The U.S. Women’s Soccer team represents the United States in international soccer. This year the World Cup Series started May 30 and ended July 14. During the series, the U.S. women’s team played Chile, Sweden, Spain, England and the Netherlands, defending each team by at least two goals. Drawing the world’s attention, their victory was won in Lyon, France, marking their fourth world title since 2015.
With the first half scoreless, the women knew they had to kick it up a notch. After talking it out and cooling off, the team came back and won the game 2-0 against the Netherlands. After their rewarding victory, fans in the stands started chanting “Equal Pay” and standing in support of the national team in their fight for equal pay to that of the men’s team.
While winning many awards, such as the fourth World Cup Championship title, four Olympic Gold medals and 8 CONCACAF [Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football] titles, the team has also won the hearts of those who are inspired by them, including members of the women’s soccer team here at Winthrop. Senior integrated marketing communication major and Winthrop women’s soccer player Greta Conboy says that the games both inspired and affected her as an athlete, “The U.S. women’s national team winning the World Cup didn’t just affect me as a student athlete, but I feel like it affected women soccer players across the nation in all NCAA conferences. These are the women that we look up to growing up and now they are on the biggest stage in the world and performing to represent our country. I feel truly blessed that I have the opportunity to play this beautiful game.”
Junior psychology major and Winthrop women’s soccer player Megan Loveland says, “Watching the U.S. win the World Cup was very inspiring and motivating! It made me want to work even harder to be able to win a championship like they did.”
With the roster of 23 players to look up to, there is one that Conboy would choose easily as a favorite. “If I had to choose a player it would definitely be Julie Ertz [US Women’s Soccer Midfielder]. No matter where she is on the field she always plays hard and with a lot of heart. Just like she wants to represent the nation, her strength and passion is something that encourages me when I represent Winthrop,” Conboy said. Loveland chose quickly as well, “I definitely look up to Tobin Heath [US Women’s Soccer Midfielder]. She is very skilled and dangerous in the attack.”
Not only did this championship affect Winthrop women’s soccer players as athletes, but it also affected their routines. “Starting the beginning of preseason we actually changed our warm–up to the U.S. women’s national team warm-up to make our pregame protocol more efficient,” Conboy said.
