Washington Spirit attacker Tinaya Alexander has no plans of changing what she stands for as she embarks on her first season in the NWSL.

Before she went 14th overall to the Spirit in December’s NWSL Draft, Alexander played her fifth and final year at Louisiana State. After each of the nine goals she scored during the season, she lifted her jersey to reveal a white shirt underneath. The shirt read “Stop police brutality” as a tribute to her father, who was killed by a police officer when Alexander was 11 years old.

After consulting with Spirit head coach Kris Ward, Alexander will continue the routine in the NWSL.

“I don’t think I should change who I am as a person for anyone else,” she said. “I think that if you’re going to support me, and I’m scoring goals, then you support me as a person.”

Soccer carries much more meaning for Alexander than scoring goals and winning games. Her father introduced her to the sport after she tried ballet and tap dance and hated them both.

“If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t even be here, I wouldn’t be playing,” she said. “[The shirt] just takes me back to those moments where I’d look over and he’d be on the sideline when I scored.”

Alexander’s mother did her best to maintain a sense of normalcy for her children after their loss, balancing a job while raising two kids with busy sports schedules in Reading, England.

The memories from those years were still fresh when Alexander had the shirt made in 2020. She didn’t wear it until the 2021 season so people wouldn’t confuse it for a political statement following George Floyd’s murder at the hands of police in May 2020.

Around the same time, over a Zoom call, the 22-year-old shared her father’s story with her LSU team for the first time.

“It was such a powerful moment for the team,” said head coach Sian Hudson, who had supported the group’s contributions to the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020.

A year later, Alexander started displaying the shirt during her goal celebrations. She faced some immediate backlash, including from people who threatened to stop coming to games in protest.

Hudson encouraged Alexander to use her voice, and the school defended her with posts and a video on social media. Feeling like she shouldn’t have to explain herself, Alexander was hesitant at first to talk in the video, but she knew it was important for people to understand the backstory.

“I’m not saying it for Black people, I’m not saying it for white people — I’m literally saying it for everyone,” she said, adding that it was a Black officer who killed her father.

“This past year I just saw a lot of maturity, in terms of the way she grew as a person,” Hudson said. “And I think as a result of that, she was able to really express herself as a player on the field.”

The 2021 season was Alexander’s best yet. After earning All-SEC First Team honors and finishing her LSU career ranked second all-time with 22 assists, she decided to enter the NWSL Draft in December. Only one other LSU player, Alex Arlitt, had ever been drafted into the league, so Alexander wasn’t getting her hopes up.

To her surprise, the reigning NWSL champions selected her with the second pick of the second round.

During physicals on her first day with her new team, Alexander ran into Gaby Vincent, who was traded to Washington from Kansas City days after the draft. Alexander offered a handshake. The cameras were close, but not on them, so they laughed and said, “Let’s do it again!” Their reenactment turned into the photo the Spirit used for team materials.

“It’s just funny because we look back and we’re like, ‘That’s when we first met and we were already making jokes,’” said Vincent, who finds humor in Alexander’s mannerisms and the way her voice changes when she’s surprised.

Alexander went about preseason focused and calm, and her teammates usually saw her with her headphones on. So Vincent started poking her in the locker room.

“‘Hey, what are you listening to?’” she said she asked Alexander. “Which is probably super annoying, but I knew, like, hey, we’re going to be friends. We don’t need to do this awkward phase. We’re going to be cool. Let’s just get past that part.”

Now they sit in bean bag chairs for hours during their time off from training, watching “British Bake Off” and playing “Call of Duty.”

On the field, Alexander turns into an entertainer. Being a part of the league’s youngest team, measured by average age, has been one of the best sources of motivation. When Alexander sees one of her similarly aged teammates do something impressive, she wants to match it.

A dynamic player who’s very measured in how she sets up defenders, Alexander brings a different style to the field than the Spirit’s other strikers, notably Ashley Hatch, Trinity Rodman and Ashley Sanchez. She loves to drive at people on the dribble and deliver passes in behind the opposing defense.

“It was huge for her when she scored her first goal in training, and everyone was celebrating with her, for her, so we’re just trying to continue to push that forward and keep growing her confidence,” said Ward.

The seven U.S. women’s national team players on the Spirit’s roster demonstrate the value of quick reaction time and decision-making. When Alexander has the ball on the counter attack, she can hear them breathing after they’ve lost it.

It’s not easy to chase down an explosive player like Alexander, after all.

Vincent laughs thinking about the time her teammates admonished her in practice after Alexander danced right past her and two others.

“I told her after practice, ‘Girl, you got me in trouble! But good job,’” Vincent said.

The only 2022 draftee signed by the Spirit, Alexander has already seen lots of playing time in Washington’s first two matches of the Challenge Cup, including her first professional start on Friday against Gotham FC.

Ward plans to rotate her through the lineup as much as possible during the preseason tournament. From there, Alexander will look to make an impact as the Spirit contend for back-to-back NWSL championships — and, if all goes according to plan, to score a goal so she can honor her father and share his story with the world.

“I have no doubt she’ll pursue an unbelievable professional career,” Hudson said. “She wants to be the very best.”

Jessa Braun is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports covering the NWSL and USWNT. Follow her on Twitter @jessabraun.

NJ/NY Gotham FC has seen it all.

The original NWSL club used to consistently be among the bottom teams in the league. This year, they’re projected as one of its strongest squads. After nearly winning the Challenge Cup final last year and finishing fifth in the 2021 regular season standings, Gotham has retooled its roster to make a run at a title (or two) this season.

What stands out to defender Estelle Johnson about the club’s journey is their relationship with the players.

“I think we’re finally starting to put all the pieces together, and it’s showing just with how we’re treated more professionally now,” said Johnson, who joined the team in 2019.

Gotham now shares the RBNY Training Facility with the New York Red Bulls. But before 2020, under owners Phil and Tammy Murphy and Steven Temares, the club (then known as Sky Blue FC) came under fire over reports of inadequate housing and training conditions. They even lost top draft picks because players opted to go overseas instead of join the embattled club.

In 2021, Gotham made their debut at Red Bull Arena after playing for a decade at Rutgers’ Yurcak Field, a 5,000-seat university stadium. In their first season at the new facility, they improved from the worst attendance in the league to the fourth-best, with a 5,150 average. They have also made numerous changes to their coaching and front office staff.

“Oh my gosh, it’s been a lot,” Johnson said.

In a turning point last season, the rebranded team finished second in the Challenge Cup and reached the NWSL postseason for the first time since 2013. This year they added U.S. women’s national team players Kristie Mewis, Ali Krieger and Ashlyn Harris, and Japanese national team player Kumi Yokoyama. New to the ownership group are Kristin Bernert and Karen Bryant, co-founders of KB2 Sports, a consulting firm focused on driving investment and innovation in women’s sports.

“We’re finally stepping up in competing with the best clubs in the league, so it’s exciting and I foresee that it’s just going to continue getting better,” said Johnson.

Former Gotham coach Freya Coombe (2019-21) now leads Angel City FC, one of two 2022 expansion teams that have emphasized player treatment and female leadership.

The changes Coombe started implementing in New York before leaving for the ACFC job have inevitably helped with their on-field performances. While watching San Diego Wave FC and Angel City make their NWSL debuts against each other on Saturday, Johnson was “blown away” by the formations and game plans they were able to put together in such a short time.

Johnson is one of several Gotham players — including Caprice Dydasco, Imani Dorsey and Paige Monaghan — who have been with Gotham FC through the turnover of the past few years. In 2021, the defender made 19 starts and recorded an 87.4 percent passing success rate. Former Gotham goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan, now with San Diego, recently referred to Johnson as one of the two best defenders she’s ever played with.

“Estelle’s been there, done it,” said head coach Scott Parkinson. “She’s actually fabulous.”

Gotham fell 2-0 to North Carolina Courage in their opening game of the 2022 Challenge Cup, but with Mewis and Ifeoma Onumonu expected to return from injuries, they’re officially ready to turn the page Friday against the reigning NWSL champion Washington Spirit.

Jessa Braun is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports covering the NWSL and USWNT. Follow her on Twitter @jessabraun.

San Diego Wave FC will take the field for the first time on Saturday against fellow expansion team and rival to-be Angel City FC in the NWSL Challenge Cup.

From there, they’ll continue competing in a round robin against the four-team West division — also including Portland Thorns FC and OL Reign — to battle for a spot in the semifinals on May 4. Getting there might seem like an insurmountable task for a new club against the No. 1 and No. 2 teams from 2021. The players, however, aren’t thinking that way.

To most of them, head coach Casey Stoney is the team’s biggest asset. She’s earned their trust through her professionalism, drive, open-mindedness and shared experiences.

“I think just being led by an incredible coach and coaching staff has been really, really important in building this club to success,” Alex Morgan told Just Women’s Sports during media day earlier this week.

Under Stoney’s leadership, the players feel like they’re maximizing their time on the field, bringing them closer and enhancing their confidence heading into the Challenge Cup.

“The girls have really bought into what she’s trying to showcase, so I think that’s been a big plus for us,” said Katie Johnson.

Players appreciate Stoney’s ability to balance the tactical and technical sides of training. The natural technical ability of some of the Wave’s players could give them an advantage against more experienced teams. They’re still getting used to each other’s playing styles, but they have been quick to adapt and build around the variety they have.

It helps that the roster features a balance of experience and “raw, young talent,” as goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan describes it.

“I think Casey brought them in for a reason, because she can hone in on their skill and guide them to being at their optimal,” Sheridan said. “I think that could also be a bit of a long-term project, but I also think she brought in a lot of players that are ready to go right now.”

McNabb says the benefit of having so many new players is that they bring fresh energy and perspectives. Ignorance is bliss. The grueling nature of being a professional athlete hasn’t caught up to them yet.

“I think they all just showed up with such eagerness. They’ll come in and they’re so excited, and it’s go, go, go, which is awesome,” said McNabb.

Superseding the different levels of experience is the Wave’s collective desire that they don’t need time to “settle in.” They’re here to raise a trophy.

“The hunger to prove ourselves is something that’s standing out,” said defender Abby Dahlkemper. “We have a blank slate. We have this unwritten book that we can create and write our own narratives, and I think that’s really exciting and something that definitely everyone is really looking forward to.”

Jessa Braun is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports covering the NWSL and USWNT. Follow her on Twitter @jessabraun.

Christen Press has waited her entire career to play for a team in her hometown of Los Angeles. She’s waited just as long to compete for a club whose values are so synced with her own.

Since she turned professional out of Stanford in 2010, while living in Portland, the UK and many places in between, Press has been driven to elevate the women’s game. That’s what NWSL expansion club Angel City FC is all about, and finally, Press is home.

“To play at this point in my career for a club that’s trying to represent a new future for women’s soccer, and one with equity and inclusion at its core, one that’s working for progress, that’s truly meaningful to me,” she said.

Now, for the first time in franchise history, it’s match day for Press and Angel City. The team meets fellow expansion side San Diego Wave FC on Saturday in their Challenge Cup opener.

Angel City picked up just three rookies late into the 2022 NWSL draft, including Hope Breslin (No. 28), Lily Nabet (No. 36) and Miri Taylor (No. 39). With more players familiar with the pro landscape than a lot of other NWSL teams this season, Angel City is already living up to its culture of building through and around strong women.

“It’s really empowering to be led by successful women and women that want to see us succeed at the highest level, so I think having that behind us is one of the biggest differences that I have seen,” said defender Allyson Swaby.

Women athletes often spend their entire careers not only training to be elite at their sport, but also serving as advocates for the growth of the game. Angel City’s players have a club willing to fight that battle with them, allowing them more freedom to focus on soccer.

“I honestly can hardly believe that it’s a reality, and it’s a very unique thing for me to be able to be a part of and with where the game is today,” Press said.

The staff, so far, has been able to strike an ideal balance of fun and hard work. Intelligence, talent, culture, diversity and inclusion are just a few words the players used to describe the community the club has created, which has helped them sell over 14,000 season tickets for the upcoming season. Savannah McCaskill says the wide range of supporters the club has recruited will be “really unique to this league and the U.S.”

“I think every person I meet around the team, their character is impeccable, and when you put that group together, we could do amazing things,” said defender Paige Nielsen.

Ali Riley and Simone Charley have never been a part of an expansion club, so they’ve been experiencing Angel City’s gorwth with fresh eyes.

“They’re dedicated to just giving back to the community, and I think that’s an amazing foundation to be built on, just bettering those around you,” Charley said. “I think just building a team and the staff around that is an awesome philosophy.”

“It’s pretty incredible to be [my first expansion] and to build our own culture and create the team environment we want to have, and be the first team now to be Angel City players and represent L.A. in the NWSL,” Riley said.

The players have built that chemistry in training, in the locker room and before practice during games of soccer tennis. Off the field, the club recently organized a visit to San Diego, where they played jeopardy, went to the beach and had 25 minutes to paint portraits of each other, which Nielsen jokingly described as hideous.

On the field, what stands out to midfielder Dani Weatherholt is the excitement they share, knowing they’re an underdog team.

“For me initially, seeing all the names and a lot of people were either on the brink of breaking out on their team, or are new to the NWSL, like maybe didn’t get drafted, I think there’s this chip on their shoulder of wanting to prove themselves, and I think that’s super exciting,” she said.

When Angel City plays their first match of the Challenge Cup on Saturday, fans can expect a strong defensive team with a flare on the attack.

“Dangerous,” Nielsen said. “Fast and furious,” according to Swaby.

Charley prefers to keep it a secret.

“You’ll just have to come to our first game and see,” she said with a smile.

Jessa Braun is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports covering the NWSL and USWNT. Follow her on Twitter @jessabraun.

For the first time since the NWSL Championship on Nov. 20, NWSL games are back. The third annual Challenge Cup kicks off Friday with a pair of evening matches between Racing Louisville FC and Kansas City Current, followed by OL Reign and defending tournament champions Portland Thorns FC.

Adding two expansion clubs this offseason resulted in numerous trades, an expansion draft and more college players. Other than the Washington Spirit, the 2021 regular season champions, almost every team has a new look this year.

All eyes will be on new commissioner Jessica Berman when she takes office midway through the tournament on April 20. The former NHL executive has promised to build a strong relationship with the NWSL Players Association and earn the players’ trust after multiple coaches were fired last year amid accusations of abuse.

Most teams share the mindset that the Challenge Cup is an opportunity to evaluate the roster and smooth out tactics before the regular season begins. At the same time, they all want to win the championship on May 7. To get there, they need to finish as the top team in their division, or the top overall second-place team, to earn a ticket to the semifinals on May 4.

Divisions and predictions

This year, the clubs are split into three groups: West (OL Reign, Portland Thorns FC, Angel City FC and San Diego FC), Central (Houston Dash, Racing Louisville FC, Kansas City Current and Chicago Red Stars) and East (NJ/NY Gotham FC, Washington Spirit, North Carolina Courage and Orlando Pride).

Based on the 2021 regular season standings (below) and our understanding of how teams have gelled through the preseason, we look at which squads are trending up, trending down or staying the same and offer up some predictions.

  1. Portland Thorns FC (13-6-5)
  2. OL Reign (13-8-3)
  3. Washington Spirit (11-7-6)
  4. Chicago Red Stars (11-8-5)
  5. NJ/NY Gotham FC (8-5-11)
  6. North Carolina Courage (9-9-6)
  7. Houston Dash (9-10-5)
  8. Orlando Pride (7-10-7)
  9. Racing Louisville FC (5-12-7)
  10. Kansas City Current (3-14-7)

West Division

Trending up: Reign

Led by 2021 Coach of the Year Laura Harvey, the Reign have always been a team of balance, with experience and skill at every position. The team will run through defenders Alana Cook and Sofia Huerta, who have recently had breakout performances with the U.S. women’s national team, midfielder and 2021 league MVP Jess Fishlock and forward Bethany Balcer, who can score goals with her head and both feet. A championship title has been a long time coming for this team. They’ll be hungry for it.

The same: Portland

The Thorns’ personnel hasn’t changed enough for them to fall too far from the top of the standings. Under new coach Rhian Wilkinson, they’re trying a new formation, and considering they concluded their three-game preseason tournament without surrendering a goal, it seems to be working.

Expansion teams: Angel City, San Diego

Angel City and San Diego will come in eager to prove themselves as expansion clubs. Taking advantage of offseason trades versus high college draft picks, Angel City has an experienced, balanced lineup that will give established NWSL teams like Portland and Reign tough competition. In what is sure to become a California rivalry, Angel City and the Wave will meet in their first-ever game game Saturday at 9 p.m. ET.

West winner: Reign

Central Division

Trending up: Louisville, Kansas City

The Current’s new core of rookie defenders, who helped the team to 6-0 and 0-0 preseason shutouts of Washington and Orlando, respectively, are promising for the club’s future. Kansas City finished last season with 36 goals against, the second most in the league. They’ve since acquired a group of stars from the two-time NWSL champion North Carolina Courage — Sam Mewis, Kristen Hamilton, Hailie Mace and Lynn Williams, who’s second all-time in NWSL goals.

Racing Louisville will be an underrated team this tournament, but defender and 2021 No. 1 overall pick Emily Fox and star forward CeCe Kizer could lead them into contention sooner than expected. The club’s additions of World Cup champion Jess McDonald and 2022 No. 2 overall pick Jaelin Howell will only help.

Trending down: Chicago

The Central division will be the most balanced and, therefore, the most unpredictable. Last year, Houston, Louisville and Kansas City had less-than-ideal seasons, while Chicago made the league final. After losing Sarah Gorden to Angel City and Katie Johnson to San Diego, the Red Stars, under new coach Chris Petrucelli, will likely have adjustments to make during this Challenge Cup.

The same: Houston

After finishing 2021 in seventh place, the Dash lost star midfielder Kristie Mewis in the expansion draft, but acquired Mexican national player Maria Sánchez, who should make an immediate impact.

Division winner: Kansas City

East Division

Trending up: Gotham

As most teams trend up or down by at least a smidge every year, Gotham FC has catapulted right to the top. Offseason acquisitions Ali Krieger, Ashlyn Harris, Kristie Mewis and Kumi Yokohama solidify a lineup that made it to a shootout with the Thorns in last year’s Challenge Cup final.

Trending down: Orlando, North Carolina

The Pride and Courage are in rebuilding mode after losing multiple stars during the offseason. The Courage traded away Sam Mewis, McDonald and Williams, and Amy Rodriguez retired. They picked up five rookies in the 2022 draft and signed them all at the beginning of preseason. Orlando lost U.S. national team players Krieger, Harris and Alex Morgan, as well as New Zealand international Ali Riley. Both teams will be figuring it out as they go.

The same: Washington

The 2021 league champions are clearly content with their title-winning roster, having not made any significant moves in the offseason. Tegan McGrady (traded to San Diego) and Paige Nielsen (traded to Angel City) filled important fullback roles for Washington last season, but they also shared that spot with Julia Roddar, who’s still around.

East winner: Gotham FC

Top overall second place: Angel City

The fourth semifinal spot should belong to the West, considering the level of competitiveness expected from that division. Angel City’s roster is talented enough to make the cut, even in the club’s first season on the field.

Challenge Cup champion: Gotham FC

Catapulting to the top means the very top.

How to watch

Most NWSL Challenge Cup matches will be streamed on Paramount+ in the U.S. and internationally on Twitch.

Games on CBS (also on Paramount+; all times ET)

  • April 2: San Diego Wave FC vs. Angel City FC at 4 p.m.
  • April 23: North Carolina Courage vs. Washington Spirit at 1 p.m.
  • May 7: Championship game at 1 p.m.

Games on CBS Sports Network

  • April 15: Kansas City Current vs. Houston Dash at 8 p.m.
  • April 17: OL Reign vs. Angel City FC at 6 p.m.
  • April 24: Houston Dash vs. Racing Louisville FC at 6 p.m.
  • May 4: Semifinals at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.

Jessa Braun is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports covering the NWSL and USWNT. Follow her on Twitter @jessabraun.

Most of the NWSL community has been waiting for the start of the 2022 season since the Washington Spirit walked away with the 2021 trophy on Nov. 20. For San Diego Wave FC forward Kelsey Turnbow, the countdown began last January when the Chicago Red Stars selected her No. 18 overall in the 2021 college draft.

Instead of playing for the Red Stars last year, Turnbow opted to return to Santa Clara for the spring 2021 season, rescheduled from 2020, and stay with the team last fall for her final NCAA season.

Toward the very end of that season, Turnbow learned she wouldn’t suit up for the Red Stars after all. The day before her last game with the Broncos, a shootout loss to BYU in the College Cup semifinals, Chicago traded her rights to San Diego, along with those of Katie Johnson and Makenzy Doniak, in exchange for immunity in the 2022 expansion draft and allocation money.

At that point, Turnbow was ready. The 23-year-old had two goals she wanted to reach before turning pro: earn her MBA and win a national championship. By the end of her college career, she had both. And for good measure, she finished the 2021 fall season as a MAC Hermann Trophy finalist, First Team All-West Region honoree, All-WCC for the fifth time and a First Team All-American.

“It just felt right for me to stay another year,” the former Broncos captain told Just Women’s Sports. “I am a goal-setter and I like to challenge myself and I felt like I hadn’t done what I came there to do yet,  that was really motivating. … I just felt like I wanted to be a part of something special for as long as I could, and that year gave me that.”

Santa Clara won the 2020 NCAA title in a shootout against No. 1 Florida State last May, thanks Turnbow’s equalizer in the final seven minutes of regulation that sent the match to overtime. The attacker also converted her penalty kick to seal the upset victory.

“To win a national championship with my best friends, I will never forget that moment and I will always cherish the friendships I’ve made with those girls,” she said. “Those are my friends for life.”

The thought of capping her college career on the high note of a national championship was tempting, but with an MBA to complete and surrounded by friends she’d become even closer to after the title-winning season, Turnbow made the natural decision to stay for the fall.

The lessons she picked up during her last year at Santa Clara have served her in well in her first NWSL training camp. With San Diego, Turnbow has focused on contributing to a strong team culture, checking in on her teammates and picking them up when they’re down.

“Literally my teammates are my family and I’ve always considered them as such,” she said. “So however I can contribute to make this environment a winning culture and a really healthy environment for people to grow, I want to do that.”

In their first month and a half as a team, the Wave have created a culture built on authenticity, transparency and vulnerability, values that resonate deeply with Turnbow.

“It’s an environment where I feel like I can be myself and I can thrive and they expect so much out of me,” she said. “I love goal-setting and I like challenging myself, and I feel like this is a place where I can do that and I can really grow and be my best self both on and off the field.”

A naturally social person, Turnbow lived in a house with 13 teammates for one year at Santa Clara. So far with the Wave, she has found her relationships to be fulfilling.

Turnbow and roommate Naomi Girma, the Wave’s first overall pick in the 2022 college draft, live in the same apartment building as other San Diego teammates. They spend much of their downtime sitting by the pool of the complex or relaxing at the beach. Turnbow has enjoyed her conversations with the coaches and veterans about both soccer and life experiences.

“I just feel like they hand-picked such a great group of people and I could not be more blessed to have this experience because the people matter,” Turnbow said. “You can be somewhere so cool in the world, but if you’re not with the right people, it’s not going to be as memorable. And I just feel so grateful that the people here are awesome. It’s really contributing to my growth here.”

The team-building efforts have made preseason pass by in a flash, as Turnbow described it, but they’ve also set the Wave up to come out strong in their Challenge Cup opener Saturday against Angel City FC.

“I’ve just been thinking about this game — like, it’s my very first professional game — for so long,” she said. “To finally be here, it’s so surreal, it’s exciting, it’s a little bit nerve-wracking in all the best ways. But I feel blessed to be in this position, to where I have the opportunity to play with so many incredible players. To just step on the pitch as a professional for the first time, it’s going to be really special day.”

Jessa Braun is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports covering the NWSL and USWNT. Follow her on Twitter @jessabraun.

While NWSL fans continue to plot a nation-wide search for the regular season schedule that has yet to be released, they have one schedule to fall back on. With the Challenge Cup set to kick off this Friday, the countdown to NWSL 2022 is on.

Teams are in crunch mode as they put the final touches on their tactics and get their lineups ready for the annual preseason tournament. The league also enters the first games of the year with a new commissioner in waiting. Jessica Berman, the former deputy commissioner of the National Lacrosse League and executive with the NHL, was announced as interim commissioner Marla Messing’s replacement last week and will assume her role officially on April 20.

This week in training camps across the NWSL, San Diego Wave FC, OL Reign and Houston Dash discussed the leaders and team strengths forming behind the scenes as they get ready to take the field.

San Diego’s power duo

Once again, Alex Morgan is helping to build a club from the ground up. The two-time World Cup champion with the U.S. women’s national team debuted with the Orlando Pride during their expansion season in 2016 and played with the club until San Diego acquired her in a trade in December.

When asked about the differences between the two clubs’ early stages, Morgan singled out the Wave’s attention to detail.

“I love the ambition and the fact that they’re looking at it from all angles, not only from trying to build a team but trying to build an organization we’re all proud to play in,” the forward said. “A brand that people are proud to wear and represent, a place of inclusivity for this community.”

Abby Dahlkemper, Wave defender and Morgan’s teammate with the USWNT, said she’s excited for Morgan to make runs into the box and bury goals this season, starting with the Wave’s Challenge Cup opener against Angel City FC on Saturday. Morgan is currently ranked eighth in the world with 115 international goals.

“Obviously a huge win for us to get Alex and for her to be a part of this team,” Dahlkemper said. “She is the face of women’s soccer. She is a trailblazer. Everyone looks up to her — males and females — and she’s huge for the culture of this club.”

“That’s so nice,” Morgan uttered, leaning on Dahlkemper’s shoulder during the press conference.

In her return to the field after an injury kept her out of the SheBelieves Cup, Dahlkemper is prepared to step up as the leader of San Diego’s backline. While she was sidelined, Dahlkemper made an effort to learn all of the details of head coach Casey Stoney’s training plans and impart those on her teammates.

“[Her presence] does make a vast difference because she’s a communicator, she’s a leader, she’s good on the ball. The fact that she can switch the point with ability and range makes a huge difference to the way we can play,” Stoney said.

“She’s a real leader and I can see that already in her nature in her character and I’m really pleased she’s in our dressing room.”

Bethany Balcer graduates to veteran status

Bethany Balcer, entering her fourth year in the NWSL, has seen her role with OL Reign evolve during this training camp.

The 2021 semifinalists have a new look this year after signing nine new players and drafting three rookies — Ryanne Brown (21st overall), Olivia van der Jagt (33rd) and Marley Canales (47th). The changes have given Balcer, 25, an opportunity to step into a position of leadership.

“There’s been areas where I’ve seen some of the players help me along in that, and also [Laura Harvey] and Sam [Laity] have been giving me those spaces and opportunities to step into and so I’m trying my best,” she said.

Balcer, the 2019 NWSL Rookie of the Year, also has three of the most respected teammates to emulate in Lauren Barnes, Jess Fishlock and Megan Rapinoe, who have helped establish OL Reign’s culture since the club came into existence.

“I feel like that’s been a bigger part of what I’ve been trying to do this preseason,” Balcer said. “That’s been fun, and just trying to learn as I go.”

Houston Dash are clicking

Everything seems to be going smoothly for the Houston Dash. As they enter the Challenge Cup with three preseason wins and no injuries to report, head coach James Clarkson believes the team’s tactics have been progressing exactly as planned.

What’s impressed him most so far is the players’ ability to exchange positions. They are looking to create situations where they can exploit opponents with a numbers advantage, and the concept is further along at this point in the preseason than in others Clarkson can remember.

“There have been some really good rotations, really good movement on the ball and off the ball,” he said. “If we continue to keep that same rotation of players that are changing positions and it can be smooth, I think that will be a huge benefit for us.”

Off the field, the coach is looking forward to Berman’s leadership in the NWSL front office.

“It’s very good for the league,” Clarkson said. “I think it’s a big step forward. Obviously we need one. Hopefully she continues with some great work with the players and pushes the league further forward.”

Jessa Braun is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports covering the NWSL and USWNT. Follow her on Twitter @jessabraun.

Orlando Pride head coach Amanda Cromwell remembers the word midfielder Gunny Jónsdóttir used to describe the team’s unusually young roster the first week of preseason training camp.

Willing.

The oldest team in the league last year, weighted by minutes, will be one of the youngest in the NWSL in 2022 after an offseason of significant turnover. After trading away franchise linchpins like Ali Krieger, Ashlyn Harris and Alex Morgan, and acquiring a flurry of 2023 college draft picks, the Pride have just 15 players returning from last season. Of the 30-player squad, 13 are aged 24 or younger.

Cromwell describes Orlando as having an underdog mentality with a championship mindset.

“Everyone’s just willing right now,” she said. “Willing to get stuff done, willing to work hard … and getting a team to work for each other is there. Those are key components to some success down the road.”

The coach, who is also new to the league after leaving her head coaching position at UCLA, is content with the team being underestimated. Pride general manager Ian Fleming said they have had many discussions with veteran leaders like Marta, Sydney Leroux and Erin McLeod about building trust after the upheaval during the offseason.

“I think everyone’s just been so open and willing to grow together,” McLeod said. “It’s one thing to give a lot of information, and it’s another to receive it and I have to credit the players for doing both. … Most importantly, we see each other as equals on the field.”

Leroux, a five-year Pride veteran, said she’s never been a part of “something so drastic.”

“It’s exciting,” she said. “It’s something different and something new.”

The adjustments could be what the team needs to return to the playoffs, after finishing in the bottom three of the NWSL standings every year since 2017.

Youth movement

Throughout the first month of preseason, the Pride’s younger players have exhibited confidence and an eagerness to learn. Cromwell noticed from day one of preseason, when the team started watching video, that the rookies weren’t afraid to speak up when the coaching staff asked for feedback and questions.

Defender Megan Montefusco (née Oyster) said the inexperienced players are asking the veterans a lot of “really good questions” on the field, as well.

“The players are very open to absorbing everything we’re offering,” Cromwell said.

Orlando signed five NWSL rookies this season, including 2022 draft selections Caitlin Cosme (No. 10), Julie Doyle (No. 11) and Jada Talley (No. 31), as well as 2021 draftees Kerry Abello and three-time MAC Hermann Trophy finalist Mikayla Cluff, both of whom elected to complete their eligibility in the NCAA in 2021. The Pride’s top draft pick this season, UCLA forward Mia Fishel, opted to play with Tigres in Liga MX Femenil after being selected No. 5 in December’s NWSL Draft.

After over a month of observing the new players in preseason, Cromwell singled out Cluff for her play. The BYU midfielder led the NCAA in points last season with 51, adding to her five-year total of 53 goals and 39 assists.

“We did have expectations for her coming in as one of the best players to come out of college last year,” said Cromwell.

The coach is eager to see how Cluff fits into the attack with Leroux and Marta, but also notes that the four-time All-American has a “bite” defensively.

“She’s very fit as well,” Cromwell said. “Those players that can work on both sides of the ball are fun to have on your squad because they affect in and out of possession.”

Courtney Petersen, Parker Roberts and Carrie Lawrence, all 24 years old, have also stood out in preseason. Cromwell notes that Roberts has “been doing great things in the six.”

Abi Kim, who signed with the Pride from ACF Fiorentina prior to the start of last season, has made significant progress in the last month. The forward has never played outside back, but she’s shown so far in preseason that she can hold her own in that position.

Predicting there might be a point in the season where the young players “hit a wall,” Cromwell plans to give them stretches of days off, when they can get away and rejuvenate. She compares Orlando’s energy to that of the Washington Spirit’s young trio — Ashley Sanchez (age 22), 2021 NWSL Golden Boot winner Ashley Hatch (26) and Rookie of the Year Trinity Rodman (19), who helped lead the Spirit to their first NWSL championship in November.

“I think players that are young can come in and have an impact,” Cromwell said.

Attacking mindset

On the field, the Pride plan to play a possession-minded and creative style of attack. The glue will be Marta, the Brazilian superstar forward whose energy Cromwell and Fleming describe as infectious. Recently named team captain, Marta embodies a childlike love for the game and the identity Cromwell wants for the team.

“I’ve always prided myself on teams that are confident on the ball, fun to watch, and play with freedom,” Cromwell said. “Any team that has Marta, quite honestly, should look to build through her and build through the midfield.”

Lately, the Pride have been working on being patient in the attack. They have many players who can be dangerous on the counter-attack, and Cromwell encourages them to take advantage when the transition lanes are open, but also build through the midfield as much as they can.

Orlando’s key to recruiting has been identifying players who want to play a dictating, possession-style game and have good composure, fitness, vision and the ability to contribute to strong team defense. Cromwell emphasizes versatility, appreciating defenders who can dribble out of the back and make assists and forwards who can contribute on the backline if needed.

Toward the end of each practice, the Pride coaches drill different defensive systems, including defending from the front and getting numbers behind the ball. Following a run through their set plays, the players bring donuts and coffee for each other in recovery sessions. Their shared desire to win a championship has made the new team close through the first month and a half of preseason.

“We’re so bought into that,” said Montefusco, who joined the Pride in January in a trade with the Houston Dash. “It’s exciting because you can feel it out on the pitch. We’re all fighting for each other.”

Said Cromwell: “To me, the best teams in the world are the ones that fight for each other and have each other’s back.”

Winning mentality

To a championship-driven team like Orlando, the Challenge Cup beginning next week isn’t just a preseason tournament.

“I’m always competitive, so I always want to win something, some sort of championship,” Cromwell said. “I don’t care what it is — ping pong, tech ball, whatever it might be — so we’re going to have that as a goal.”

The Challenge Cup will live up to its name immediately for the Pride, putting the young team to the test against the reigning NWSL champion Spirit in their first game on March 19. Cromwell plans to use the tournament as an opportunity to answer remaining questions she has about players and to make necessary adjustments in preparation for the regular season.

And, after three straight losing seasons, the club is eager to flip the script.

“I want to win,” said Montefusco. “That’s just in me and I think this whole team really wants to win.”

Jessa Braun is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports covering the NWSL and USWNT. Follow her on Twitter @jessabraun.

New NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman knew she wanted to work in sports from the time she was 16 years old. Sitting beside a fan in a suit and another in jeans and a baseball cap at a New York Islanders game, Berman watched as the crowd erupted and the fans hugged each other after an Islanders goal.

Following the game, she asked the two people if they knew each other. They did not.

“The only thing that united them in that moment was their love for the Islanders, and I decided I had to work in sports,” Berman said Wednesday during her introductory press conference with the NWSL. “That moment was the moment I decided that sports has a platform that is unique among other cultural elements, and I think at this time, in this moment, women’s sports has that perhaps more so than any other sport.”

When Berman steps in for five-month interim CEO Marla Messing and begins her new role on April 20, she plans to foster the same level of unity she saw that day at the Islanders game. Her first priority is to form a strong relationship between the league and the NWSL Players Association. After a year in which multiple coaches were fired amid abuse allegations, an owners dispute dragged out publicly for months and players criticized the NWSL front office for a lack of transparency under former commissioner Lisa Baird, Berman knows the league has a lot of work to do to earn back players’ trust.

“I like to think that everyone has a superpower,” she said. “My superpower, I believe, is building consensus and really listening and learning and trying to understand different people’s perspectives.

“I would really want to seek to understand and learn the context of what is the underpinning of any of those challenges and then work to figure out solutions. I believe that working together with all the stakeholders, we can combat almost anything.”

The former NHL executive said she isn’t afraid to push back on the NWSL owners and to stand up for what the players want. In fact, she believes that mindset is why she landed the job, since players played a key role in the search and hiring process.

“Consensus-building doesn’t mean everybody always gets what they want; it means that they understand the context and the rationale for why we need to make a particular decision,” Berman said.

Berman has learned how to lead through adversity during the 13 years she spent at the NHL and the two and a half years she served as deputy commissioner and executive vice president of business affairs of the National Lacrosse League. Before joining the NLL, she had a front-row seat to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman’s communications with the board of governors, an experience she believes has prepared her for this next challenge.

“That’s the job of the commissioner: to help the teams really understand and the board to really understand the broader context for why and how decisions are being made,” she said.

Berman will serve a four-year term as commissioner, but she’s intent on building trust with the players now while there are no outstanding urgent tasks, such as the collective bargaining agreement the league and NWSLPA ratified on Jan. 31.

Just as she does at 10 a.m. every Tuesday in the National Lacrosse League, Berman will set up standard meetings where NWSLPA representatives can bring forward issues or questions. She and NWSLPA executive director Meghann Burke have already arranged weekly calls.

“Those are the things that, in my experience, build trust,” Berman said. “It doesn’t mean we’ll always be able to agree, doesn’t mean we’ll always be able to reach solutions at every turn, but we will have discussions openly and transparently. We will be professional and respectful.”

If there’s ever a need for a neutral arbitrator in discussions, Berman will make that happen — whatever it takes to help the NWSL and Players Association maintain a relationship, she said.

When asked about the league’s relationship with Black Women’s Player Collective (BWPC), a non-profit created by the Black players in the NWSL to advance opportunities for Black girls in sport, Berman referenced her personal background. Growing up in a predominantly Black neighborhood in Brooklyn, N.Y. sparked Berman’s “obsession,” as she calls it, with breaking down barriers and recognizing privilege.

“This is an area I’m interested in, focused on, always wanting to learn, make sure we’re informed by subject matter experts,” she said, adding that she spoke to BWPC board member Midge Purce on Tuesday about diversity in the league.

The Players’ Commissioner Search Committee included Burke, Crystal Dunn, Kaylie Collins, Jane Campbell, Bri Visalli, Nicole Barnhart, Emily Menges, Tori Huster. They didn’t have the authority to make decisions about candidates, but their opinions were taken into consideration.

“Hats off to the union for requesting [involvement] and to the Board of Governors for agreeing to have them be part of the process and have a seat at the table,” Berman said.

She met with the PA player representatives during two separate calls: one with the east group and the other with the west. Those conversations gave her a better understanding of their expectations are and how they envision working together going forward.

“It actually helped me to feel confident coming into the position,” she said.

After answering their questions — which Berman said were thoughtful, engaging and passionate — she had the opportunity to ask some of her own, allowing her to dig into how the players believe the league can move forward and the ways in which they want to see that happen.

“I appreciate the enormity of the task at hand,” she said. “I would only really do it if I felt like I had the tools and the skill set to come forward and help this league to achieve its success.”

Jessa Braun is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports covering the NWSL and USWNT. Follow her on Twitter @jessabraun.

Five weeks of NWSL preseason down, two to go.

Teams have been scrimmaging with colleges and other NWSL teams and are beginning to get a better feel for how their squads will look on the pitch when the Challenge Cup begins March 18.

Across training camps, players are returning from injury, teams are changing their formations, while fresh faces are getting a chance to explore their new cities.

Here’s what’s been happening for Louisville, Portland and Angel City this week in NWSL camp.

‘I’m going to do everything to be ready’

Nadia Nadim is — kind of, almost — back.

The Louisville star scored three goals and grabbed an assist in eight games last season before tearing her ACL in September. Ironically, in January, amidst her recovery process, she became a doctor. Naturally, she’s executed a recovery process that puts her exactly where she needs to be at this point.

This week, she returned to training without any contact. She hopes to play in matches by May.

“My knee has responded amazingly,” she said.

The next step is to work on gaining the muscle she lost over the last few months. A lot of time is being spent at the gym and doing individual cardio and strength exercises.

“I’m going to do everything to be ready as soon as possible,” the 34-year-old said.

While itching to get back into games, she’s also been content in the Florida sunshine, finally free of the studying and exams that she was consumed with while becoming a doctor. These days, she sleeps “very well.”

“The last three months, I’m going to be honest, were very, very tough,” she said with a laugh. “I’m not a person who gets stressed, but I think that was stress.” She later added, “It shows what humans are capable of. You can always push that wall a tiny bit more.”

Nadim has only been training with the young Louisville team for a couple weeks, but she reports that, “Everyone’s very willing to learn.”

Louisville is coming off a debut season which saw the club finish ninth in the league. Coach Christy Holly was fired “for cause” in August, with the details of his dismissal remaining under wraps.

Under new head coach Kim Björkegren, Racing plans to play a possession style that is direct in nature. Most recently leading Cyprus’ Apollon Ladies FC to an undefeated season, Björkegren prefers to base his systems of play off the players he has, rather than coming in with a predetermined philosophy.

“He’s going to be amazing for us, and I can’t wait for these players to grow,” said Nadim.

New formation, who this?

The Portland Thorns will have a different shape on the field this year. Head coach Rhian Wilkinson hasn’t spilled the specifics, but she says it won’t stray too far from former coach Mark Parsons’ 4-diamond-2.

Wilkinson likes to use width, so the changes have a lot to do with stretching the field side to side for “possession with real purpose,” as she puts it. How players look and play in certain positions will also look different.

Defender Kelli Hubly told reporters Friday she’s excited about the change.

“I think personnel-wise, it fits us better this year with who we have,” she said. “Definitely some growing pains at times with everyone figuring out their new role, but I think overall, once it’s going to click, it’s going to work really well for us, and I think we’re all really excited to play this and looking forward to getting some games in and playing with each other.”

Wilkinson, who was just inducted into the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame, is described as a laid-back coach by her players.

“It’s different but it’s good,” said Hubly. “I like it. I think we’re all really excited to get to know her more and her style.”

Exploring the city

While a lot of teams from further north have had to train through February in southern states, Angel City has had the opportunity to settle right into their new home of Los Angeles.

With players getting to hang in their own backyard, head coach Freya Coombe said she was interested in knowing what they got up to in their off days. So we decided to ask a few ACFC players directly.

Midfielder Dani Weatherholt, who grew up near LA in Capistrano Beach, Calif., has spent most of her weekends hiking with her dog, Nora. Usually the pair can be found in the Malibu Canyon.

“It’s absolutely beautiful out there,” she said.

When she’s not under the sunshine and enjoying the mountains, she’s trying new restaurants in the city.

“The fans have been doing a great job of letting us know where to go,” she said.

Forward Jasmyne Spencer has tried to do a new thing every weekend. Recently, she visited the Broad Museum, where she picked up some inspiration for how to decorate her new apartment.

“[It] was really cool,” she said. “Got to see some really cool art.”

Angel City will begin their inaugural season on March 19th when they face off against the NWSL’s other expansion team, the San Diego Wave.

Jessa Braun is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports covering the NWSL and USWNT. Follow her on Twitter @jessabraun.