Welcome back to She Pivots, the podcast where we talk with women who dare to pivot out of one career and into something new and explore how their personal lives impacts these decisions. I'm your host, Emily Tish Sussman. Today We've got something extra special for you. We're dropping not one, but two incredible episodes from good Night Stories for Rebel Girls right here in our feed. One from the one and only yah el Aberbush West, the general manager of Gotham FC and former US national team soccer player, where I got to narrate her incredible story. Then you'll hear my conversation with Kira about me and my background. If you love the stories we share about women making bold moves and rewriting the rules, then you are going to love what Rebel Girls is all about. So if you haven't heard of them, let me introduce you. Rebel Girls is on a mission to raise the most confident, inspired generation of girls. They create books, video content, events, apps, and of course a podcast. All are designed to equip girls with the knowledge and tools they need to thrive and inspire them to dream bigger. With the community of thirty eight million self identified rebel girls in over one hundred and fifteen countries. They're making a huge impact, and now they're taking that mission to the world of sports. Enter Rebel Girls Sport, their newest vertical that's all about celebrating women athletes and building a space where girls can see themselves in sports, build confidence and become lifelong fans. Because let's be real, the world of sports hasn't always made space for women the way it should. In fact, are two times more likely than boys to drop out of sport by the age of fourteen. I love what Rebel Girls is doing, and Gotham FC has created our own initiative to address this exact issue. We created Keep Her in the Game, which offers curated resources and programs to empower youth players on and off the field. And that brings us to today's special episodes. First, you'll hear an amazing episode featuring the incredible story of Yael. The episode is narrated by Yours Truly and is one of resilience, leadership and paving the way for the next generation of women's soccer. Then I sit down with Kira, a Rebel Girl, for a get to know episode where I share a bit about my own pivot story, what sports means to me, and why I'm so passionate about lifting up women's voices. If you love what you hear today, make sure to check out good Night's Stories for Rebel Girls for more inspiring episodes featuring fearless women breaking barriers in sports, business, science, and beyond. You can find them wherever you get your podcasts, including a video version on Rebel Girls YouTube channel. All right, let's get into it. It was game day, and yeah Elle Aberbush was wrestling with the usual nervous energy before a match, a midfielder for the University of North Carolina tar Heels women's soccer team. Yeah, Elle knew the game inside and out. She tried to push the self doubt out of her mind. Yeah, you've got this, You've got this. The tar Heels were playing their fifth game of the season. The winning team would inch a little closer to the Women's College Cup, a prestigious title in college sports. Yeah. Elle squinted in the sunshine, the ball waiting patiently at the midfield stripe. Then she took a few quick steps and damn, a powerful kick. The ball soared through the air. One second two seconds it floated over the heads of the astonished defenders three seconds and then over the outstretched hands of the goalie and into the net four seconds goal. And just like that, in four seconds, Yea l Aberbush had set a record for the fastest goal ever scored and the NCAA Women's Soccer cheers from her teammates and the crowd rose through the air, beaming in triumph. Yeah, Elle knew she wanted to keep setting records and scoring goals. She wanted to be the best soccer player in the world. I'm Emily Tish Sussman, co owner of the soccer team Gotham FC and host of the she Pivots podcast. And this is good Night Stories for Rebel Girls, a fairytale podcast about the real life rebel women who inspire us. On this episode, yah Elle Aberbush, West, professional soccer player, Gotham general manager and leader in women's sports competition was always a part of yah Elle Aberbush's life. She put her full attention on everything she did, even if it was just coloring at school with her friends. Growing up twenty miles from New York City in montgree in New Jersey, she and her little sister, Shierra watched their parents train for their next big run, and listened to their dad's stories about being an Olympic marathon qualifier. Yeah Elle was a serious kid, so when a friend introduced her to soccer when she was seven, she naturally became very serious about that too. But soccer, with all its running and strategy, was also really fun. She joined the soccer team in her town and soon it was all she could think about. Once the referee blew the whistle. She was often running, dribbling the ball down the fields, dodging opponents from all sides, eyeing the goal, and kicking the ball so powerfully that it sent ripples through the net. Even from her earliest games, yeah Elle caught people's attention with her skill. She liked being on a team and helping the group win. But for Yaelle, training as a team sport, she liked to practice on her own, away from the group, whether on a field or in the streets. Being alone meant that she could focus solely on improving her technique. She was a lone wolf, and she liked it that way. After two years of learning the game, yeah Elle knew what she wanted to be when she grew up. She wanted to play for the University of North Carolina Tar Heels, known as UNC. This was the best college soccer team in the country. Being on that team would be her ticket to her ultimate goal, playing professional soccer for the US women's national team. By the time she was eleven, yeah Elle was the only girl on an all boys team. The group was fast and a little rough, but yeah Elle didn't back down. The struggle made her even more serious and focused. I need to keep doing things that feel really challenging, yah Elle thought to herself. That's how I'm going to be the best. She spent her summer vacations at soccer camp, training from dawn till dusk. Then when it was quiet, she'd write down everything she'd learned that day, every play, every strategy. It all went into her journal. When she got back home, she'd pull out her notes and practice what she'd learned at camp. One day, she thought to herself, all this practice is going to pay off. I just have to work a little harder. Finally, after nearly ten years of playing on traveling in national teams, and training on her own, eighteen year old yeah Elle got the biggest news of her life. The UNC Tar heels wanted her. She made the team, she would be number seventeen, playing midfield. She had accomplished the first of her two biggest goals, but when yeah Elle got to UNC and started training, she was in for a shock. She was good, but her new team was even faster than she expected. For the first time, she couldn't always keep up and something was happening. Yeah Elle was used to training alone, away from the group. Now she was training with the team. One day, her younger teammate, Casey, asked her if they could train together on free kicks. Yeah Elle shrugged and agreed, even though she'd much rather practice free kicks on her own. She and Casey he started meeting every week, kicking the ball over and over trying to hit a two inch red flag hanging from the corner of the net. Hitting that tiny flag was not easy. They agreed that whoever hit it during practice would automatically win. Little by little, yea Elle started to look forward to free kicks with Casey. It was fun to hang out and train before the rest of the team showed up, and it felt good to encourage Casey and give her pointers. With ya Elle's help, Casey got better and better at hitting that red flag. Weeks passed and finally it was game day again. This time the UNC Tar Heels were playing the Notre Dame, fighting Irish. As the minutes clicked by, the game seemed to be slipping away from yeah Ell and her team meets. It was Tar Heels zero eating Irish one. Then Casey got a free kick. All their free kick sessions raced through ya Elle's mind. Casey knew this kick like the back of her hand, but could she make it? Casey eyed the ball, then a powerful kick and swush into the back corner of the net, exactly where the red flag hung. Pure joy a rough inside of ya Elle. She'd never known this kind of camaraderie. She screamed at the top of her lungs and took off running, happy, tears blurring her vision as she jumped a join the pile of her teammates. That goal was the push they needed. The Tar Heels went home victorious that day, winning two to one. As a hardworking United team. Casey even snags the red flag for Yea to keep as a reminder of their perfect goal. Now for a quick break. During yeah Elle's four years at UNC, the Tar heels, racked up awards and won two national championships, and she set personal records too. Like the four second goal. Yeah Lle was known for her solid, consistent play and set another record as a starting player in one hundred and five consecutive games. She even got to play with the US women's national team at a big tournament in China. With all this success, yeah Elle was on her way to achieving her second life goal, playing for the US women's national team full time. After college, yeah Elle was drafted to her first professional women's soccer team, Skyblue FC, based in New Jersey. Returning to her home state, she felt like she'd come full circle, but not for long. Yeahelle played with sky Blue for a few seasons, and then in twenty ten, her second major dream became a reality. Yeah Elle was drafted as a permanent member of the US women's national team. Everything she'd worked for had finally paid off. As much as she wanted to enjoy it, there was something that continued to nag at yah Elle. Sure she was competing with the best soccer teams across the US and the world, but she knew she wasn't yet the best player on earth. She was too ambitious to be satisfied, kept pushing herself to do more. The stress of the game and her own high expectations were fraying her nerves. Yeah Elle's body started responding to the stress in negative ways. She developed ulcerative colitis, a painful illness that made her stomach very uncomfortable and unpredictable. She had to go to the bathroom frequently, sometimes in the middle of games, and often felt too sick to play. Still, she kept pushing herself harder and faster. She signed on to play with a new team in Seattle, but the pain of her illness was too much to bear. After just one game with the team, yeah Elle knew she had reached her breaking point. She would have kept fighting forever, working to be the best, no matter the pain, but her body did what her mind would not let her do. She had no choice but to stop, whether she wanted to or not. It was time to walk off the field as a player and take care of her health. So yeah Elle had to embrace a new challenge, listening to her body and learning how to manage stress. She got the care that she needed for her ulcerative colitis, even getting major surgery to remove her large intestine. It was a difficult road, but she finally felt well again. Still, she couldn't leave soccer behind entirely. Yeah, Elle found new ways to lead and put her independent spirit to work, creating her own business and a training app called technev Football. Knowing the struggles of athletes, she also started the National Women's Soccer Lead Players Association to protect players and ensure they're treated fairly. Then, her incredible career as a player, business owner and mentor to other players made her the perfect candidate for another job, general manager for the New York, New Jersey soccer team Gotham FC formerly known as Sky BLUEFC. After a life on the road, Yaelle came back to lead her home team as the general manager. She works closely with the coaches and the team, strategizing and guiding, motivating and supporting, and other parts of her life blossomed around soccer too. She married a fellow player and together they're raising two children. Though she's no longer on the field herself, yet Elle will always be a player in her heart and in her soccer journals. Her whole life, yet Elle had been documenting her training, her thoughts, and her dreams Through it all, one lesson stands out. The training she did on her own made her a better player, but the most fulfilling moments were sharing the joy of soccer with others on the field and off, and that is the greatest victory of all. This podcast is a production of Rebel Girls. It's based on the book series Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls. The episode was narrated by me Emily ties Sussman. It was produced and directed by Hailey Dapkis, with sound design and mixing by Mumble Media. The story is written by Gina Godzill, back checking by Sharon Lucas. Our intern was Arianna Griffiths. Our executive producers were Joy Smith and Jess Wolf. Original theme music was composed and performed by Elektra Barjockey. A special thanks to ya El Aberbush West and the whole Rebel Girls team who made this podcast possible. Until next time, Stay Rebel. When we come back, I chat with Kira about my background. This is good Night Stories.

Welcome back to She Pivots, the podcast where we talk with women who dare to pivot out of one career and into something new and explore how their personal lives impacts these decisions. I'm your host, Emily Tish Sussman. Today We've got something extra special for you. We're dropping not one, but two incredible episodes from good Night Stories for Rebel Girls right here in our feed. One from the one and only yah el Aberbush West, the general manager of Gotham FC and former US national team soccer player, where I got to narrate her incredible story. Then you'll hear my conversation with Kira about me and my background. If you love the stories we share about women making bold moves and rewriting the rules, then you are going to love what Rebel Girls is all about. So if you haven't heard of them, let me introduce you. Rebel Girls is on a mission to raise the most confident, inspired generation of girls. They create books, video content, events, apps, and of course a podcast. All are designed to equip girls with the knowledge and tools they need to thrive and inspire them to dream bigger. With the community of thirty eight million self identified rebel girls in over one hundred and fifteen countries. They're making a huge impact, and now they're taking that mission to the world of sports. Enter Rebel Girls Sport, their newest vertical that's all about celebrating women athletes and building a space where girls can see themselves in sports, build confidence and become lifelong fans. Because let's be real, the world of sports hasn't always made space for women the way it should. In fact, are two times more likely than boys to drop out of sport by the age of fourteen. I love what Rebel Girls is doing, and Gotham FC has created our own initiative to address this exact issue. We created Keep Her in the Game, which offers curated resources and programs to empower youth players on and off the field. And that brings us to today's special episodes. First, you'll hear an amazing episode featuring the incredible story of Yael. The episode is narrated by Yours Truly and is one of resilience, leadership and paving the way for the next generation of women's soccer. Then I sit down with Kira, a Rebel Girl, for a get to know episode where I share a bit about my own pivot story, what sports means to me, and why I'm so passionate about lifting up women's voices. If you love what you hear today, make sure to check out good Night's Stories for Rebel Girls for more inspiring episodes featuring fearless women breaking barriers in sports, business, science, and beyond. You can find them wherever you get your podcasts, including a video version on Rebel Girls YouTube channel. All right, let's get into it. It was game day, and yeah Elle Aberbush was wrestling with the usual nervous energy before a match, a midfielder for the University of North Carolina tar Heels women's soccer team. Yeah, Elle knew the game inside and out. She tried to push the self doubt out of her mind. Yeah, you've got this, You've got this. The tar Heels were playing their fifth game of the season. The winning team would inch a little closer to the Women's College Cup, a prestigious title in college sports. Yeah. Elle squinted in the sunshine, the ball waiting patiently at the midfield stripe. Then she took a few quick steps and damn, a powerful kick. The ball soared through the air. One second two seconds it floated over the heads of the astonished defenders three seconds and then over the outstretched hands of the goalie and into the net four seconds goal. And just like that, in four seconds, Yea l Aberbush had set a record for the fastest goal ever scored and the NCAA Women's Soccer cheers from her teammates and the crowd rose through the air, beaming in triumph. Yeah, Elle knew she wanted to keep setting records and scoring goals. She wanted to be the best soccer player in the world. I'm Emily Tish Sussman, co owner of the soccer team Gotham FC and host of the she Pivots podcast. And this is good Night Stories for Rebel Girls, a fairytale podcast about the real life rebel women who inspire us. On this episode, yah Elle Aberbush, West, professional soccer player, Gotham general manager and leader in women's sports competition was always a part of yah Elle Aberbush's life. She put her full attention on everything she did, even if it was just coloring at school with her friends. Growing up twenty miles from New York City in montgree in New Jersey, she and her little sister, Shierra watched their parents train for their next big run, and listened to their dad's stories about being an Olympic marathon qualifier. Yeah Elle was a serious kid, so when a friend introduced her to soccer when she was seven, she naturally became very serious about that too. But soccer, with all its running and strategy, was also really fun. She joined the soccer team in her town and soon it was all she could think about. Once the referee blew the whistle. She was often running, dribbling the ball down the fields, dodging opponents from all sides, eyeing the goal, and kicking the ball so powerfully that it sent ripples through the net. Even from her earliest games, yeah Elle caught people's attention with her skill. She liked being on a team and helping the group win. But for Yaelle, training as a team sport, she liked to practice on her own, away from the group, whether on a field or in the streets. Being alone meant that she could focus solely on improving her technique. She was a lone wolf, and she liked it that way. After two years of learning the game, yeah Elle knew what she wanted to be when she grew up. She wanted to play for the University of North Carolina Tar Heels, known as UNC. This was the best college soccer team in the country. Being on that team would be her ticket to her ultimate goal, playing professional soccer for the US women's national team. By the time she was eleven, yeah Elle was the only girl on an all boys team. The group was fast and a little rough, but yeah Elle didn't back down. The struggle made her even more serious and focused. I need to keep doing things that feel really challenging, yah Elle thought to herself. That's how I'm going to be the best. She spent her summer vacations at soccer camp, training from dawn till dusk. Then when it was quiet, she'd write down everything she'd learned that day, every play, every strategy. It all went into her journal. When she got back home, she'd pull out her notes and practice what she'd learned at camp. One day, she thought to herself, all this practice is going to pay off. I just have to work a little harder. Finally, after nearly ten years of playing on traveling in national teams, and training on her own, eighteen year old yeah Elle got the biggest news of her life. The UNC Tar heels wanted her. She made the team, she would be number seventeen, playing midfield. She had accomplished the first of her two biggest goals, but when yeah Elle got to UNC and started training, she was in for a shock. She was good, but her new team was even faster than she expected. For the first time, she couldn't always keep up and something was happening. Yeah Elle was used to training alone, away from the group. Now she was training with the team. One day, her younger teammate, Casey, asked her if they could train together on free kicks. Yeah Elle shrugged and agreed, even though she'd much rather practice free kicks on her own. She and Casey he started meeting every week, kicking the ball over and over trying to hit a two inch red flag hanging from the corner of the net. Hitting that tiny flag was not easy. They agreed that whoever hit it during practice would automatically win. Little by little, yea Elle started to look forward to free kicks with Casey. It was fun to hang out and train before the rest of the team showed up, and it felt good to encourage Casey and give her pointers. With ya Elle's help, Casey got better and better at hitting that red flag. Weeks passed and finally it was game day again. This time the UNC Tar Heels were playing the Notre Dame, fighting Irish. As the minutes clicked by, the game seemed to be slipping away from yeah Ell and her team meets. It was Tar Heels zero eating Irish one. Then Casey got a free kick. All their free kick sessions raced through ya Elle's mind. Casey knew this kick like the back of her hand, but could she make it? Casey eyed the ball, then a powerful kick and swush into the back corner of the net, exactly where the red flag hung. Pure joy a rough inside of ya Elle. She'd never known this kind of camaraderie. She screamed at the top of her lungs and took off running, happy, tears blurring her vision as she jumped a join the pile of her teammates. That goal was the push they needed. The Tar Heels went home victorious that day, winning two to one. As a hardworking United team. Casey even snags the red flag for Yea to keep as a reminder of their perfect goal. Now for a quick break. During yeah Elle's four years at UNC, the Tar heels, racked up awards and won two national championships, and she set personal records too. Like the four second goal. Yeah Lle was known for her solid, consistent play and set another record as a starting player in one hundred and five consecutive games. She even got to play with the US women's national team at a big tournament in China. With all this success, yeah Elle was on her way to achieving her second life goal, playing for the US women's national team full time. After college, yeah Elle was drafted to her first professional women's soccer team, Skyblue FC, based in New Jersey. Returning to her home state, she felt like she'd come full circle, but not for long. Yeahelle played with sky Blue for a few seasons, and then in twenty ten, her second major dream became a reality. Yeah Elle was drafted as a permanent member of the US women's national team. Everything she'd worked for had finally paid off. As much as she wanted to enjoy it, there was something that continued to nag at yah Elle. Sure she was competing with the best soccer teams across the US and the world, but she knew she wasn't yet the best player on earth. She was too ambitious to be satisfied, kept pushing herself to do more. The stress of the game and her own high expectations were fraying her nerves. Yeah Elle's body started responding to the stress in negative ways. She developed ulcerative colitis, a painful illness that made her stomach very uncomfortable and unpredictable. She had to go to the bathroom frequently, sometimes in the middle of games, and often felt too sick to play. Still, she kept pushing herself harder and faster. She signed on to play with a new team in Seattle, but the pain of her illness was too much to bear. After just one game with the team, yeah Elle knew she had reached her breaking point. She would have kept fighting forever, working to be the best, no matter the pain, but her body did what her mind would not let her do. She had no choice but to stop, whether she wanted to or not. It was time to walk off the field as a player and take care of her health. So yeah Elle had to embrace a new challenge, listening to her body and learning how to manage stress. She got the care that she needed for her ulcerative colitis, even getting major surgery to remove her large intestine. It was a difficult road, but she finally felt well again. Still, she couldn't leave soccer behind entirely. Yeah, Elle found new ways to lead and put her independent spirit to work, creating her own business and a training app called technev Football. Knowing the struggles of athletes, she also started the National Women's Soccer Lead Players Association to protect players and ensure they're treated fairly. Then, her incredible career as a player, business owner and mentor to other players made her the perfect candidate for another job, general manager for the New York, New Jersey soccer team Gotham FC formerly known as Sky BLUEFC. After a life on the road, Yaelle came back to lead her home team as the general manager. She works closely with the coaches and the team, strategizing and guiding, motivating and supporting, and other parts of her life blossomed around soccer too. She married a fellow player and together they're raising two children. Though she's no longer on the field herself, yet Elle will always be a player in her heart and in her soccer journals. Her whole life, yet Elle had been documenting her training, her thoughts, and her dreams Through it all, one lesson stands out. The training she did on her own made her a better player, but the most fulfilling moments were sharing the joy of soccer with others on the field and off, and that is the greatest victory of all. This podcast is a production of Rebel Girls. It's based on the book series Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls. The episode was narrated by me Emily ties Sussman. It was produced and directed by Hailey Dapkis, with sound design and mixing by Mumble Media. The story is written by Gina Godzill, back checking by Sharon Lucas. Our intern was Arianna Griffiths. Our executive producers were Joy Smith and Jess Wolf. Original theme music was composed and performed by Elektra Barjockey. A special thanks to ya El Aberbush West and the whole Rebel Girls team who made this podcast possible. Until next time, Stay Rebel. When we come back, I chat with Kira about my background. This is good Night Stories.

For Rebel Girls, Hi Rebels. This is good Night's George for Rebel Girls. The interview.

For Rebel Girls, Hi Rebels. This is good Night's George for Rebel Girls. The interview.

I'm your host, Kira, and today we're here talking to Emily Tish Sessman. She's a professional podcast host and Gotham FC women's soccer team co owner.

I'm your host, Kira, and today we're here talking to Emily Tish Sessman. She's a professional podcast host and Gotham FC women's soccer team co owner.

Thanks for bringing here, Emily. Can you please introduce yourself.

Thanks for bringing here, Emily. Can you please introduce yourself.

Hi, my name is Emily Tisch Sessman. I'm a co owner of Gotham FC women's soccer team. I'm a podcast host of a show called She Pivots, and I'm a mom with three little kids.

Hi, my name is Emily Tisch Sessman. I'm a co owner of Gotham FC women's soccer team. I'm a podcast host of a show called She Pivots, and I'm a mom with three little kids.

Awesome.

Awesome.

So, in the past, you describe yourself as a sports enthusiast. What's your favorite sport to watch your play?

So, in the past, you describe yourself as a sports enthusiast. What's your favorite sport to watch your play?

Well, I'm actually not great at playing sports myself, So when I say I'm a sports enthusiast, it's because I really just like to watch them. I can pretty much get into anything overall. My favorite sports I like to watch women's soccer and NFL. Those are my two favorites.

Well, I'm actually not great at playing sports myself, So when I say I'm a sports enthusiast, it's because I really just like to watch them. I can pretty much get into anything overall. My favorite sports I like to watch women's soccer and NFL. Those are my two favorites.

Nice, I'm actually a soccer player myself. What made you want to get involved with women's soccer in the first place. Was wanting to inspire daughters part of your motivation?

Nice, I'm actually a soccer player myself. What made you want to get involved with women's soccer in the first place. Was wanting to inspire daughters part of your motivation?

Well, there's so much any reasons, but it's my daughter's who I want to be inspired. But it's also my son. My son cares and matters equally as much as my daughters, as seeing these incredible athletes that are young women, that are good people, that are strong, that are confident. The first time I was ever around the team, I was really just struck by how physically strong they are and how not apologetic they are for their physical strength. They have worked hard for this and they earned it and they know it. That inspires me. I hope it inspires my daughter, but I also hope it inspires my son.

Well, there's so much any reasons, but it's my daughter's who I want to be inspired. But it's also my son. My son cares and matters equally as much as my daughters, as seeing these incredible athletes that are young women, that are good people, that are strong, that are confident. The first time I was ever around the team, I was really just struck by how physically strong they are and how not apologetic they are for their physical strength. They have worked hard for this and they earned it and they know it. That inspires me. I hope it inspires my daughter, but I also hope it inspires my son.

The Gotham players are amazing.

The Gotham players are amazing.

How could anyone watching not be inspired?

How could anyone watching not be inspired?

Do you have any stories to highlight the love the Gotham soccer team has for each other.

Do you have any stories to highlight the love the Gotham soccer team has for each other.

Two seasons ago, our team was dead last in the whole league, the last team in the league. And then last year our team was doing okay, we were sort of in the middle, we were ranked six, and then our team captain Ali Krieger went through something incredibly personally difficult and the team totally rallied around her, and the team just built momentum from that, and they all kept saying, we're doing it for Ali, We're doing it for Ali. And Allie had already announced her retirement, so she knew that whatever her last game was going to be her last game ever. And even though we were ranked six, they made it to the semi finals, one made it to the playoffs, one made it to the championship and.

Two seasons ago, our team was dead last in the whole league, the last team in the league. And then last year our team was doing okay, we were sort of in the middle, we were ranked six, and then our team captain Ali Krieger went through something incredibly personally difficult and the team totally rallied around her, and the team just built momentum from that, and they all kept saying, we're doing it for Ali, We're doing it for Ali. And Allie had already announced her retirement, so she knew that whatever her last game was going to be her last game ever. And even though we were ranked six, they made it to the semi finals, one made it to the playoffs, one made it to the championship and.

One that's amazing.

One that's amazing.

Speaking of the team, you brought us the story of soccer player and Gotham FC general manager ya Elle everbuch West.

Speaking of the team, you brought us the story of soccer player and Gotham FC general manager ya Elle everbuch West.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Elle was an extremely talented and committed player, scoring the fastest goal ever, scored an NC doublea women's soccer and playing on the US national women's team for seven years.

Elle was an extremely talented and committed player, scoring the fastest goal ever, scored an NC doublea women's soccer and playing on the US national women's team for seven years.

What does her story mean to you?

What does her story mean to you?

Even before knowing exactly how hard ya Elle had worked to get to every stage of being an incredible soccer player, I could just feel her passion like I could just tell there was so much behind it. She has such a steady hand, She cares so much about the players, so much about the game. It really is inspiring to be around Y'aelle. So I was really excited to be able to bring her story to Rebel Girls and work with you guys to get dig a little deeper and find out has she always been this way? And the answer is yes, she always has been. But her four second goal that I did not know that is incredible.

Even before knowing exactly how hard ya Elle had worked to get to every stage of being an incredible soccer player, I could just feel her passion like I could just tell there was so much behind it. She has such a steady hand, She cares so much about the players, so much about the game. It really is inspiring to be around Y'aelle. So I was really excited to be able to bring her story to Rebel Girls and work with you guys to get dig a little deeper and find out has she always been this way? And the answer is yes, she always has been. But her four second goal that I did not know that is incredible.

Incredible and record breaking.

Incredible and record breaking.

Women athletes often have a harder time getting sponsorships or brand deals.

Women athletes often have a harder time getting sponsorships or brand deals.

How does owning a.

How does owning a.

Women's team differ from owning a men's sports team?

Women's team differ from owning a men's sports team?

So, in particular, owning a women's team means that there's a lot of opportunity and a lot of space. Unfortunately, none of the leagues have been treated with the respect and the sponsorships that they have. But it means that I can take my life mission, my life work of uplifting women and bring them into new spaces and bring them into a sports space now for the first time. Even on my podcast, I spend my time telling stories of women who have overcome big things and done big things, and it's incredible to get to apply that same energy to younger women who are forging their way but also breaking barriers because the sport has just not hit the potential yet, but we know that it can and we're working on it.

So, in particular, owning a women's team means that there's a lot of opportunity and a lot of space. Unfortunately, none of the leagues have been treated with the respect and the sponsorships that they have. But it means that I can take my life mission, my life work of uplifting women and bring them into new spaces and bring them into a sports space now for the first time. Even on my podcast, I spend my time telling stories of women who have overcome big things and done big things, and it's incredible to get to apply that same energy to younger women who are forging their way but also breaking barriers because the sport has just not hit the potential yet, but we know that it can and we're working on it.

Oh yeah, that's a perfect segue. Can you tell us more about your podcast, she Pivots and the work you do to elevate female voices.

Oh yeah, that's a perfect segue. Can you tell us more about your podcast, she Pivots and the work you do to elevate female voices.

I host a podcast that I created called she Pivots, where I interview women who have changed their lives in a very drastic way. The way that I started the show is because it happened to me. I spent about fifteen years as a federal political strategist, and then I had three kids in three years, and it turns out those two things are not very conducive. So I was worried that my identity was gone. I needed to hear stories of people who had done something maybe similar, but something even harder to be able to know that I was going to be okay.

I host a podcast that I created called she Pivots, where I interview women who have changed their lives in a very drastic way. The way that I started the show is because it happened to me. I spent about fifteen years as a federal political strategist, and then I had three kids in three years, and it turns out those two things are not very conducive. So I was worried that my identity was gone. I needed to hear stories of people who had done something maybe similar, but something even harder to be able to know that I was going to be okay.

Your show is all about making necessary changes and starting fresh.

Your show is all about making necessary changes and starting fresh.

What something girls can do to figure out who they want to be.

What something girls can do to figure out who they want to be.

The best thing that girls can do to be able to figure out who they are in the world is to be themselves. Be yourself and try it in a couple of new spaces, and then you figure out what feels good and what feels right. Try out for a sports team, try out for the theater, try out working in the place in town that you've always wanted to try. Just try things and bring your whole self to it. Like, don't hold yourself back because you're worried that you might not fit in. Quite frankly, you won't fit in everywhere. But the only way that you're going to feel good about it is if you've tried, and then you might surprise yourself.

The best thing that girls can do to be able to figure out who they are in the world is to be themselves. Be yourself and try it in a couple of new spaces, and then you figure out what feels good and what feels right. Try out for a sports team, try out for the theater, try out working in the place in town that you've always wanted to try. Just try things and bring your whole self to it. Like, don't hold yourself back because you're worried that you might not fit in. Quite frankly, you won't fit in everywhere. But the only way that you're going to feel good about it is if you've tried, and then you might surprise yourself.

I love that trying new things led me to hosting this interview. If you could go back in time, do you have any advice for your ten year old self.

I love that trying new things led me to hosting this interview. If you could go back in time, do you have any advice for your ten year old self.

I think the advice that I would give my ten year old self is that what makes you feel unusual right now will make you feel unusual in a great way when you get older. It just takes a little while to figure it out.

I think the advice that I would give my ten year old self is that what makes you feel unusual right now will make you feel unusual in a great way when you get older. It just takes a little while to figure it out.

That's right.

That's right.

And I've got so many of the greatest rebbles history fell unusual at one point or another. On that note, Emily, what makes you a rebel girl?

And I've got so many of the greatest rebbles history fell unusual at one point or another. On that note, Emily, what makes you a rebel girl?

Well, I'm a mom with purple hair, so I think I started there. I think I started at a pretty high bar of being a rebel girl. What makes me a rebel girl, I think is that I embrace what really brings me joy, and I embrace what really drives me, and I don't get too bogged down what other people think about it. And actually that's been able to give me a ton of joy.

Well, I'm a mom with purple hair, so I think I started there. I think I started at a pretty high bar of being a rebel girl. What makes me a rebel girl, I think is that I embrace what really brings me joy, and I embrace what really drives me, and I don't get too bogged down what other people think about it. And actually that's been able to give me a ton of joy.

Purple hair and embracing joy. Write that down, rebels. Thanks for sharing your story.

Purple hair and embracing joy. Write that down, rebels. Thanks for sharing your story.

With us, Emily, thank you.

With us, Emily, thank you.

And thank you for listening.

And thank you for listening.

Catch you next time, and stay rebel This podcast is a production of Rebel Girls. It's based on the book series Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls.

Catch you next time, and stay rebel This podcast is a production of Rebel Girls. It's based on the book series Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls.

This episode was produced and directed by Hailey Dapkis, with.

This episode was produced and directed by Hailey Dapkis, with.

Sound design and mixing by John Marshall Media. It was hosted by me Kira Joyce Smith was our executive producer. Original theme music was composed and performed by Aleccha bar Jockey. A special thanks to Emily Tish Sussman and the whole Rebel Girls team who made this podcast possible. Until next time, Stay rebel.

Sound design and mixing by John Marshall Media. It was hosted by me Kira Joyce Smith was our executive producer. Original theme music was composed and performed by Aleccha bar Jockey. A special thanks to Emily Tish Sussman and the whole Rebel Girls team who made this podcast possible. Until next time, Stay rebel.

Thank you so much for listening to this special she Pivots episode featuring good Night Stories for Rebel Girls. Be sure to visit their feed and subscribe. You can also follow them on Instagram at Rebel Girls Talk to you next week. Thanks for listening to this episode of she Pivots. I hope you enjoyed it and if you did, leave us a rating and tell your friends about us. To learn more about our guests, follow us on Instagram at she Pivots the Podcast, or sign up for our newsletter where you can get exclusive behind the scenes content on our website at she pivots thepodcast dot com. Special thanks to the she Pivots team executive producer Emily eda Velosik, Associate producer and social media connoisseur Hannah Cousins, Research director Christine Dickinson, Events and Logistics coordinator Madeline Sonovak, and audio editor and mixer Nina pollock I endorse she Pivots

Thank you so much for listening to this special she Pivots episode featuring good Night Stories for Rebel Girls. Be sure to visit their feed and subscribe. You can also follow them on Instagram at Rebel Girls Talk to you next week. Thanks for listening to this episode of she Pivots. I hope you enjoyed it and if you did, leave us a rating and tell your friends about us. To learn more about our guests, follow us on Instagram at she Pivots the Podcast, or sign up for our newsletter where you can get exclusive behind the scenes content on our website at she pivots thepodcast dot com. Special thanks to the she Pivots team executive producer Emily eda Velosik, Associate producer and social media connoisseur Hannah Cousins, Research director Christine Dickinson, Events and Logistics coordinator Madeline Sonovak, and audio editor and mixer Nina pollock I endorse she Pivots