when the international part of your career ended, but to go out on top as a champion in your final major international tournament is just like storybook stuff.

I mean also, not just to get to sort of dictate when the international part of your career ended, but to go out on top as a champion in your final major international tournament is just like storybook stuff.

It's incredible.

It's incredible.

Yeah, now that it's over, let's go back to the beginning, and I want to know what you're nerves were, like succeeding Brianna Scurry and Hope Solo, Like, that's unreal.

Yeah, now that it's over, let's go back to the beginning, and I want to know what you're nerves were, like succeeding Brianna Scurry and Hope Solo, Like, that's unreal.

Yeah, I mean, I it's probably too hard to put into words the actual nerves behind it. I think over the years I probably tried to cover it as best I could. I think it's it's funny everybody thinks, you know, I'm always so hard and like this game face and serious and honestly, I'm just trying not to throw up. I was trying to read. I'm trying to like keep my way of like I'm I'm a very processed, driven person, a very intentional behind everything that I do. I'm very focused on preparation, and for me, that was how I was able to try to control a lot of those those nerves and the anxiousness that came with, you know, following two legends of the game, not just for the US but international like in the world. And I think think where I benefited was I had the time before I was the starter to earn and build that trust with my teammates. They got to see the work that I put in in training every day, in training camps, and you know, maybe not necessarily on the field in a game, but in eleven v eleven scrimmages or in those little moments that the public doesn't see, but the coaches and my teammates were able to get a sense of who I was as a as a person, as a teammate, as a player, so that when I was stepping on the field, you know, although I was very nervous very anxious. You know, I always wanted to succeed for you know, you feel like when you're part of a team, you don't want to let the people around you down. I think that was always my biggest thing, was more as a goalkeeper. It's like, you know, if I let in a goal, I'm like, oh gosh, I let the whole I let the whole team down. And what I started learning was I was the only person that thought that about myself. You know, my teammates never ever look back at me. And if I let in a bad goal, which inevitably we all do, or make a mistake, I never got the eye rolls. I never got yelled at. I never got any of that. It was like, all right, we're good. Like the team was always the team, and that always gave me so much confidence going into any game, you know, even in in tournaments, taking everything one game at a time and just again going back to the leadership, the stuff that we were talking about before is I had incredible teammates and leaders on the field with me that they made it. They made it so clear that my only job was to be me. I just had to play. I just had to be a goalkeeper. They were going to take care of all the rest. They were going to make it so that I didn't have to worry about and focus on any other thing other than my job. And hopefully now I was able to see that, I was able to learn from that, and that's not what I take as my role, especially here in Chicago and towards the later stages of the national team as well. But you know, take that burden from the younger players, because I was incredibly grateful for it, because I already had all the expectations from you know, following behind Hope and you know what that looked like, and the expectations that come with being the US goalkeeper. You know, that's where there's a lot of high expectations. I have high expectations for myself as well, but having such incredible teammates and coaches kind of very much helped me and my support system off the field. Honestly, my family's been incredible. You know, they've been there with me since day one. So there's always going to be the nerves, that's just how you can channel them.

Yeah, I mean, I it's probably too hard to put into words the actual nerves behind it. I think over the years I probably tried to cover it as best I could. I think it's it's funny everybody thinks, you know, I'm always so hard and like this game face and serious and honestly, I'm just trying not to throw up. I was trying to read. I'm trying to like keep my way of like I'm I'm a very processed, driven person, a very intentional behind everything that I do. I'm very focused on preparation, and for me, that was how I was able to try to control a lot of those those nerves and the anxiousness that came with, you know, following two legends of the game, not just for the US but international like in the world. And I think think where I benefited was I had the time before I was the starter to earn and build that trust with my teammates. They got to see the work that I put in in training every day, in training camps, and you know, maybe not necessarily on the field in a game, but in eleven v eleven scrimmages or in those little moments that the public doesn't see, but the coaches and my teammates were able to get a sense of who I was as a as a person, as a teammate, as a player, so that when I was stepping on the field, you know, although I was very nervous very anxious. You know, I always wanted to succeed for you know, you feel like when you're part of a team, you don't want to let the people around you down. I think that was always my biggest thing, was more as a goalkeeper. It's like, you know, if I let in a goal, I'm like, oh gosh, I let the whole I let the whole team down. And what I started learning was I was the only person that thought that about myself. You know, my teammates never ever look back at me. And if I let in a bad goal, which inevitably we all do, or make a mistake, I never got the eye rolls. I never got yelled at. I never got any of that. It was like, all right, we're good. Like the team was always the team, and that always gave me so much confidence going into any game, you know, even in in tournaments, taking everything one game at a time and just again going back to the leadership, the stuff that we were talking about before is I had incredible teammates and leaders on the field with me that they made it. They made it so clear that my only job was to be me. I just had to play. I just had to be a goalkeeper. They were going to take care of all the rest. They were going to make it so that I didn't have to worry about and focus on any other thing other than my job. And hopefully now I was able to see that, I was able to learn from that, and that's not what I take as my role, especially here in Chicago and towards the later stages of the national team as well. But you know, take that burden from the younger players, because I was incredibly grateful for it, because I already had all the expectations from you know, following behind Hope and you know what that looked like, and the expectations that come with being the US goalkeeper. You know, that's where there's a lot of high expectations. I have high expectations for myself as well, but having such incredible teammates and coaches kind of very much helped me and my support system off the field. Honestly, my family's been incredible. You know, they've been there with me since day one. So there's always going to be the nerves, that's just how you can channel them.

Yeah, I mean, I think there's a lot of like life lessons in there outside of sport for people who carry the weight and feel like everything is dependent on them. If they fail, they're failing everyone. And if they ever actually stepped back, they would understand the support system that they have and how not everyone's looking at them all the time to fix everything.

Yeah, I mean, I think there's a lot of like life lessons in there outside of sport for people who carry the weight and feel like everything is dependent on them. If they fail, they're failing everyone. And if they ever actually stepped back, they would understand the support system that they have and how not everyone's looking at them all the time to fix everything.

You mentioned the seriousness that was really just being scared shitless?

You mentioned the seriousness that was really just being scared shitless?

Do you remember secrets out?

Do you remember secrets out?

It's right? Do you remember who actually up with the nickname Uncle?

It's right? Do you remember who actually up with the nickname Uncle?

I think it was Steph McCaffrey here in Minneasgo.

I think it was Steph McCaffrey here in Minneasgo.

Can you tell us about being Uncle nare?

Can you tell us about being Uncle nare?

It's funny everyone's really died out. I always hated this guy. I always hated this this nickname, but somehow it stuck. No, I think Steph kind of created it because it was always people wuld always just call me to come help them do stuff I had, Like they would have a flat tire, I would have an air pump in my car, battery like car batteries. I had stuff to hang pictures on walls. So I think I just became the person that people would always call it. They knew i'd pick up the phone and come help them do whatever they needed done. So it is an endearing nickname, so I'll own it. But yes, yeah, it's can't seem to get away from it.

It's funny everyone's really died out. I always hated this guy. I always hated this this nickname, but somehow it stuck. No, I think Steph kind of created it because it was always people wuld always just call me to come help them do stuff I had, Like they would have a flat tire, I would have an air pump in my car, battery like car batteries. I had stuff to hang pictures on walls. So I think I just became the person that people would always call it. They knew i'd pick up the phone and come help them do whatever they needed done. So it is an endearing nickname, so I'll own it. But yes, yeah, it's can't seem to get away from it.

Honestly, uncle, there is better than what you would get if this were happening today, which would definitely be big Midwest dad energy. That's what we say about like women who could fix everything and are around all the time at the ready.

Honestly, uncle, there is better than what you would get if this were happening today, which would definitely be big Midwest dad energy. That's what we say about like women who could fix everything and are around all the time at the ready.

So I like, uncle better. Yeah.

So I like, uncle better. Yeah.

Have the goalies in the current nation can't reach out to for guidance or advice? I know you've worked with some in camp previously, but especially understanding now that it's their turn to step up?

Have the goalies in the current nation can't reach out to for guidance or advice? I know you've worked with some in camp previously, but especially understanding now that it's their turn to step up?

Have they been calling you up and asking for help? Not really?

Have they been calling you up and asking for help? Not really?

And too, I didn't really. I mean I'll check in after, you know, I'll send a text after a game when ie, you know, good game, Different things like that. I think I tried to make it clear what I was leaving of, like, hey, if you ever do need anything, like I'm around, I'm here, don't hesitate to reach out. But I actually think it's it's kind of a good thing. They've all got each other, they've got their own thing. They've got a great coach in Stewart and what that looks like. I think now that the season is starting and I'll be competing against a lot of them, well, I'm sure we'll catch up, you know, on the field, you grab a couple of coffee or even just chat after the game and whatnot. So but no, not necessarily reaching out a ton, but yeah, I'm excited to see I'm excited to see where it goes, who steps up, and you know, I think the competition is going to be great than competition. I always benefited from having great competition with you know, with Ashland and Ad and Jane and we were always coming up. It was, you know, Ash and I were competing the whole time. As soon as you know, Hope was out. So I think to have that healthy competition where you're supportive but also everybody wants to be on the field, but building that dynamic, building that that support as well as the competitiveness goes a long way in what the goalkeeper that's on the field is able to do for the team.

And too, I didn't really. I mean I'll check in after, you know, I'll send a text after a game when ie, you know, good game, Different things like that. I think I tried to make it clear what I was leaving of, like, hey, if you ever do need anything, like I'm around, I'm here, don't hesitate to reach out. But I actually think it's it's kind of a good thing. They've all got each other, they've got their own thing. They've got a great coach in Stewart and what that looks like. I think now that the season is starting and I'll be competing against a lot of them, well, I'm sure we'll catch up, you know, on the field, you grab a couple of coffee or even just chat after the game and whatnot. So but no, not necessarily reaching out a ton, but yeah, I'm excited to see I'm excited to see where it goes, who steps up, and you know, I think the competition is going to be great than competition. I always benefited from having great competition with you know, with Ashland and Ad and Jane and we were always coming up. It was, you know, Ash and I were competing the whole time. As soon as you know, Hope was out. So I think to have that healthy competition where you're supportive but also everybody wants to be on the field, but building that dynamic, building that that support as well as the competitiveness goes a long way in what the goalkeeper that's on the field is able to do for the team.

I think most importantly, have you taught your successors how to be penalty kick stoppers and shooters.

I think most importantly, have you taught your successors how to be penalty kick stoppers and shooters.

Everyone's got their own style, so I try not to mess with it. You know that's everyone's I want you to mess with it.

Everyone's got their own style, so I try not to mess with it. You know that's everyone's I want you to mess with it.

I want to have your style. You're the ones you want who gets it done like that.

I want to have your style. You're the ones you want who gets it done like that.

As long as they can make the saves. And you know everyone's got their process. So again, I think it's it's important to be confident with what you're doing when you're stepping between between the posts and whether to shootout or just in a game. So I think that process of even like discover and finding what your process and what your routine is will give you that confidence that you need in those moments.

As long as they can make the saves. And you know everyone's got their process. So again, I think it's it's important to be confident with what you're doing when you're stepping between between the posts and whether to shootout or just in a game. So I think that process of even like discover and finding what your process and what your routine is will give you that confidence that you need in those moments.

But what about taking the kicks?

But what about taking the kicks?

Is it unrealistic to expect your successors to be able to bury the shots too?

Is it unrealistic to expect your successors to be able to bury the shots too?

No, I don't think it's unrealistic. I think you know, we train it the same way that the field players do, especially when it comes into a tournament. Again, you never know when your number is gonna get when you're gonna have to step up. It may not be in the top five, but I've seen shootouts go all the way through eleven before, where you've got to be ready, and we always have been. I think it now just because I shot a little bit higher in the order. But you know, there was nothing different in this tournament in the preparation than any other ones other than where coaches selected kickers to take it. So again, everyone's got there. We make a big deal about everyone owning their process and finding what works for them, and I would never want to impart what I do on on anybody else. It's important that you know, you can kind of make it your own.