WEBVTT - Moving to Grow with Alyssa Thompson 0:00:00.760 --> 0:00:02.920 Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we're giving 0:00:03.120 --> 0:00:08.320 big Leo energy today because it's my birthday. It's Tuesday, 0:00:08.400 --> 0:00:11.239 August eighteenth, the best day of the year. And on 0:00:11.280 --> 0:00:13.600 today's show we welcome a guest who wasn't even born 0:00:13.680 --> 0:00:17.280 yet when I was her age Rude. It's US Women's 0:00:17.320 --> 0:00:20.599 national team and Chelsea Ford Alyssa Thompson. We talk about 0:00:20.600 --> 0:00:22.919 her decision to sign across the Pond in the WSL, 0:00:23.239 --> 0:00:26.120 leaving her sister Giselle behind at Angel City and her 0:00:26.120 --> 0:00:28.360 goals looking ahead at the twenty twenty seven Women's World 0:00:28.400 --> 0:00:29.639 Cup and twenty twenty. 0:00:29.360 --> 0:00:30.440 Eight LA Olympics. 0:00:30.920 --> 0:00:34.680 Plus returning with the Banger shipping out of Boston and 0:00:34.800 --> 0:00:38.760 fellow mascot Curious folks, but don't call us Furreeze, Rejoice, 0:00:38.880 --> 0:00:41.839 a new mascot is almost here. It's all coming out 0:00:41.960 --> 0:00:53.000 right after this welcome back slices. Here's what you need 0:00:53.040 --> 0:00:57.720 to know today. Let's start with the NWSL and a 0:00:57.720 --> 0:01:01.040 few loose ends from the weekend. On Sunday in Los Angeles, 0:01:01.040 --> 0:01:03.640 the Washington Spirit played to a newsworthy one to one 0:01:03.720 --> 0:01:06.920 draw with Angel City FC. After a scoreless first half. 0:01:06.959 --> 0:01:08.760 Trinity Rodman got the Spirit on the board in the 0:01:08.800 --> 0:01:11.399 sixty fifth with an absolute beauty of a goal that 0:01:11.480 --> 0:01:14.840 brings her to ten on the season. But twenty minutes later, 0:01:15.000 --> 0:01:19.560 Angel City's Alley sent Nor found the equalizer, another absolute banger, 0:01:19.880 --> 0:01:23.320 marking Centner's first goal and an Angel City kit why 0:01:23.360 --> 0:01:25.720 so newsworthy well. The game marked the return of a 0:01:25.760 --> 0:01:28.760 bunch of players, including Sidney LaRue, who played her first 0:01:28.840 --> 0:01:31.880 minutes for Angel Cities since November twenty twenty four. In 0:01:31.920 --> 0:01:34.319 March of last year, LaRue shared on social media that 0:01:34.360 --> 0:01:36.800 she'd decided to step away from soccer to focus on 0:01:36.800 --> 0:01:39.039 her mental health, and later in the year she also 0:01:39.080 --> 0:01:41.960 shared her experience with anorexia. She was on the field 0:01:42.000 --> 0:01:44.399 just briefly on Sunday, getting subbed in during the second 0:01:44.480 --> 0:01:46.680 minute of second half stoppage time, but it was so 0:01:46.800 --> 0:01:49.080 good to see her back and good to see her 0:01:49.080 --> 0:01:52.560 celebrating Disney Princess theme night by dressing as Moleficent for 0:01:52.600 --> 0:01:54.160 game day arrivals with her kiddos. 0:01:54.440 --> 0:01:56.120 We'll link to that in the show notes. It's worth 0:01:56.120 --> 0:01:56.480 a click. 0:01:57.080 --> 0:02:00.760 Angel City Savvy King also recorded her first minute April 0:02:00.840 --> 0:02:03.280 after missing most of the season due to a foot injury. 0:02:03.760 --> 0:02:07.279 Anne Washington Spirit forward Ashley Hatch also made her return 0:02:07.320 --> 0:02:09.720 to the pitch from maternity leave. She was subbed on 0:02:09.840 --> 0:02:12.280 in the eighty second minute, her first minute since May 0:02:12.280 --> 0:02:14.799 of twenty twenty five. She and her husband welcomed their 0:02:14.840 --> 0:02:19.840 son Leo in January. Solid Dame Ashley good choice, more 0:02:19.960 --> 0:02:24.280 NWSL and another triumphant return. Portland Thorns forward Kaya Hanks 0:02:24.280 --> 0:02:26.359 scored the game winning goal in the Thorns two to 0:02:26.360 --> 0:02:29.000 one win over the Orlando Pride Saturday night, finding the 0:02:29.000 --> 0:02:30.800 back of the net in her first game back after 0:02:30.880 --> 0:02:33.720 tearing her ACL in June of last year. Hanks was 0:02:33.760 --> 0:02:35.840 subbed on in the eighty seventh minute of the game, 0:02:36.040 --> 0:02:38.200 with her game winner coming in the sixth minute of 0:02:38.240 --> 0:02:40.720 second half stoppage time. We'll link to a video of 0:02:40.760 --> 0:02:42.760 the moment in the show notes because while her goal 0:02:42.840 --> 0:02:46.520 was incredible, her reaction was even better. Hanks, with her 0:02:46.600 --> 0:02:49.320 hand over her mouth in shock, was mobbed by her 0:02:49.320 --> 0:02:52.280 teammates on the pitch. Shout out to the Ion broadcast 0:02:52.280 --> 0:02:55.360 team for capturing the scenes so beautifully, with the commentary 0:02:55.360 --> 0:02:57.800 team laying out the importance of the moment and camera 0:02:57.840 --> 0:03:01.600 operators even finding Hank's mom in the stands after the game, 0:03:01.639 --> 0:03:04.880 Hanks also shared a special moment with Thorn's teammate Olivia Moultrie, 0:03:04.960 --> 0:03:06.680 who hugged her while clearly. 0:03:06.360 --> 0:03:07.640 Saying I'm so proud of you. 0:03:08.120 --> 0:03:10.320 Moultrie is now at the start of her own ACL 0:03:10.360 --> 0:03:13.880 recovery journey after sustaining the injury earlier this month. We'll 0:03:13.880 --> 0:03:17.639 link to that video as well. More NWSL. We've got 0:03:17.680 --> 0:03:20.680 two midweek games on the schedule for Tomorrow night, with 0:03:20.840 --> 0:03:23.560 Racing Louisville hosting the Seattle Rain at six thirty pm 0:03:23.600 --> 0:03:26.360 Eastern and the Chicago Stars traveling to the Houston Dash 0:03:26.480 --> 0:03:30.200 for an eight pm Eastern kickoff to the WNBA. There 0:03:30.200 --> 0:03:32.560 are four games on the schedule tonight, beginning at seven 0:03:32.560 --> 0:03:35.560 pm Eastern, with the Toronto Tempo hosting the Indiana Fever. 0:03:35.960 --> 0:03:38.640 It's game two of the Fever's five game road trip, 0:03:38.840 --> 0:03:41.440 which includes a stretch of four games in four cities 0:03:41.480 --> 0:03:44.520 in just six days. The Fever have momentum on their side. 0:03:44.560 --> 0:03:47.240 They've won their last four games, while the Tempo have 0:03:47.320 --> 0:03:50.080 now dropped ten in a row. But Tempo fans do 0:03:50.160 --> 0:03:53.000 have some good news to celebrate. Britney Sykes is getting 0:03:53.000 --> 0:03:55.839 closer to return. Slim returned to practice with the team 0:03:55.920 --> 0:03:58.040 last week for the first time in nearly two months 0:03:58.280 --> 0:04:00.600 after going down with a foot entry back in June. 0:04:00.720 --> 0:04:02.840 Now it's not clear yet when she'll be ready to play, 0:04:03.040 --> 0:04:07.160 but here's hoping it's soon. Meantime For all the mascout 0:04:07.160 --> 0:04:09.800 lovers out there, like me. Front of the show, Josh 0:04:09.800 --> 0:04:14.400 Bart says, I'm by furious pronounce Sheefer. This Tempo Fever 0:04:14.480 --> 0:04:17.200 game has been circled on my calendar because the Temple 0:04:17.240 --> 0:04:19.600 will be unveiling its mascot. 0:04:19.760 --> 0:04:20.920 In honor of my birthday. 0:04:21.040 --> 0:04:24.880 I'm sure if this mascot pays homage to Toronto Faves 0:04:24.960 --> 0:04:28.560 the Raccoon, I will die because I am obsessed with 0:04:28.680 --> 0:04:32.760 raccoons aka trash pandas other popular guests have been a 0:04:32.800 --> 0:04:37.440 Canadian moose or a Canadian beaver, both still good. Can't wait, y'all, 0:04:37.720 --> 0:04:40.839 A new mascot is about to enter the villa. Happy 0:04:40.839 --> 0:04:45.080 birthday to me. More WNBA and other games tonight, including 0:04:45.080 --> 0:04:48.680 the Connecticut Sun hosting Los Angeles Sparks at Boston's TD Garden, 0:04:48.960 --> 0:04:51.839 marking the third straight year and likely the last the 0:04:51.880 --> 0:04:54.400 Sun will play a home game at the venue. It's 0:04:54.440 --> 0:04:56.920 expected to be a bittersweet game for Boston fans who 0:04:56.920 --> 0:04:58.640 were hoping to see the team move to the city 0:04:58.720 --> 0:05:01.800 after Celtics minority owner Steve Paliuca had agreed to buy 0:05:01.800 --> 0:05:03.880 the team for three hundred and twenty five million from 0:05:03.920 --> 0:05:07.200 the Mohegan Tribe, a deal that was blocked by the WNBA. 0:05:07.839 --> 0:05:10.800 So this could be the Sunset game at TD Garden 0:05:10.920 --> 0:05:15.200 during the Sun's Sunset season. More WNBA. At nine pm 0:05:15.200 --> 0:05:17.880 Eastern tonight, the Las Vegas Aces host the Atlanta Dream. 0:05:18.160 --> 0:05:20.080 Ahead of that one, make sure to check out ESPN 0:05:20.200 --> 0:05:23.479 senior writer Katie Barnes's recent profile of Angel Reese and 0:05:23.520 --> 0:05:27.600 her legendary rebounding skills. Katie tries to unpack how and 0:05:27.640 --> 0:05:30.799 why Reese Gott's so good at the skill. Quote She's tall, 0:05:30.960 --> 0:05:33.880 but not the tallest. She's quick, but not the quickest. 0:05:34.120 --> 0:05:37.920 She's bouncy, but not the bounciest. Some point to her vision, 0:05:38.240 --> 0:05:40.960 some point to her motor, others point to her mind. 0:05:41.320 --> 0:05:44.200 Some even wonder if there's something just beyond human understanding 0:05:44.279 --> 0:05:49.000 going on, something closer to say clairvoyance, says Reese, sitting 0:05:49.000 --> 0:05:50.800 in a court side chair in a quiet moment at 0:05:50.839 --> 0:05:55.520 Atlanta's Gateway Center Arena. I just know end quote. We'll 0:05:55.520 --> 0:05:58.840 link to Barnes story in the show notes. Finally, one 0:05:58.920 --> 0:06:01.480 last piece of w NAE news. The league revealed via 0:06:01.560 --> 0:06:04.240 social clip that they'll announce next year's All Star Game 0:06:04.279 --> 0:06:08.719 location today, So keep your eyes peeled. Just another birthday 0:06:08.760 --> 0:06:14.440 present to MOI. Thanks WNBA. We got to take a break. 0:06:14.480 --> 0:06:16.680 When we come back, we head to jolly Old England 0:06:16.720 --> 0:06:27.159 to chat with Melyssa Thompson joining us now. She's a 0:06:27.160 --> 0:06:29.320 forward for Chelsea in the Women's Super League and for 0:06:29.360 --> 0:06:32.480 the United States women's national soccer team. A former Gatorade 0:06:32.520 --> 0:06:34.920 National Player of the Year, she was selected first overall 0:06:34.920 --> 0:06:37.560 in the twenty twenty three NWSL draft by Angel City 0:06:37.560 --> 0:06:39.679 while she was still in high school, and she scored 0:06:39.720 --> 0:06:42.520 five minutes into her professional debut while still finishing her 0:06:42.560 --> 0:06:43.919 senior year at Harvard Westlake. 0:06:44.160 --> 0:06:45.200 She's a TikTok. 0:06:44.920 --> 0:06:46.839 Dancing queen, and she made a cameo in the Jennifer 0:06:46.880 --> 0:06:51.240 Garner Netflix movie Family Switch. It's Alyssa Thompson, Hilissa. Hi, 0:06:51.960 --> 0:06:54.640 have you recovered from she Weekend in Vegas yet? 0:06:56.160 --> 0:06:56.360 Yeah? 0:06:56.400 --> 0:06:58.560 I think I'm just finally recovering from it. 0:06:58.720 --> 0:07:00.680 Yeah, you were there real quick though, right, Just just 0:07:00.720 --> 0:07:01.640 a short amount of time. 0:07:02.320 --> 0:07:04.960 Yeah, just for the panel and the Boys and Girls Club. 0:07:05.400 --> 0:07:09.240 Okay, so Vegas didn't get you, like it maybe potentially 0:07:09.240 --> 0:07:11.559 got me, you know, as we know everything that happened 0:07:11.600 --> 0:07:14.320 to Vegas days there. So I want to talk about 0:07:14.480 --> 0:07:17.040 Chelsea first of all, because in March you helped them 0:07:17.120 --> 0:07:19.880 beat Manchester United in the FA Women's League Cup Final. 0:07:20.120 --> 0:07:21.880 I want to talk about that game because that's your 0:07:21.960 --> 0:07:25.880 first big senior win. Twenty one thousand people in attendance. 0:07:26.040 --> 0:07:28.120 You know, this is a huge moment for you in 0:07:28.160 --> 0:07:31.120 your career. Were you nervous, were you more excited than nervous, 0:07:31.120 --> 0:07:32.280 like take us to that day. 0:07:33.480 --> 0:07:36.160 Yeah, I mean I was pretty nervous playing in the 0:07:36.200 --> 0:07:41.240 first final with Chelsea. The team as a whole is 0:07:41.280 --> 0:07:43.760 I kind of used to being in finals and winning trophies, 0:07:44.840 --> 0:07:46.520 so being able to be a part of that was 0:07:46.560 --> 0:07:51.320 really cool. I was definitely nervous on the day, but 0:07:51.680 --> 0:07:53.960 super excited to play in it, and I feel like 0:07:54.600 --> 0:07:56.760 being able to win that with the team was just 0:07:56.800 --> 0:07:59.920 super special and I feel like it was just another 0:08:00.000 --> 0:08:02.760 stepping sown into where I want to continue being. 0:08:03.520 --> 0:08:06.960 We're just under a year out from the World Cup 0:08:07.000 --> 0:08:09.280 and LA twenty twenty eight is right around the corner, 0:08:09.600 --> 0:08:12.080 so Emma Hayes is going to start making big decisions 0:08:12.120 --> 0:08:13.240 and wanting to see. 0:08:13.040 --> 0:08:14.520 All of her players together. 0:08:14.880 --> 0:08:17.480 Do you take into account the timing of those big 0:08:17.520 --> 0:08:20.640 international opportunities when thinking about where you're playing your club footy, 0:08:20.880 --> 0:08:22.840 whether that's because you want to stay on Emma's radar 0:08:23.000 --> 0:08:24.360 or you just want to be on the same sort 0:08:24.360 --> 0:08:26.960 of timeline and season footprint of the majority of the 0:08:27.040 --> 0:08:28.160 US team players. 0:08:29.560 --> 0:08:31.480 No, I don't really think about that. I think the 0:08:31.520 --> 0:08:34.840 most important thing for players like going into the World 0:08:34.920 --> 0:08:39.160 Cup is playing and being in form, So I hope 0:08:39.200 --> 0:08:42.840 that that's what I'll be doing this season, and hopefully 0:08:42.880 --> 0:08:45.360 just doing better than I did last season and putting 0:08:45.360 --> 0:08:47.559 myself in the best position to get picked for the 0:08:47.600 --> 0:08:48.199 World Cup. 0:08:49.160 --> 0:08:51.160 What are the things you're working on as you look 0:08:51.160 --> 0:08:52.760 ahead to this season personally? 0:08:53.160 --> 0:08:55.640 Yeah, I think just being more clinical in front of goal, 0:08:56.000 --> 0:08:59.880 being better in my crossing. Yeah, I think overall, get 0:08:59.880 --> 0:09:02.880 it like morrises more goals than I did last season, 0:09:03.440 --> 0:09:06.640 and just making good decisions on the ball to get 0:09:06.880 --> 0:09:10.480 the team going forward and get us into good scoring positions. 0:09:10.880 --> 0:09:13.640 You already picked up some hardware in the WSL, so 0:09:13.720 --> 0:09:16.360 you adjusted, Well, I want to get to that transition 0:09:16.480 --> 0:09:18.480 in a little bit. But you know, speaking of the 0:09:18.520 --> 0:09:21.280 World Cup and this US team, you were on the 0:09:21.360 --> 0:09:23.240 US team for the World Cup in twenty twenty three, 0:09:23.280 --> 0:09:26.080 but you missed out on the Olympic squad that won gold. 0:09:25.800 --> 0:09:27.280 In Paris in twenty twenty four. 0:09:27.600 --> 0:09:30.720 Did you get direction from Emma on what you needed 0:09:30.720 --> 0:09:33.320 to improve to get back into the mix or why 0:09:33.360 --> 0:09:35.640 that decision was made on that twenty twenty four roster. 0:09:36.320 --> 0:09:39.880 I feel like I didn't get much direction because she 0:09:40.000 --> 0:09:41.880 was coming in new so she didn't really know a 0:09:41.880 --> 0:09:44.199 lot of our players anyways, like kind of just from 0:09:44.240 --> 0:09:47.960 Afar and coming into the Olympics. I feel like it 0:09:48.040 --> 0:09:51.000 was like just a big rush, so she needed to 0:09:51.040 --> 0:09:53.040 focus on the team, not the people that weren't didn't 0:09:53.080 --> 0:09:56.120 make it. But I feel like for me, I took 0:09:56.120 --> 0:09:58.320 a lot from that experience, Like being able to go 0:09:58.320 --> 0:10:01.840 to the World Cup was real, and doing it at 0:10:01.880 --> 0:10:07.319 eighteen was something I never like like expected for myself. 0:10:08.520 --> 0:10:11.480 So I was really nervous then and I think not 0:10:11.600 --> 0:10:16.120 getting selected for the Olympics and then winning was kind 0:10:16.160 --> 0:10:19.240 of something that fueled me. And I knew that I 0:10:19.320 --> 0:10:23.520 needed to be better going into the Olympics. I didn't 0:10:23.559 --> 0:10:27.120 have like I wasn't in very good form and I 0:10:27.160 --> 0:10:30.439 was still pretty young. So I think having that experience 0:10:30.480 --> 0:10:33.400 on making the roster fueled me to be the player 0:10:33.440 --> 0:10:35.920 that I am today and continue to push. And I 0:10:35.960 --> 0:10:39.760 think after that I played really well and just grew 0:10:39.760 --> 0:10:42.480 in confidence in myself and I knew what I can 0:10:42.480 --> 0:10:45.040 bring to the table and I just had to keep 0:10:45.080 --> 0:10:45.720 repeating that. 0:10:45.640 --> 0:10:48.600 To myself to say at the level that I was. 0:10:49.360 --> 0:10:51.839 Yeah, it's sort of hard sometimes to picture how much 0:10:51.880 --> 0:10:54.679 work goes in during a cycle and in between the 0:10:54.679 --> 0:10:56.760 big international tournaments, and there are other players who have 0:10:56.840 --> 0:10:59.240 had kind of similar experiences. Male Swanson is a great 0:10:59.280 --> 0:11:01.760 example of that, right She played on a US international 0:11:02.520 --> 0:11:05.160 team for a big tournament really young, and then was 0:11:05.200 --> 0:11:07.280 out and back in and then now she'll be fighting 0:11:07.280 --> 0:11:08.920 her way back in post pregnancy. 0:11:09.080 --> 0:11:13.040 So were there players that you talked to during or after. 0:11:12.880 --> 0:11:16.160 The Olympic run about how to keep your confidence and 0:11:16.200 --> 0:11:18.320 your sense of self heading into the next cycle. 0:11:18.920 --> 0:11:20.960 I think I leaned a lot on my club teammates 0:11:20.960 --> 0:11:25.559 at Angel City. Kristin Press and Ali Riley were super helpful. 0:11:25.559 --> 0:11:28.200 I mean, my sister. Like, honestly, all my teammates there 0:11:28.480 --> 0:11:31.480 gave me so much confidence. I don't think I would 0:11:31.480 --> 0:11:35.600 be where I am right now without them during that time, 0:11:35.679 --> 0:11:39.080 because I felt really low and like I wasn't good enough, 0:11:39.120 --> 0:11:42.040 because I wasn't and that was like a hard truth 0:11:42.200 --> 0:11:45.960 to know and understand. But I feel like my teammates 0:11:45.960 --> 0:11:47.480 were like, no, you are good enough. You have a 0:11:47.520 --> 0:11:50.120 lot of potential, and there are just small things that 0:11:50.160 --> 0:11:52.280 you need to do in order to be on that 0:11:52.360 --> 0:11:56.360 team or be at your full potential. And them telling 0:11:56.400 --> 0:11:57.360 me that really helped me. 0:11:57.400 --> 0:11:58.120 And I think. 0:11:59.440 --> 0:12:01.920 Like them just looking to me kind of as someone 0:12:01.920 --> 0:12:05.120 that can help the team without scoring or without us 0:12:05.200 --> 0:12:08.560 is sing was really helpful to my confidence. And I 0:12:08.600 --> 0:12:11.920 think they, yeah, just I owe a lot to them. 0:12:12.559 --> 0:12:15.640 Yeah, I mean, you started so young that it's hard 0:12:15.679 --> 0:12:17.439 not to just feel like the arrow's going to keep 0:12:17.440 --> 0:12:19.839 going up forever and eventually there are going to be 0:12:19.920 --> 0:12:22.199 roadblocks or challenges to face, and it sounds like you've 0:12:22.200 --> 0:12:24.920 got a good support system. You mentioned your sister Giselle. 0:12:24.920 --> 0:12:26.679 You used to play together at Angel City. You were 0:12:26.720 --> 0:12:28.720 the first pair of sisters name to the starting lineup 0:12:28.760 --> 0:12:30.360 of the same team, and then last year in the 0:12:30.400 --> 0:12:32.960 She Believes Cup, the second pair of sisters to play 0:12:32.960 --> 0:12:35.480 for the national team in the same match. How difficult 0:12:35.640 --> 0:12:37.800 was it for you to tell her that you were 0:12:37.880 --> 0:12:39.839 leaving to go play across the pond. 0:12:40.400 --> 0:12:43.079 Honestly, I feel like she was involved in the conversation 0:12:43.240 --> 0:12:45.359 a lot, and like knew that it was a possibility 0:12:45.360 --> 0:12:49.080 that I could be leaving, And when, like I first 0:12:49.160 --> 0:12:53.160 got told that Chelsea was the opportunity, she was like 0:12:53.320 --> 0:12:56.000 super excited for me and like, honestly couldn't believe it, 0:12:56.320 --> 0:12:58.960 Like I couldn't believe it either. So I think we 0:12:59.080 --> 0:13:01.480 both knew that it was something that I wanted to 0:13:01.520 --> 0:13:05.240 do and I've always wanted to play in Europe and yeah, 0:13:05.320 --> 0:13:08.520 just play overseas. So I think she wasn't surprised, but 0:13:08.640 --> 0:13:10.480 she was definitely sad. We were both sad that we 0:13:10.480 --> 0:13:12.280 were leaving each other, but we knew that it was 0:13:12.679 --> 0:13:15.200 a good stepping point in both of our careers for 0:13:15.240 --> 0:13:17.240 her to be playing at Angel City by yourself and 0:13:17.360 --> 0:13:20.200 maybe be over here by ourselves, like kind of having 0:13:20.280 --> 0:13:21.160 our separate. 0:13:20.840 --> 0:13:23.839 Time that we didn't really get to have, like growing up. 0:13:24.760 --> 0:13:27.319 Yeah, you're so tight with your sisters and your family, 0:13:27.600 --> 0:13:29.600 and then playing at Angel City allowed you to stay 0:13:29.640 --> 0:13:32.120 in your home market. So this is a big leap, 0:13:32.280 --> 0:13:35.760 and you were having tremendous success individually in the NWSL, 0:13:35.920 --> 0:13:37.880 so it had to take a lot of confidence to 0:13:37.960 --> 0:13:40.120 decide to go play in a totally different league in 0:13:40.160 --> 0:13:42.840 a totally different country and have to reprove yourself there. 0:13:43.040 --> 0:13:44.439 Where did you find that confidence. 0:13:45.120 --> 0:13:47.760 I think I felt really good and where I was 0:13:47.760 --> 0:13:51.560 at at Angel City, and when I started to feel comfortable, 0:13:51.760 --> 0:13:55.760 I feel like I'm not growing. And I think at 0:13:55.920 --> 0:14:00.000 that point I was getting comfortable and where I was, 0:14:00.400 --> 0:14:03.600 and I wanted to keep growing and I don't want 0:14:03.600 --> 0:14:06.760 to like stop learning and being a better player. And 0:14:06.800 --> 0:14:09.160 I think this next step was just like the next 0:14:09.200 --> 0:14:11.960 stepping stone for me to continue to be a better player, 0:14:12.080 --> 0:14:15.120 learn from different people, being in a different league with 0:14:15.280 --> 0:14:18.480 different types of play and tactics and stuff like that. 0:14:18.559 --> 0:14:20.920 So I feel like I. 0:14:20.240 --> 0:14:22.960 Had confidence in myself just because of how I was 0:14:23.320 --> 0:14:26.800 doing at Angel City, but I also was like, I 0:14:26.840 --> 0:14:29.000 know this is going to be hard, and I didn't 0:14:29.000 --> 0:14:30.960 put a lot of pressure on myself to do amazing 0:14:31.040 --> 0:14:32.960 right when I came in. I just wanted to learn 0:14:33.000 --> 0:14:36.320 a lot and I knew that coming over here, I 0:14:36.520 --> 0:14:37.520 was going to grow. 0:14:38.520 --> 0:14:40.200 If I played bad, I was going to grow. If 0:14:40.240 --> 0:14:41.560 I played good, I was gonna grow. 0:14:41.640 --> 0:14:44.680 So I felt like it was a win win for 0:14:44.800 --> 0:14:47.320 me and I just like want to learn and be 0:14:47.360 --> 0:14:48.440 the best player I can beat. 0:14:49.000 --> 0:14:50.960 Yeah, you mentioned some of the differences, and I wanted 0:14:51.000 --> 0:14:53.160 to ask, like, what stands out the most about playing 0:14:53.160 --> 0:14:56.520 in the WSL and how it differs from the NWSL. 0:14:57.160 --> 0:15:00.000 I feel like it's just it's really cool to play 0:15:00.320 --> 0:15:03.680 Champions League here. I think that's the biggest difference. Like 0:15:03.720 --> 0:15:06.560 we play teams in Italy, Spain and you get to 0:15:07.120 --> 0:15:10.320 see other tactics from other countries that in the US 0:15:10.360 --> 0:15:14.120 it's kind of like we're playing the same teams. So 0:15:14.200 --> 0:15:16.440 I think it was cool to be able to play 0:15:16.440 --> 0:15:23.040 in Champions League and have that like different like teams 0:15:23.040 --> 0:15:23.600 that you get. 0:15:23.440 --> 0:15:26.920 To play, Yeah, like approaching strategically differently based on how 0:15:26.920 --> 0:15:28.960 they're setting up in their approach to the game. 0:15:29.160 --> 0:15:30.440 What about the competition level? 0:15:30.480 --> 0:15:33.760 One thing I've heard about the WSL is really competitive 0:15:33.840 --> 0:15:35.720 at the top, but maybe not all the way down. 0:15:35.800 --> 0:15:37.560 Do you find that you miss some of the parody 0:15:37.560 --> 0:15:40.040 of the NWSL, where every single game you really got 0:15:40.080 --> 0:15:40.640 to get up for. 0:15:41.600 --> 0:15:45.040 Yeah, I mean I feel like here too, like most 0:15:45.040 --> 0:15:50.000 of the games are pretty competitive. I felt kind of like, 0:15:50.200 --> 0:15:53.520 I mean, the NWSL is very competitive too, but playing here, 0:15:53.560 --> 0:15:57.400 I feel like every game is competitive. It's also competitive 0:15:57.440 --> 0:16:00.680 to like start and play even on your own team, 0:16:00.800 --> 0:16:05.160 So I feel like that is like an extra factor too, 0:16:05.440 --> 0:16:09.120 and I feel like that is something that makes me 0:16:09.240 --> 0:16:11.760 be a better player, and like work really hard in 0:16:11.800 --> 0:16:12.960 training too and stuff like that. 0:16:13.520 --> 0:16:15.120 Yeah, and you mentioned that a lot of your teammates 0:16:15.160 --> 0:16:17.640 are sort of used to winning. Chelsea's a very dominant team. 0:16:17.680 --> 0:16:20.240 You came from an Angel City team that was dominant 0:16:20.320 --> 0:16:22.960 in so many categories except for you know, when it 0:16:22.960 --> 0:16:26.160 came to trophies and winning. How does that change your 0:16:26.200 --> 0:16:28.640 perspective on the game and maybe even your approach getting 0:16:28.760 --> 0:16:30.680 used to and accustomed to being on a team that 0:16:30.760 --> 0:16:32.560 expects to come out on top. 0:16:33.360 --> 0:16:36.400 I always say, like the US national team is expected 0:16:36.440 --> 0:16:39.520 to win and have trophies, and that is the pressure 0:16:39.560 --> 0:16:41.720 that the US national team has. So I feel like 0:16:41.840 --> 0:16:46.080 I had that experience coming in, but feeling it. 0:16:46.080 --> 0:16:48.200 Every day is something that's very different. 0:16:49.520 --> 0:16:52.480 And feeling every game knowing that people expect you to 0:16:52.560 --> 0:16:55.320 win and it's not like you guys are the underdogs. 0:16:56.560 --> 0:16:59.080 It was, I think something that I knew coming in, 0:17:00.000 --> 0:17:02.720 but it is something that I try not to think 0:17:02.760 --> 0:17:04.480 about a lot, because then it's going to just stress 0:17:04.520 --> 0:17:07.560 you out. I think if our team, if Chelsea just 0:17:07.560 --> 0:17:10.680 plays like the best versions of ourselves, like we all 0:17:10.720 --> 0:17:12.680 back each other. So I think it's easy to think 0:17:12.720 --> 0:17:15.120 about it in that way. Once you start thinking about, oh, 0:17:15.119 --> 0:17:17.359 we have to win because everyone expects us to win, 0:17:17.400 --> 0:17:19.120 it's just more pressure. 0:17:19.760 --> 0:17:22.199 Sounds like that's a little bit of the uncomfortableness you 0:17:22.200 --> 0:17:24.720 were looking for in trying something new and going across 0:17:24.720 --> 0:17:26.960 the pond. What else is making you uncomfortable right now 0:17:27.000 --> 0:17:29.200 about playing with Chelsea that you think is helping you grow. 0:17:30.560 --> 0:17:33.480 I think just living in a different place, so far 0:17:33.520 --> 0:17:36.760 away from home with none of my family, that is 0:17:36.800 --> 0:17:39.920 something that I've had dealt with over the past year. 0:17:39.960 --> 0:17:42.040 And I think coming back to London, I felt really 0:17:42.119 --> 0:17:45.199 good about where I was and like really excited to 0:17:45.240 --> 0:17:49.560 come back and like experience this place. Yeah, just growing 0:17:49.640 --> 0:17:52.480 up and getting older and I feel like it's like 0:17:53.040 --> 0:17:56.440 doing my own laundry or like cooking for myself and 0:17:56.520 --> 0:17:58.679 just like grow things that you do growing up that 0:18:00.480 --> 0:18:03.159 I didn't really think about as much when I was home, 0:18:04.480 --> 0:18:07.280 But I think it's really cool. Like living alone and 0:18:07.320 --> 0:18:09.840 being somewhere new where I get to try new things 0:18:09.880 --> 0:18:13.640 and be around new people is uncomfortable, but it's like exciting. 0:18:14.359 --> 0:18:15.600 It's kind of like college for you. 0:18:15.760 --> 0:18:18.000 Frankly, you know, you came straight out of high school, 0:18:18.080 --> 0:18:20.399 and most of us get to college and realize we 0:18:20.440 --> 0:18:22.200 don't know how to do our laundry, or we suck 0:18:22.240 --> 0:18:24.720 at cooking, or we get really excited about moving in 0:18:24.760 --> 0:18:27.000 with roommates and practicing being an adult in like a 0:18:27.040 --> 0:18:29.520 safe space where we're learning. And so you kind of 0:18:29.560 --> 0:18:32.320 get that experience out there, which is really cool. You 0:18:32.400 --> 0:18:35.480 mentioned finding your confidence both through your own proof of 0:18:35.720 --> 0:18:38.880 ability but also through teammates and support systems, and you're 0:18:38.920 --> 0:18:41.320 working with Dove on their Body Confident collective, trying to 0:18:41.400 --> 0:18:44.240 raise awareness for some of the challenges and confidence that 0:18:44.320 --> 0:18:46.920 young girls have that caused them to walk away from 0:18:46.920 --> 0:18:49.880 sports When you were young, you were such a phenom. 0:18:50.400 --> 0:18:53.040 Was there any point growing up where you weren't confident 0:18:53.359 --> 0:18:56.200 in yourself as an athlete or as a person. M 0:18:58.000 --> 0:18:59.800 And you don't have to lie, you don't have to 0:18:59.800 --> 0:19:01.840 say yes if it's not true, if you were always confident, 0:19:01.920 --> 0:19:03.320 that's awesome and I want to hear that too. 0:19:03.720 --> 0:19:07.280 I mean, I think it's like more of a quiet confidence, 0:19:07.320 --> 0:19:10.600 but I think it also comes from my sister. I 0:19:10.640 --> 0:19:14.120 think she gives me so much confidence. And we did 0:19:14.160 --> 0:19:17.280 everything together growing up, and I knew if she thought 0:19:17.280 --> 0:19:19.520 I played well, then I thought I played well, or 0:19:20.000 --> 0:19:22.480 she was like, you're doing so good, like I believe her, 0:19:22.600 --> 0:19:26.040 like she's like my I don't know, like my voice 0:19:26.040 --> 0:19:29.960 inside my head, but she's a real person. So it 0:19:30.080 --> 0:19:32.399