Every morning Emily Baker pops in her headphones, closes her eyes and loses herself in the music of hip hop artist Lil Baby and country singer Morgan Waller. The artists have completely different sounds, but together they unlock the competitor inside Baker.

“I need to listen to a variety of music everyday in order to get into a rhythm,” Baker said. “It’s very different, but it’s what I like and it works for me.”

Baker, a junior forward for the Alton High School (Illinois) girls’ soccer team, has become a team leader this season. And she’s reached an even higher level over the past week, scoring eight goals as the Redbirds rolled to three straight wins.

It was a stretch Baker won’t soon forget, and it earned her JWS Player of the Week honors.

“Emily has become the player that I can go to and give her a job or a responsibility, and she takes that upon herself to make sure that the rest of the team follows,” coach Gwen Sabo said. “It’s been really nice to see her go from a freshman to a young adult who has become a leader.”

Emily Baker is the Alton High March Athlete of the Month selection. Emily is a member of the Redbird Girls Soccer team and is a two-year Varsity starter for the Redbirds who have started 3-0. Last week: 2 goals & 2 assists. https://t.co/jToCei78Ow @redbirdssoccer @AHS_Redbirds pic.twitter.com/8XTwZ0LFpN

— AltonAthletics (@AltonAthletics) March 21, 2022

In last Thursday’s game against Althoff Catholic, Baker scored two goals in near freezing temperatures and rainy weather to help Alton force overtime. In penalty kicks, she scored again. On the other side of the field, her twin sister Peyton, the Redbirds’ goalkeeper, made the necessary saves to secure the win.

Baker also shone in front of a sold-out crowd Monday in a 7-0 win against crosstown rival Marquette Catholic. She was subbed out with 24 minutes left in the contest, having already scored four goals, and was serenaded with cheers from the home fans. Baker’s request to remain in the game was denied by Sabo.

“I just wanted to compete in front of my parents, but I also understood that we had a big game the next day,” Baker said. “I was happy to see our crowd cheer me on, but to see the opposing team’s crowd sigh a breath of relief made me want to stay in.”

To end the three-game stretch, Baker scored both goals in a 2-0 win over Collinsville. But her work this season is hardly complete.

“My goal is to win the conference this year with my best friends and my sister,” Baker said.

Kevin Colindres is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports. He has previously reported for the Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Daily News and El Tecolote. He enjoys film and comic books when he’s not playing basketball with his friends. Follow him on Twitter @kevinjcolindres.

The 2025 CAF African Women's Player of the Year nominations dropped last week, with a trio of NWSL stars — including 2024 award winner Barbra Banda of Zambia — topping this year's shortlist.

Calling the nomination "an honour and a privilege," Banda posted about the nod on social media, saying that "To be in the same category with all these amazing talents is truly a humbling feeling."

Joining the Orlando Pride striker in excelling for both club and country in 2025 are two other NWSL standout goalscorers: Kansas City Current star and 2024 NWSL MVP Temwa Chawinga (Malawi) and Bay FC's Rachael Kundananji (Zambia).

Rounding out the 10-player lineup is Chawinga's older sister Tabitha (OL Lyonnes/Malawi), Esther Okoronkwo (AFC Toronto/Nigeria), Rasheedat Ajibade (PSG/Nigeria), Ghizlane Chebbak (Al Hilal/Morocco), Sanaâ Mssoudy (AS FAR/Morocco), Portia Boakye (Hapoel Petah Tikva/Ghana), and Mama Diop (RC Strasbourg/Senegal).

Based on performances between January 6th and October 15th of this year, the expert panel displayed a more than significant lean toward attacking prowess in their selections, ultimately choosing a roster of all forwards for the 2025 CAF Player of the Year shortlist.

While the exact date is forthcoming, the CAF will announce its award-winners at a ceremony later this year.

Six-time NBA All-Star Jimmy Butler is hitting the NWSL pitch, with the Golden State Warriors forward joining the San Diego Wave as a minority investor this week.

"Soccer has been a passion of mine for a long time, and being part of the game in a meaningful way has always been a dream," Butler said in the club's Monday press release. "San Diego has become a city close to my heart, and I'm proud to invest in a club that is pushing boundaries, building something lasting, and setting a new standard for what women's sports can be both on and off the pitch."

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Butler joins retired San Diego Wave star Alex Morgan in an ownership group led by the Levine Leichtman family, after the majority owners purchased the California club at a then-record $113 million valuation in 2024.

"Jimmy is a competitor and visionary who shares our values and our ambition to grow this club," said San Diego controlling owner Lauren Leichtman. "He brings a global perspective, a deep respect for the athlete's journey, and a creative spirit that perfectly complements what we are building here at Wave FC."

Butler isn't the only high-profile men's sports athlete anteing up for the NWSL in recent months, with the NBA star following in the footsteps of NFL quarterback Caleb Williams — who invested in 2026 expansion side Boston Legacy FC — and LA Clippers forward Chris Paul, who joined Angel City's star-studded ownership group.

The 2031 FIFA Women's World Cup spread further around Concacaf on Monday, as Costa Rica and Jamaica officially joined the previously announced Mexico and the US in submitting an uncontested bid to host the international tournament.

"Together, we have an extraordinary opportunity to host the biggest and most impactful Women's World Cup in history, one that will inspire a new generation of fans and help grow the women's game across our entire region and around the world," said US Soccer president Cindy Parlow Cone in a Monday statement.

"This bid is a reflection of our shared belief that soccer can be a force for good," added US Soccer CEO JT Batson. "We're not only creating an unforgettable moment for athletes and fans, we're building a lasting foundation to grow the women's game at every level, in every country."

Parlow Cone also noted that more than 30 US cities have already expressed interest in hosting some of the 104 games during the newly expanded 48-team tournament, with Jamaica poised to make history as the first-ever Caribbean nation to welcome a senior World Cup match.

"This will have a huge impact on the psyche of every single Jamaican," said Jamaican Football Federation president Michael Ricketts. "It is no ordinary feat for a small country like ours to host World Cup matches.... This is huge for Jamaica and for every person who proudly calls themselves Jamaican."

With no other bids on the table, FIFA is on track to ratify its 2031 hosting decision at the next FIFA Congress in April 2026.

Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon is stepping into the spotlight, with Variety announcing that the three-time WNBA title-winning boss will star in a forthcoming documentary from NFL athlete-backed production houses SMAC and 2463 Entertainment.

"For decades, women on the hardwood [were] underestimated and told to stay in their lane," said SMAC CEO and co-founder Constance Schwartz-Morini. "Becky defied every expectation and broke through barriers that once seemed unshakable."

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Schwartz-Morini, Fred Anthony Smith, Ajay Sangha, and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Sean Clifford will serve as executive producers, joined by 2463 founder and Super Bowl champion wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. as well as SMAC founder and retired New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan.

Through audio diaries, the documentary will provide an inside look at Hammon's rise up the WNBA coaching ranks as well as her experience as the first woman to serve as an acting head coach for an NBA team, with Hammon taking the reins of the San Antonio Spurs in 2020.

A six-time WNBA All-Star during her playing career, Hammon left the NBA for Las Vegas at the end of 2021, leading the Aces to three championships in four years.

The report didn't specify the film's title or scheduled release date, with more details expected in the coming months.