6 Influential Women Progressing Girls Soccer
Girls club soccer has made immense improvements in accessibility and equal opportunities for girls across the nation. This is in part due to the amazing, influential women who have preserved a legacy and have helped shape the girls’ club soccer field.
Mia Hamm
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Hamm is a familiar name known to most Americans. Her developments and records set for the USWNT have made her known globally, but she has also dedicated an immense amount of time to conducting meet-and-greets and camps for young girls. Along with Kristine Lilly and Tisha Venturini Hoch, Hamm holds an overnight soccer camp called Team First Academy that has successfully offered soccer opportunities for ten years. Hamm creates many opportunities and gateways for girls interested in youth soccer to be inspired and get a foot in the door to club soccer. Additionally, at her soccer camp, Hamm introduces players to head coaches of elite D1 coaches, which gives players fresh eyes and coaching while getting them to potential pathways.
Alex Morgan
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Morgan is a current member of the USWNT. Outside of leading the team to success, Alex Morgan has created the Alex Morgan Foundation. A piece of the foundation is dedicated to girls’ empowerment through offering camps but also opportunities for youth girls’ soccer teams to attend professional games and see their idols play in person.
Kelly Cagle
Cagle is a former professional soccer player who was an integral member of USWNT. She currently works with the Women’s United Soccer Association and The 180 Group but was formerly a collegiate soccer coach. Cagle has been involved in high level coaching to strengthen teams but also provides girls soccer teams with an insight into the collegiate and professional realm of soccer. She has impressive qualifications that provide youth girls’ soccer teams with amazing opportunities to improve their game.
Julie Foudy
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Foudy, a former USWNT midfielder, has made her way across every aspect of women’s soccer. One particularly game-changing creation she co-founded was the Julie Foudy Sports Leadership Academy, which was founded in 2006. Foudy provided an outlet for developing leadership skills in teenage girls. These skills are incredibly valuable on the soccer field and are what help expand the world of women’s soccer.
Jen Winnagle
Winnagle is the ECNL Chief Operations Officer. She has helped expand and grow programs and pathways for top youth soccer athletes. She has been an integral part in promoting the development of youth club soccer and the best environment for players to grow and thrive.
Carli Lloyd
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Lloyd retired from professional soccer in 2021 and began expanding her role in youth soccer. She offers so much insight into her own process as a soccer player. Lloyd often promotes youth players to have a strong mentality and good work ethic. She also hosts soccer camps called CL10, where she works hands-on with players to learn new drills and improve their skills. Lloyd has been an incredible role model for girls in youth soccer.
Featured image via @carlilloyd on Instagram
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