August 15, 2024 • 37 mins
Welcome back to The Big Life! In this episode, Sam and Jordyn explore the brand-new USL Super League, a new professional league for women. Join us as we dive into the league's inaugural season, and what this means for players who want to continue their careers.
We had the privilege of speaking with two talented players from different teams: Sheyenne Allen from Fort Lauderdale and Jenny Vetter from Spokane, Washington. They share their personal journeys, experiences, and what makes the USL Super League special. Learn how this league aims to elevate women's soccer by providing more avenues for players to continue their professional careers on home soil.
Discover the excitement surrounding the league's kickoff, the competitive spirit of the teams, and how you can catch all the action on Peacock. Whether you're a dedicated fan or new to women's soccer, this episode is packed with insights and enthusiasm for the future of the sport.
Don't miss out on this enlightening conversation and get ready to support the USL Super League as it makes its mark in the world of professional women's soccer!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
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Hi everyone and welcome back to The Big Life.
(01:06):
I know that this is an episode I'm super excited about and hoping we educate
our audience about some stuff that I know I learned for new,
but we'll get to that in a bit. Jordan, how are you?
I'm good, I'm good. You know, we're just getting ready for our first game here
against Notre Dame Thursday.
So excited for that and for the season to officially start. But I'm bummed I
(01:27):
missed this interview. It sounds like we learned some pretty amazing things.
Yeah. So in this episode, we really wanted to highlight the new USL Super League.
So as we all know, episodes drop of The Big Life on Thursday.
And then this weekend, as this episode drops, will be the first weekend of the USL Super League.
And I think for us, it's a really awesome moment went just to kind of learn
(01:49):
more as viewers. I feel like a brand new league in the U.S. can bring up so many questions.
So we got the amazing opportunity to speak to two different players in two different
markets, one in Spokane, Washington, and one in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
They actually play each other this weekend, so that'll be interesting to see.
But I think it was just great to learn about the USL kind of overall and talk
(02:10):
to them about their experiences.
Yeah, absolutely. Especially with it being so new, like you said,
there's a lot of questions surrounding it.
So any sort of insight, you know, is super helpful as we move forward into unknown
territory with this new league. Exactly.
We got the inside scoop here. But for our listeners, before we dive deep,
and we talk about it a bit in both interviews, but the USL Super League is a
(02:31):
league that is kicking off for its first season this year.
And I think it's kind of drummed up a lot of questions. So it's completely separate from the NWSL.
However, it is also considered by FIFA a tier one professional league,
meaning that it is at the same caliber,
hold players and facilities and staff to the same standards and a lot of different
(02:52):
regards in the behind the scenes of what a pro league should look like.
There are eight different teams, most of them being on the East Coast.
We have Spokane, Washington on the West Coast, and then we have Lexington,
Kentucky, Dallas, Texas, D.C., and then Brooklyn, Carolina, Tampa, and Fort Lauderdale.
(03:13):
So markets all over, hopefully one near you to check out some of these games,
as well as all games will be streamed on Peacock, which I think is going to
be a really cool opportunity to get viewership out there and kind of just expand the network.
But once again, we'll hear more about it in these amazing interviews.
Jordan, what do you think you're most excited for about a brand new league starting?
(03:34):
Yeah, I mean, I think any sort of opportunity for women to continue their professional
careers post-college is an amazing opportunity.
Right now, obviously, the main leader was the NWSL for a long time,
where you had the draft, they got the college kids, and that was kind of your
path if you wanted to stay in the United States.
So I'm excited for continued opportunity and to see kind of how the USL grows
(03:58):
how they compete with the NWSL and what this looks like moving forward so I
think it's super exciting I think.
Any opportunity is good especially in women's sports and as we learn these past
few years everyone watches women's sports so that's simple that's simple I mean
there's so much we could even talk about with I think I actually just saw a
tweet that the gold medal game this year
broke viewership for women's soccer records.
(04:20):
And so seeing things like that is just so inspiring. Like you said,
everyone watches women's sports.
And I think that's what the players in this league are really embracing is that
word opportunity and that they get to be back in their home soil.
They don't have to deal with the time difference that I sometimes deal with
and the missing a family and all that stuff.
So without further ado, I think we get into these interviews.
(04:41):
We are here with Shea-Ann Allen, the incredible left back for Fort Lauderdale.
And I am so, so thankful for you spending time with us.
You played collegiately last year, just finished your fifth year at Brown,
and then briefly went over to Portugal and had a stint playing in Portugal,
and then now have made it back to the USL Super League.
(05:01):
First question for you. If you're a soccer idiot that doesn't really pay attention,
and all of a sudden Fort Lauderdale comes up with a USL Super League team,
What is the Super League, or how would you describe it?
Yeah, thank you for the wonderful introduction.
Yeah, I would just say it's just like a chance. It's another professional league in America.
(05:22):
I think we have way too many good players in the U.S. who are coming out of
college, and the draft is definitely tough.
It's definitely intimidating, and I think it's great that we have a lot of girls wanting to go overseas,
but like I said we have so many great players
who want to stay here want to stay in America and NWSL
(05:45):
is super hard it's super stuff now with the USL coming in
it's like another opportunity for you know
players to actually play professionally you know in their
home country so I just say it's like first and
foremost it's an opportunity it's an awesome opportunity and
it's gonna be I think it's gonna be super big it's gonna
be really big and yeah hopefully gets traction
(06:05):
which I think it well so yeah that's so exciting your your
enthusiasm that's one of the main things we wanted to cover it is i feel like
there's people that look on there like on twitter on news pages and they have
their own opinions but when you hear from the players that their experience
and what they're feeling and that energy that catches on so i'm so so happy
you're sharing that yeah yeah of course as a player.
(06:26):
You see on social media, what, almost a year and a half ago that the USL Super
League is becoming a thing. What was your first reactions to it?
Kind of like what you said. I was a little skeptical of it.
You know, out of nowhere, I feel like it just came out of nowhere.
Just like a league coming up. And I'm like, how good could it really be?
You know, like, are players going to be taken care of? Like, just things like that.
(06:48):
So I was speaking with my agent a lot about it. And yeah, I honestly,
I thank God every day I made the decision, you know, to come to Fort Lauderdale,
because I feel like it's been a great it's we haven't even started or had our first game yet.
But I feel like everything's been so perfect already, specifically in Fort Lauderdale.
Like we're just doing a lot to satisfy. They're doing a lot to satisfy the needs of the players.
(07:10):
And I think that's so important, especially with a new and budding league.
League you need to make sure your players are satisfied and uh
I feel like I I'm so overwhelmed with happiness about
this decision because like I feel like I've been
you know I'm getting what I want and more you know especially like I'm getting
like the great soccer aspect we just scrimmaged Tampa also which was an intense
(07:31):
match and like the competition is there the players are there so I think my
my initial thoughts beforehand were definitely you know changed of course so yeah Yeah,
that is so amazing to hear. And let's get into that experience a little bit more.
When about did you get to Fort Lauderdale and what have those early weeks of
a preseason kind of been like?
Yeah, I got to Fort Lauderdale July 1st or no, June 30th.
(07:58):
And we had like a week on our own.
Like I moved into my house and yeah, we had a week on our own.
I got close with the girls.
We went to the beach and stuff on 4th of July. It was really fun, really awesome.
We had fitness testing that Saturday. And then that next coming,
that Monday after the fitness test was our first day of preseason.
(08:21):
And definitely some intense training sessions, but it's been great.
It's really been great. I think we have a really solid group,
a good group. The competition is great.
And yeah, I feel like,
I don't know. It feels like this league has already been established for so
long, the way like everything's been organized and, you know,
our scheduling has been awesome. The staff has been great.
(08:45):
And yeah, I just feel like everything's really put together and it's moving smoothly.
That's so awesome to hear. And speaking of Fort Lauderdale specifically,
you've been with the team, with the group.
What do you think is going to be special about your guys' team going into this
inaugural season? season. Yeah, we're a young group.
I will say we're a young group, but I think we have a lot of drive and enthusiasm
(09:08):
to win and to just prove ourselves.
You know, a lot of us, a couple of us, this is our first professional team.
So I think we're all just super excited to get started and get going and like
having that, you know, like this is a new team for them. Like they're coming from college teams.
And I think just being on a new team in a new environment, it's really exciting.
And just there's a lot going on.
(09:30):
As for the experience that we do have on the team, I think, especially like
me coming from Portugal, it's just it's really fresh.
It's like I know I feel like it was it was awesome, like, you know,
traveling a little bit and all that.
But, you know, it's good to be home sometime and sometimes and like to feel
like this environment, this high, this high intensity environment is in your back door.
(09:52):
You know, it's awesome to have. So I think we're just all super excited.
And to get the ball rolling, we really want to make a statement in the league.
And I think we can do that, especially with the players we have and,
you know, the passion we already have.
And it's only like we've only been here for a month. So, yeah. Yeah.
Oh my gosh. And so speaking of that, you did play overseas a little bit and
(10:13):
not that it's necessarily even able to compare the two experiences,
but what do you think has made your experience in Fort Lauderdale almost either
extra special or that you've noticed because of your experience playing overseas as well?
I'm not, I think, I think I would say because it's a newer league,
I, our staff is really trying to keep us,
you know, happy and they're trying to like work hard with us
(10:35):
and not that I wasn't happy in Portugal of
course but because it's you know you know like
just things like it's an older league you know and I mean it's not actually
League of BPI isn't even that old but like just like these teams are already
established and like they have you know certain criteria of what they do and
like just the normal there in this league especially at Fort Lauderdale we're
(10:57):
trying to create a new normal because it's a new league.
So I think they're working really hard to satisfy our needs and to just make
sure that we're happy and make sure everything's running smoothly.
So yeah, I think we're just...
Trying to hit our perfectionism, I would say.
I think we're trying to, you know, hit that level, like see reach out,
(11:17):
see how high we can reach. Yeah.
Yeah. And so kind of going off of that, you know, one thing that the USL when
they first announced the Super League was really advertising is that they have
the ability to learn from the long tenure of women's soccer in the US,
but also around the world and kind of make the league better by learning from
past potential failures.
Yeah. Yeah. You're super happy in that regard. guard. How has that kind of experience
(11:41):
been for you as a player specifically working with the USL and Fort Lauderdale?
Yeah, I would say I think it starts in our facilities. We have a really good
network of facilities right now.
We have everything in one little bubble. And it's really awesome.
We have like our locker rooms here, our weight rooms here, our training room,
(12:01):
we have a cafeteria, everything that you could possibly want is just,
you know, in this like little bubble.
And it's it's really awesome to have. It's really awesome to see.
I think there's a lot of times with teams, like they're having to travel to
different locations in order to, you know, lift or even train.
So I think that's one, at least for my experience, especially like between Portugal
(12:23):
and here, I feel like I did have to travel a little bit for training sessions.
My training sessions were also super late at night. And I think it's just accommodating
to, like I've been saying, like the players need. So yeah.
No, that's so exciting. And I think because of that, you know,
in my experience, you feel like a true professional.
You feel valued in that environment. And when you have that, you want to compete.
(12:44):
Exactly. Exactly. I feel like, like you said, I, you feel like a real professional,
you know, like this is my job, like this is my job and yeah,
you feel valued. So you, you put it in the perfect words.
Okay. So speaking a bit about competition, you gave us a little teaser.
Obviously there was a scrimmage against Tampa that went one,
one between you two earlier.
And your first First official game is this weekend on Saturday at Spokane.
(13:08):
Can you talk a little bit about like what the feeling is going to game one of the USL?
Yeah, we're super excited. I think there's like today in training,
we had like a very like competition heavy game just like, you know,
to get our gears turning and like, getting us like excited, excited for like
the just going at someone like for real this time, like, of course,
like scrimmages are scrimmages, they're helpful.
(13:30):
They're learning basis is their trial and error, you know, but now this is the real deal.
And like we want to like we like I said, we want to make a statement.
And I think we're just working on that mentality throughout this week.
I think leading up to now it's been great but
now is where we really start you know putting the
needle down and just like putting our heads down and focusing on
(13:51):
our next opponent and we're focused we're ready to go that's awesome so kind
of about focusing on the next opponent you've scrimmaged Tampa obviously they're
relatively close in location but how do you go about a league where no one has
still won anyone no one really knows what other clubs are up to like what is that kind of the energy,
I guess, going into season with a lot of unknowns on the table.
(14:14):
Yeah, there are a lot of unknowns and our coaches have been,
you know, just like driving the point that we're here to focus on ourselves right about now.
As long as we're doing what we need to do, we should see the results.
If we're playing on the game plan and like just working hard on ourselves,
(14:34):
you know, the results should show we'll get what we need to see, you know?
So So, yeah, I think it's almost weird because I keep going.
Okay, are we going to see, like, when's film? Like, when are we going to see, like, how Bocan plays?
Or how are we going to adjust to how they play? But I'm not getting that,
obviously. Like, being used to, like, you know,
(14:56):
established leagues and like having film on them or even in
college when you're able to just see our past film from
like previous years we don't have that so i think
it's also really exciting to just like go
in freshly and not too much is on your mind you can just play so yeah no it's
really cool and you've kind of hit the nail on your head the thing that stood
(15:17):
out to me about the fort lauderdale roster is like you said so many of you guys
are in your first year of a pro You have standouts like you who graduated from college in December,
Celia Gaynor, Gianna Gurley, just a couple names coming to my head right now.
What do you think your identity as Fort Lauderdale is going to be as you go into the season?
Yeah, we've been talking about this. We've been doing a lot of workshops regarding
(15:40):
our culture and who we want to be as a team on and off the field.
First and foremost, we just want to have a super gritty mentality.
Mentality and like we want people to be
scared to play us you know like just want us to know like oh god
we want them to say okay we're playing Fort Lauderdale we
gotta like really like gear up today like you know
so I think we just want to have that goal scoring dog
(16:03):
mentality you know on the attacking side of
things and then also on the defensive side of things we
just want to be locked down and you know if the
ball does get through it's not going into the back of the
net like what are we going to do anything we can to stop that ball from
getting into the back of the net again a dog mentality I would
I we we have been talking about this a lot and it's been great because
(16:24):
we're such a we're a new team in a new league we're able to curate the culture
that we want and we've been doing a lot of culture work so and I think it's
going to great use where we're super close team already the chemistry is really
and it's really great I haven't been on a team like this since college.
And I know I say since college, but it was just last December.
(16:46):
But still, it feels it feels really special. I think this is a really special
group. And yeah, I think we're going to make some big things happen.
So USL as a whole, you know, broaden out a little bit.
What do you think this inaugural season for the USL can do to women's soccer in our country? Yeah.
First and foremost, I think it's going to get a lot of people watching soccer.
(17:09):
This is the first Fort Lauderdale is the first professional team in South Florida.
And we already get so many people, you know, asking us questions,
wanting to come to games.
Like we're just walking around in our gear and like people are coming up to us like super excited.
I think it's just it's gonna it's just gonna get
a lot of people you know watching our games watching women's soccer in
general getting them excited and then on the other side of
(17:31):
things there's people who already play soccer there's young girls all
over South Florida excited to see a professional team you know in their backyard
you know it's really it's really cool to see we've had a couple of open scrimmages
and the young girls coming out wanting to take pictures with us it's awesome
really I it kind of brings me back to when I was a kid and the one chance I
(17:52):
I would get to see the U.S.
National team playing in Philadelphia. I'm from Delaware, so it's hard to see
some games out there, but like they would definitely pop out to Philadelphia
so I can, you know, come down the street.
And I feel like those were once in a lifetime type of ideas that I used to have.
But now I think there's more of an opportunity for younger girls to see professional
players and they can say, OK, I can do that, too.
(18:15):
I can do that. Like, I'm able to do that, especially now there's even more avenues
to do that with the NWSL and the USL coming together.
So, yeah, it's awesome.
And so you kind of brought up my next question. I don't want to be negative
by any means, but naturally you see on social media, you're going to see the
people like, oh, like, we don't need another league like the NWSL.
(18:35):
Like, why are we creating a backpack league?
Like all of these things that I feel like we have maybe seen or whatever.
Like, what do you say to the people that have negative doubts about the USL?
Yeah, I would just say, why are you upset about more opportunities?
You know, like, I think I think it's really great.
We can trade players from the NWSL to the USL and vice versa. You never know.
(18:58):
Like, I feel like there's lots of people who have lost opportunities because
of things like the draft and like the politics of the NWSL.
The USL is a great avenue for them to start and then make their way up, make that jump.
I think it's like I've been saying, it's going to be a really competitive league.
And there's some really good players here.
So I think there's no harm in having, you know, even another like there's professional
(19:22):
leagues all over the world.
And we might as well have another one, you know, there's no harm at all.
And the USL has made it very clear that their intentions are for next year to
even add potentially four more expansion teams and keep growing,
you know, based on how they see success.
What do you think the USL could look like in three to five years?
(19:43):
Yeah, I think it could look, I don't want to use the NWSL as a,
you know, a pinpoint, but like it could, it could look like the NWSL.
It could look better than the NWSL.
I think with so much coverage of the league, I think it'll just,
it'll only grow bigger and bigger.
And there's so many girls being able to not have to resort to going overseas
(20:05):
because the NWSL isn't really an option for them. with the USL here.
We could keep more girls in America, keep them playing here.
And just that's how the league gets bigger and bigger, you know? So, yeah.
Oh, that's awesome. And speaking of coverage, you can watch all games on Peacock
for the USL Super League.
What does it mean just to kind of have like that big of a big ticket buy-in
(20:27):
to like be able to watch games?
And I feel like easily find games where that's something that there's been issue
before is how do you even watch women's soccer in the country?
Yeah, exactly. That was a big thing in Portugal. It was super hard to send my
parents the link to games because, you know, it's like through some,
it's either on YouTube, it's not on YouTube.
It's It's like streamed on the weird site that they can't even get to, you know.
(20:50):
I think it's amazing. It's only going to grow the league being on Peacock.
And I think it shows the players that we're valued. Again, like you said earlier,
it shows that we're being valued.
And I think it's great. I think it means well. It really means well because
of the fact that we have this partnership with Peacock.
(21:10):
It's good signs that the USL is here to stay and we can make these statements, you know. I love it.
Well, Shai, your energy is incredible.
It's exactly what we want people to hear about the USL.
We have markets all over. We have one very small one on the West Coast in Spokane
and a lot on the East Coast.
Looking to balance that soon. But I'm so, so thankful for you spending your
(21:34):
time with us and sharing your insights. It's been absolutely amazing.
Yeah, of course, Sam. Thank you for having me. It's been great.
It's been nice talking with you. Awesome.
Thank you so much, shy for sitting down and spending so much time with me and
talking about the Super League in general.
I think that your energy is so contagious about what you think this league can potentially bring.
And I think it really shows the opportunity that this is.
(21:57):
And so as a player myself overseas, I was super excited to hear that you've
had a positive experience.
And now let's move on to Jenny Better, who's going to talk about her experience
in Spokane, Washington.
Both players Bears will actually face off this Saturday on Peacock,
like we kind of talked about.
So super excited and so thankful for your time, Shai. And now let's hear from Jenny.
(22:19):
So I am here with the incredible Jenny Vedder, who took her time to be with
us today. And I'm really excited to kind of talk to you about your story.
So you played college at Minnesota State in Mankato, where you're from,
and then went to play pro in Portugal, and now have found your way back in the
USL Super League at Spokane, Washington.
So how has that journey been to get where you are right now?
(22:42):
Yeah, I think it's like, become pretty full circle to me now being back in the in the States.
You know, coming out of a D2 university, you don't always know what's out there
in terms of your exposure level and options available to you.
So I was pretty lucky that I got the opportunity to play overseas and kind of
grow my game a little bit and then to have the opportunity to come back home
(23:05):
and play in front of, you know, American fans and be a part of a new league.
I think it's just really exciting.
Yeah. So as a player that, you know, has played overseas and in college in the U.S.
What was your initial reaction when you heard that the USL, this brand new league
in the U.S. was starting?
Yeah, honestly, my first reaction was like apprehension of like,
(23:25):
what is this? Is it going to be stable?
Is the level of competition going to be high enough to where I'm going to keep
getting better and keep growing as a player?
But then I think as it kind of developed and you start hearing about it and
talking with clubs, I know I was really impressed with Spokane's values and
kind of the way that they were going about things.
(23:46):
And I think they want to do the right things and treat people the right way,
which, as we know, the history of women's soccer in the United States, that's not always done.
So I think that's really what brought me to Spokane in general is just like,
knowing I'm going to be taken care of and treated like a person before just
like a business asset as a player.
(24:07):
Yeah, well, that makes a lot of sense. And so So when specifically did you report
to Spokane and how has the first like couple of weeks, month-ish been so far as a player?
Yeah, so we kind of got kicked off in the beginning of July.
So kind of have about a six-week preseason to our first game,
which is now in a week, which is super exciting.
(24:28):
Yeah, I think, you know, the first
couple of weeks with basically being an expansion side, everyone is new.
No one knows each other. Maybe there are some connections here and there,
but I think the first couple of weeks was really spent building those connections
and chemistry and like, oh, this player likes to do this on the ball or make
this movement off the ball, defends this way.
So I think building those connections was super important for us early on.
(24:51):
And now we're able to kind of get into the weeds with our tactics and whatnot
as we look forward to our home opener. Yeah, absolutely.
So naturally, when you start a new league, I think that there's so many amazing
benefits that the USL is providing. But you have the people on Twitter that
are saying, oh, well, this is just, you know, beating the NWSL.
Like, what is this like in your experience so far being there?
(25:13):
Like, what would you say to those kind of people?
I think the one thing I'll say is like, we're not trying to compete with the NWSL.
I know that that's thrown around a lot, but like, I believe like if women's
sports and women's soccer is going where we think it is, there's plenty of space
for both leagues to coexist and for fans to enjoy both leagues.
(25:33):
I don't think it has to be a thing where, oh, I'm an NWSL supporter,
so I can't watch Super League games.
Like, I just think that if you like soccer, this is just providing more soccer
and the the ability for more fans to go to games and, you know,
inspire the next generation of girls.
So I would just say, like, we're not looking at it as competing as players.
(25:57):
Like, I don't look at the NWSL and I'm like, oh, you know, like, I want them to succeed.
And I hope that, like, they want us to succeed because at the end of the day,
it's providing more opportunities for players to play in the United States.
Yeah, that's amazingly well put. And kind
of going off for that a little bit you have played overseas you
know how can you kind of compare your experience in Portugal to so
(26:17):
far you're you know comparing the two pro clubs that you've been at yeah I
think it's interesting when I was in Portugal obviously that league is
growing a lot you know they've got some excellent representation in Champions
League with Benfica and now Sporting I think the parity overseas is a lot higher
between top and bottom but I think again it's a league that's growing And so
(26:39):
my experience was really positive for the most part.
Obviously, there's growing pains everywhere, especially like in a lot of European leagues.
You know, I think when you look at the States, we very much know what's right
and what's wrong and what resources players need.
And I think a lot of that is driven by what players have access to at the collegiate
level. I think so many U.S.
(27:00):
Players are used to a really high standard of care and access to things in college.
So then I think when a lot of players go overseas and it's not quite the same,
it's like, well, this is a professional league, but I have less than when I was in college.
And so I think now coming back to the States, you're given that same level of
(27:20):
resources again. So I think that's really exciting for players that doesn't
have to be a drop off in terms of what you're getting on the other end,
if that makes sense. Yeah, absolutely.
And so, so far, you've been in Spokane for a month, month and a half now.
What do you think it is about Spokane that makes that team special?
Yeah, I think we have like a really wonderful front office and ownership group.
(27:45):
I think they're just such genuine people.
Like I said, they want to do the right thing. And like they're really investing
in us as players and trying to do give us the things that we need to be successful.
It's really cool walking around town. There's like Spokane Zephyr stuff everywhere,
like like billboards and posters.
(28:06):
And I think that's really cool because I've never really experienced something like that.
And so I think the community is really excited for us to be here,
which is really special.
The men's side has obviously been going for a while now and they've had a great
response. So I'm really excited.
I think we'll get the same response and really excited for our home opener to
kind of see and interact with the fans and the community.
(28:28):
And speaking of, you have your home opener this Saturday, the 17th against Fort Lauderdale.
Going into that game, what excites you about the team and the players that you
have going into the start of the season?
Yeah, I think we have such a talented group, honestly.
Probably the most talented group I've played with in a while.
So many of us love to be on the ball, want the ball, want to possess while also
(28:53):
being aggressive going forward, which is fun.
I think the commitment is there from all of us. And it's interesting because
no one really knows what other teams are doing. So I think the first few games
is going to be really like an interesting chess match of figuring each other out.
And, you know, we don't have film on anyone. We don't have an idea of what formations
(29:13):
people are running. So it's really going to be a test of like.
Who knows themselves and who can execute the things that they want to do.
And at the end of the day, work harder than the other team too. That's so great to hear.
So moving forward, obviously home opener, like you said, you kind of,
it's unknown about who your opponents are, what they're doing and everything like that.
But what are your guys' within your team's expectation for the first year in
(29:36):
general, not only for your team, but for the Super League in its inaugural season?
Yeah, I think it's so hard to set expectations, but
I think all of us our competitors we obviously want to win as many games as
possible a lot of it is about like setting short-term goals for ourselves of
what what what team do we want to be in the first month of the season the next
(29:57):
month the month after and kind of riding the wave of the way the season progresses.
Our schedule we're extremely home heavy on
the front half and then we're away probably the
last you know bit of the fall here so
I think for us it's about managing that
as well and kind of seeing you know can we
(30:19):
make a strong homestand and then going on the road what do we need to do
so I think everything will kind of evolve as as we get started but for the most
part you know we're competitive we want to win and we want to play our best
soccer at each time we step on the field so kind of beating that previous best
yeah that's amazing to hear and I think my final question is just like overall
(30:39):
you know you finally get to play back in the U.S.
Like you said back in front of that home fan base what does
the start of this new league kind of mean to you and what has it meant to you
so far yeah I keep like as we've gone through preseason and kind of have the
hardships and the tough times or whatever it's like just having the gratitude
that we're able to be here is crazy.
(31:03):
A year ago, this did not exist.
And I think it was funny. I saw a tweet on Twitter about the US women winning gold.
And it was like, the last time they won gold, there wasn't even an established league or something.
I would need to look it up to find it. No, that makes sense though,
because it would have been 2012 and the NWSL was hurt till 2013.
(31:24):
So that makes a lot of sense. And so now looking forward and there's two established
leagues and that many more opportunities for players to play like almost giving
me chills like I just think of how many talented players there are that like
there are in the States and they either go overseas and kind of,
you know, go through that.
(31:45):
Exercise like jumping club to club or not having the stability over there or
not being treated right or paid well.
And now I think about how many players get the opportunity to come back and like play.
And it's just awesome. Like I think the league, like the States needed this
because of how many talented players we have and how many players don't continue
their careers because there's not something that's the right fit for them.
(32:08):
So I think just being able to be a part of the inaugural
season is so special and like I think just being
grateful for it above all is is the approach
I'm taking so yeah that is so amazing Jenny thank you so much for spending a
little bit of your morning with us I know we greatly appreciate it as we kind
of explore and for everyone it's Peacock right that USL Super League games are
(32:30):
on all right perfect so streaming games on Peacock helping support this new
league and we're so so excited about it so I'm once again Again,
so thankful for both Shy and Jenny for sitting down with me and discussing their
experiences so far in the Super League.
I think, you know, with both of them playing overseas and now coming into the
USL, it kind of brings a whole new perspective on what the league can be.
(32:52):
And all I know is that I'm excited to see it and watch.
So as we've talked about, games kick off this weekend for all Super League teams.
All games will be streamed on Peacock. So, but all, like all your teams have social media.
The USL Super League is super active on social media, you know,
sharing all that stuff. And I don't know, I'm just, I'm excited to watch them football.
(33:13):
How are you, Jordan, though? You're in the heat of preseason, first game on Thursday.
What are you thinking about that? lot yeah I'm super
excited you know it's I think a little
bit nostalgic here as we go through it thinking about past three
years as we go through these meetings and scouts and watching the
freshmen grow and kind of assimilate into our program and as we get ready for
(33:35):
our first official game and my last first game you know I have a lot of feelings
and a lot of emotions around it but mainly I'm just excited I'm excited for
the season to start I'm excited to get into it preseason is very long, very stressful.
I think once you're into games and you have a little something to actually play
for in terms of scorelines and things of that nature, it's a lot more exciting, a lot more real.
(33:59):
I think we got a good group this year. I'm very optimistic into what we can
do with a whole new league, essentially, with the Big Ten now having four new
teams and just being prepared for what that's going to look like.
Speaking of, not only has national rankings dropped, but also Big Ten rankings
dropped today as we record these as a team. How are you feeling about them?
(34:21):
You know, I think it's something where you look at them and it's nice to have
that recognition for what you did last year.
But that's really all it is. It's recognition for the team that happened and that was last year.
Because as of today, we have done nothing yet as Michigan State women's soccer team.
We have not won a game or anything of that nature. you
(34:42):
so well I think it's nice to
have it it also kind of puts a target on your back in some ways where
you're used to being the underdogs in a lot of scenarios these
past three years growing the program and now
there's kind of a target on our back being backs back big 10 champs having a
national ranking you know there's there's mixed feelings about it it is nice
it's nice to see it's nice to post it's nice to look at but I think it's something
(35:04):
that you kind of get out of your mind really quickly because all that matters
is the ranking at the end of the year and end of the the season. Absolutely.
Yeah. And so season kicks off for all of college athletics this Thursday games start to go.
So we will start providing even more updates on teams that we think look hot
teams, you know, big matchups, all these things that we're seeing.
(35:26):
And we have so many exciting interviews coming up as well.
And I'm so, so excited for the future
of what this college season and professional season now have to hold.
Absolutely. Speaking of professional season, Sam, how's yours going?
Season's going well, actually. We had our first start back from our little summer
(35:46):
break and we played at...
In sweden and they are a top four
team we were sitting in fifth and came home
with three to one victory team looked really really sharp so
super excited to see and we're happy with our position with where we're at in
the table right now you know being a top five and almost bound skin really honestly
(36:07):
should be number four is super exciting especially when you look at top three
or champions league and our teams that go far in champions league and so there's
a lot to be really excited about. There's a lot to keep going.
And so the train's chugging here in Sweden and excited to be on the train,
excited to be going for a ride.
Absolutely. You know, I think it's becoming more and more cool every time I
(36:29):
talk about this podcast as season three comes out and you're in Sweden and you
have your home professional league going on.
And then you're talking about the Big Ten and just how much coverage there is
in women's sports, women's soccer. It's continuously reminding me how big the soccer world is.
And as we get into this interview and learn about the new leagues with the
USL you know the world just got a little bit bigger so I
think it's something super cool and I'm so happy that we got to do this today
(36:52):
yeah absolutely so like we said Peacock for all things USL Super League social
media Big Ten Network for all things Big Ten soccer and as always we will be
back next week and soccer on bye guys.
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Hi everyone and welcome back to The Big Life.
(01:06):
I know that this is an episode I'm super excited about and hoping we educate
our audience about some stuff that I know I learned for new,
but we'll get to that in a bit. Jordan, how are you?
I'm good, I'm good. You know, we're just getting ready for our first game here
against Notre Dame Thursday.
So excited for that and for the season to officially start. But I'm bummed I
(01:27):
missed this interview. It sounds like we learned some pretty amazing things.
Yeah. So in this episode, we really wanted to highlight the new USL Super League.
So as we all know, episodes drop of The Big Life on Thursday.
And then this weekend, as this episode drops, will be the first weekend of the USL Super League.
And I think for us, it's a really awesome moment went just to kind of learn
(01:49):
more as viewers. I feel like a brand new league in the U.S. can bring up so many questions.
So we got the amazing opportunity to speak to two different players in two different
markets, one in Spokane, Washington, and one in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
They actually play each other this weekend, so that'll be interesting to see.
But I think it was just great to learn about the USL kind of overall and talk
(02:10):
to them about their experiences.
Yeah, absolutely. Especially with it being so new, like you said,
there's a lot of questions surrounding it.
So any sort of insight, you know, is super helpful as we move forward into unknown
territory with this new league. Exactly.
We got the inside scoop here. But for our listeners, before we dive deep,
and we talk about it a bit in both interviews, but the USL Super League is a
(02:31):
league that is kicking off for its first season this year.
And I think it's kind of drummed up a lot of questions. So it's completely separate from the NWSL.
However, it is also considered by FIFA a tier one professional league,
meaning that it is at the same caliber,
hold players and facilities and staff to the same standards and a lot of different
(02:52):
regards in the behind the scenes of what a pro league should look like.
There are eight different teams, most of them being on the East Coast.
We have Spokane, Washington on the West Coast, and then we have Lexington,
Kentucky, Dallas, Texas, D.C., and then Brooklyn, Carolina, Tampa, and Fort Lauderdale.
(03:13):
So markets all over, hopefully one near you to check out some of these games,
as well as all games will be streamed on Peacock, which I think is going to
be a really cool opportunity to get viewership out there and kind of just expand the network.
But once again, we'll hear more about it in these amazing interviews.
Jordan, what do you think you're most excited for about a brand new league starting?
(03:34):
Yeah, I mean, I think any sort of opportunity for women to continue their professional
careers post-college is an amazing opportunity.
Right now, obviously, the main leader was the NWSL for a long time,
where you had the draft, they got the college kids, and that was kind of your
path if you wanted to stay in the United States.
So I'm excited for continued opportunity and to see kind of how the USL grows
(03:58):
how they compete with the NWSL and what this looks like moving forward so I
think it's super exciting I think.
Any opportunity is good especially in women's sports and as we learn these past
few years everyone watches women's sports so that's simple that's simple I mean
there's so much we could even talk about with I think I actually just saw a
tweet that the gold medal game this year
broke viewership for women's soccer records.
(04:20):
And so seeing things like that is just so inspiring. Like you said,
everyone watches women's sports.
And I think that's what the players in this league are really embracing is that
word opportunity and that they get to be back in their home soil.
They don't have to deal with the time difference that I sometimes deal with
and the missing a family and all that stuff.
So without further ado, I think we get into these interviews.
(04:41):
We are here with Shea-Ann Allen, the incredible left back for Fort Lauderdale.
And I am so, so thankful for you spending time with us.
You played collegiately last year, just finished your fifth year at Brown,
and then briefly went over to Portugal and had a stint playing in Portugal,
and then now have made it back to the USL Super League.
(05:01):
First question for you. If you're a soccer idiot that doesn't really pay attention,
and all of a sudden Fort Lauderdale comes up with a USL Super League team,
What is the Super League, or how would you describe it?
Yeah, thank you for the wonderful introduction.
Yeah, I would just say it's just like a chance. It's another professional league in America.
(05:22):
I think we have way too many good players in the U.S. who are coming out of
college, and the draft is definitely tough.
It's definitely intimidating, and I think it's great that we have a lot of girls wanting to go overseas,
but like I said we have so many great players
who want to stay here want to stay in America and NWSL
(05:45):
is super hard it's super stuff now with the USL coming in
it's like another opportunity for you know
players to actually play professionally you know in their
home country so I just say it's like first and
foremost it's an opportunity it's an awesome opportunity and
it's gonna be I think it's gonna be super big it's gonna
be really big and yeah hopefully gets traction
(06:05):
which I think it well so yeah that's so exciting your your
enthusiasm that's one of the main things we wanted to cover it is i feel like
there's people that look on there like on twitter on news pages and they have
their own opinions but when you hear from the players that their experience
and what they're feeling and that energy that catches on so i'm so so happy
you're sharing that yeah yeah of course as a player.
(06:26):
You see on social media, what, almost a year and a half ago that the USL Super
League is becoming a thing. What was your first reactions to it?
Kind of like what you said. I was a little skeptical of it.
You know, out of nowhere, I feel like it just came out of nowhere.
Just like a league coming up. And I'm like, how good could it really be?
You know, like, are players going to be taken care of? Like, just things like that.
(06:48):
So I was speaking with my agent a lot about it. And yeah, I honestly,
I thank God every day I made the decision, you know, to come to Fort Lauderdale,
because I feel like it's been a great it's we haven't even started or had our first game yet.
But I feel like everything's been so perfect already, specifically in Fort Lauderdale.
Like we're just doing a lot to satisfy. They're doing a lot to satisfy the needs of the players.
(07:10):
And I think that's so important, especially with a new and budding league.
League you need to make sure your players are satisfied and uh
I feel like I I'm so overwhelmed with happiness about
this decision because like I feel like I've been
you know I'm getting what I want and more you know especially like I'm getting
like the great soccer aspect we just scrimmaged Tampa also which was an intense
(07:31):
match and like the competition is there the players are there so I think my
my initial thoughts beforehand were definitely you know changed of course so yeah Yeah,
that is so amazing to hear. And let's get into that experience a little bit more.
When about did you get to Fort Lauderdale and what have those early weeks of
a preseason kind of been like?
Yeah, I got to Fort Lauderdale July 1st or no, June 30th.
(07:58):
And we had like a week on our own.
Like I moved into my house and yeah, we had a week on our own.
I got close with the girls.
We went to the beach and stuff on 4th of July. It was really fun, really awesome.
We had fitness testing that Saturday. And then that next coming,
that Monday after the fitness test was our first day of preseason.
(08:21):
And definitely some intense training sessions, but it's been great.
It's really been great. I think we have a really solid group,
a good group. The competition is great.
And yeah, I feel like,
I don't know. It feels like this league has already been established for so
long, the way like everything's been organized and, you know,
our scheduling has been awesome. The staff has been great.
(08:45):
And yeah, I just feel like everything's really put together and it's moving smoothly.
That's so awesome to hear. And speaking of Fort Lauderdale specifically,
you've been with the team, with the group.
What do you think is going to be special about your guys' team going into this
inaugural season? season. Yeah, we're a young group.
I will say we're a young group, but I think we have a lot of drive and enthusiasm
(09:08):
to win and to just prove ourselves.
You know, a lot of us, a couple of us, this is our first professional team.
So I think we're all just super excited to get started and get going and like
having that, you know, like this is a new team for them. Like they're coming from college teams.
And I think just being on a new team in a new environment, it's really exciting.
And just there's a lot going on.
(09:30):
As for the experience that we do have on the team, I think, especially like
me coming from Portugal, it's just it's really fresh.
It's like I know I feel like it was it was awesome, like, you know,
traveling a little bit and all that.
But, you know, it's good to be home sometime and sometimes and like to feel
like this environment, this high, this high intensity environment is in your back door.
(09:52):
You know, it's awesome to have. So I think we're just all super excited.
And to get the ball rolling, we really want to make a statement in the league.
And I think we can do that, especially with the players we have and,
you know, the passion we already have.
And it's only like we've only been here for a month. So, yeah. Yeah.
Oh my gosh. And so speaking of that, you did play overseas a little bit and
(10:13):
not that it's necessarily even able to compare the two experiences,
but what do you think has made your experience in Fort Lauderdale almost either
extra special or that you've noticed because of your experience playing overseas as well?
I'm not, I think, I think I would say because it's a newer league,
I, our staff is really trying to keep us,
you know, happy and they're trying to like work hard with us
(10:35):
and not that I wasn't happy in Portugal of
course but because it's you know you know like
just things like it's an older league you know and I mean it's not actually
League of BPI isn't even that old but like just like these teams are already
established and like they have you know certain criteria of what they do and
like just the normal there in this league especially at Fort Lauderdale we're
(10:57):
trying to create a new normal because it's a new league.
So I think they're working really hard to satisfy our needs and to just make
sure that we're happy and make sure everything's running smoothly.
So yeah, I think we're just...
Trying to hit our perfectionism, I would say.
I think we're trying to, you know, hit that level, like see reach out,
(11:17):
see how high we can reach. Yeah.
Yeah. And so kind of going off of that, you know, one thing that the USL when
they first announced the Super League was really advertising is that they have
the ability to learn from the long tenure of women's soccer in the US,
but also around the world and kind of make the league better by learning from
past potential failures.
Yeah. Yeah. You're super happy in that regard. guard. How has that kind of experience
(11:41):
been for you as a player specifically working with the USL and Fort Lauderdale?
Yeah, I would say I think it starts in our facilities. We have a really good
network of facilities right now.
We have everything in one little bubble. And it's really awesome.
We have like our locker rooms here, our weight rooms here, our training room,
(12:01):
we have a cafeteria, everything that you could possibly want is just,
you know, in this like little bubble.
And it's it's really awesome to have. It's really awesome to see.
I think there's a lot of times with teams, like they're having to travel to
different locations in order to, you know, lift or even train.
So I think that's one, at least for my experience, especially like between Portugal
(12:23):
and here, I feel like I did have to travel a little bit for training sessions.
My training sessions were also super late at night. And I think it's just accommodating
to, like I've been saying, like the players need. So yeah.
No, that's so exciting. And I think because of that, you know,
in my experience, you feel like a true professional.
You feel valued in that environment. And when you have that, you want to compete.
(12:44):
Exactly. Exactly. I feel like, like you said, I, you feel like a real professional,
you know, like this is my job, like this is my job and yeah,
you feel valued. So you, you put it in the perfect words.
Okay. So speaking a bit about competition, you gave us a little teaser.
Obviously there was a scrimmage against Tampa that went one,
one between you two earlier.
And your first First official game is this weekend on Saturday at Spokane.
(13:08):
Can you talk a little bit about like what the feeling is going to game one of the USL?
Yeah, we're super excited. I think there's like today in training,
we had like a very like competition heavy game just like, you know,
to get our gears turning and like, getting us like excited, excited for like
the just going at someone like for real this time, like, of course,
like scrimmages are scrimmages, they're helpful.
(13:30):
They're learning basis is their trial and error, you know, but now this is the real deal.
And like we want to like we like I said, we want to make a statement.
And I think we're just working on that mentality throughout this week.
I think leading up to now it's been great but
now is where we really start you know putting the
needle down and just like putting our heads down and focusing on
(13:51):
our next opponent and we're focused we're ready to go that's awesome so kind
of about focusing on the next opponent you've scrimmaged Tampa obviously they're
relatively close in location but how do you go about a league where no one has
still won anyone no one really knows what other clubs are up to like what is that kind of the energy,
I guess, going into season with a lot of unknowns on the table.
(14:14):
Yeah, there are a lot of unknowns and our coaches have been,
you know, just like driving the point that we're here to focus on ourselves right about now.
As long as we're doing what we need to do, we should see the results.
If we're playing on the game plan and like just working hard on ourselves,
(14:34):
you know, the results should show we'll get what we need to see, you know?
So So, yeah, I think it's almost weird because I keep going.
Okay, are we going to see, like, when's film? Like, when are we going to see, like, how Bocan plays?
Or how are we going to adjust to how they play? But I'm not getting that,
obviously. Like, being used to, like, you know,
(14:56):
established leagues and like having film on them or even in
college when you're able to just see our past film from
like previous years we don't have that so i think
it's also really exciting to just like go
in freshly and not too much is on your mind you can just play so yeah no it's
really cool and you've kind of hit the nail on your head the thing that stood
(15:17):
out to me about the fort lauderdale roster is like you said so many of you guys
are in your first year of a pro You have standouts like you who graduated from college in December,
Celia Gaynor, Gianna Gurley, just a couple names coming to my head right now.
What do you think your identity as Fort Lauderdale is going to be as you go into the season?
Yeah, we've been talking about this. We've been doing a lot of workshops regarding
(15:40):
our culture and who we want to be as a team on and off the field.
First and foremost, we just want to have a super gritty mentality.
Mentality and like we want people to be
scared to play us you know like just want us to know like oh god
we want them to say okay we're playing Fort Lauderdale we
gotta like really like gear up today like you know
so I think we just want to have that goal scoring dog
(16:03):
mentality you know on the attacking side of
things and then also on the defensive side of things we
just want to be locked down and you know if the
ball does get through it's not going into the back of the
net like what are we going to do anything we can to stop that ball from
getting into the back of the net again a dog mentality I would
I we we have been talking about this a lot and it's been great because
(16:24):
we're such a we're a new team in a new league we're able to curate the culture
that we want and we've been doing a lot of culture work so and I think it's
going to great use where we're super close team already the chemistry is really
and it's really great I haven't been on a team like this since college.
And I know I say since college, but it was just last December.
(16:46):
But still, it feels it feels really special. I think this is a really special
group. And yeah, I think we're going to make some big things happen.
So USL as a whole, you know, broaden out a little bit.
What do you think this inaugural season for the USL can do to women's soccer in our country? Yeah.
First and foremost, I think it's going to get a lot of people watching soccer.
(17:09):
This is the first Fort Lauderdale is the first professional team in South Florida.
And we already get so many people, you know, asking us questions,
wanting to come to games.
Like we're just walking around in our gear and like people are coming up to us like super excited.
I think it's just it's gonna it's just gonna get
a lot of people you know watching our games watching women's soccer in
general getting them excited and then on the other side of
(17:31):
things there's people who already play soccer there's young girls all
over South Florida excited to see a professional team you know in their backyard
you know it's really it's really cool to see we've had a couple of open scrimmages
and the young girls coming out wanting to take pictures with us it's awesome
really I it kind of brings me back to when I was a kid and the one chance I
(17:52):
I would get to see the U.S.
National team playing in Philadelphia. I'm from Delaware, so it's hard to see
some games out there, but like they would definitely pop out to Philadelphia
so I can, you know, come down the street.
And I feel like those were once in a lifetime type of ideas that I used to have.
But now I think there's more of an opportunity for younger girls to see professional
players and they can say, OK, I can do that, too.
(18:15):
I can do that. Like, I'm able to do that, especially now there's even more avenues
to do that with the NWSL and the USL coming together.
So, yeah, it's awesome.
And so you kind of brought up my next question. I don't want to be negative
by any means, but naturally you see on social media, you're going to see the
people like, oh, like, we don't need another league like the NWSL.
(18:35):
Like, why are we creating a backpack league?
Like all of these things that I feel like we have maybe seen or whatever.
Like, what do you say to the people that have negative doubts about the USL?
Yeah, I would just say, why are you upset about more opportunities?
You know, like, I think I think it's really great.
We can trade players from the NWSL to the USL and vice versa. You never know.
(18:58):
Like, I feel like there's lots of people who have lost opportunities because
of things like the draft and like the politics of the NWSL.
The USL is a great avenue for them to start and then make their way up, make that jump.
I think it's like I've been saying, it's going to be a really competitive league.
And there's some really good players here.
So I think there's no harm in having, you know, even another like there's professional
(19:22):
leagues all over the world.
And we might as well have another one, you know, there's no harm at all.
And the USL has made it very clear that their intentions are for next year to
even add potentially four more expansion teams and keep growing,
you know, based on how they see success.
What do you think the USL could look like in three to five years?
(19:43):
Yeah, I think it could look, I don't want to use the NWSL as a,
you know, a pinpoint, but like it could, it could look like the NWSL.
It could look better than the NWSL.
I think with so much coverage of the league, I think it'll just,
it'll only grow bigger and bigger.
And there's so many girls being able to not have to resort to going overseas
(20:05):
because the NWSL isn't really an option for them. with the USL here.
We could keep more girls in America, keep them playing here.
And just that's how the league gets bigger and bigger, you know? So, yeah.
Oh, that's awesome. And speaking of coverage, you can watch all games on Peacock
for the USL Super League.
What does it mean just to kind of have like that big of a big ticket buy-in
(20:27):
to like be able to watch games?
And I feel like easily find games where that's something that there's been issue
before is how do you even watch women's soccer in the country?
Yeah, exactly. That was a big thing in Portugal. It was super hard to send my
parents the link to games because, you know, it's like through some,
it's either on YouTube, it's not on YouTube.
It's It's like streamed on the weird site that they can't even get to, you know.
(20:50):
I think it's amazing. It's only going to grow the league being on Peacock.
And I think it shows the players that we're valued. Again, like you said earlier,
it shows that we're being valued.
And I think it's great. I think it means well. It really means well because
of the fact that we have this partnership with Peacock.
(21:10):
It's good signs that the USL is here to stay and we can make these statements, you know. I love it.
Well, Shai, your energy is incredible.
It's exactly what we want people to hear about the USL.
We have markets all over. We have one very small one on the West Coast in Spokane
and a lot on the East Coast.
Looking to balance that soon. But I'm so, so thankful for you spending your
(21:34):
time with us and sharing your insights. It's been absolutely amazing.
Yeah, of course, Sam. Thank you for having me. It's been great.
It's been nice talking with you. Awesome.
Thank you so much, shy for sitting down and spending so much time with me and
talking about the Super League in general.
I think that your energy is so contagious about what you think this league can potentially bring.
And I think it really shows the opportunity that this is.
(21:57):
And so as a player myself overseas, I was super excited to hear that you've
had a positive experience.
And now let's move on to Jenny Better, who's going to talk about her experience
in Spokane, Washington.
Both players Bears will actually face off this Saturday on Peacock,
like we kind of talked about.
So super excited and so thankful for your time, Shai. And now let's hear from Jenny.
(22:19):
So I am here with the incredible Jenny Vedder, who took her time to be with
us today. And I'm really excited to kind of talk to you about your story.
So you played college at Minnesota State in Mankato, where you're from,
and then went to play pro in Portugal, and now have found your way back in the
USL Super League at Spokane, Washington.
So how has that journey been to get where you are right now?
(22:42):
Yeah, I think it's like, become pretty full circle to me now being back in the in the States.
You know, coming out of a D2 university, you don't always know what's out there
in terms of your exposure level and options available to you.
So I was pretty lucky that I got the opportunity to play overseas and kind of
grow my game a little bit and then to have the opportunity to come back home
(23:05):
and play in front of, you know, American fans and be a part of a new league.
I think it's just really exciting.
Yeah. So as a player that, you know, has played overseas and in college in the U.S.
What was your initial reaction when you heard that the USL, this brand new league
in the U.S. was starting?
Yeah, honestly, my first reaction was like apprehension of like,
(23:25):
what is this? Is it going to be stable?
Is the level of competition going to be high enough to where I'm going to keep
getting better and keep growing as a player?
But then I think as it kind of developed and you start hearing about it and
talking with clubs, I know I was really impressed with Spokane's values and
kind of the way that they were going about things.
(23:46):
And I think they want to do the right things and treat people the right way,
which, as we know, the history of women's soccer in the United States, that's not always done.
So I think that's really what brought me to Spokane in general is just like,
knowing I'm going to be taken care of and treated like a person before just
like a business asset as a player.
(24:07):
Yeah, well, that makes a lot of sense. And so So when specifically did you report
to Spokane and how has the first like couple of weeks, month-ish been so far as a player?
Yeah, so we kind of got kicked off in the beginning of July.
So kind of have about a six-week preseason to our first game,
which is now in a week, which is super exciting.
(24:28):
Yeah, I think, you know, the first
couple of weeks with basically being an expansion side, everyone is new.
No one knows each other. Maybe there are some connections here and there,
but I think the first couple of weeks was really spent building those connections
and chemistry and like, oh, this player likes to do this on the ball or make
this movement off the ball, defends this way.
So I think building those connections was super important for us early on.
(24:51):
And now we're able to kind of get into the weeds with our tactics and whatnot
as we look forward to our home opener. Yeah, absolutely.
So naturally, when you start a new league, I think that there's so many amazing
benefits that the USL is providing. But you have the people on Twitter that
are saying, oh, well, this is just, you know, beating the NWSL.
Like, what is this like in your experience so far being there?
(25:13):
Like, what would you say to those kind of people?
I think the one thing I'll say is like, we're not trying to compete with the NWSL.
I know that that's thrown around a lot, but like, I believe like if women's
sports and women's soccer is going where we think it is, there's plenty of space
for both leagues to coexist and for fans to enjoy both leagues.
(25:33):
I don't think it has to be a thing where, oh, I'm an NWSL supporter,
so I can't watch Super League games.
Like, I just think that if you like soccer, this is just providing more soccer
and the the ability for more fans to go to games and, you know,
inspire the next generation of girls.
So I would just say, like, we're not looking at it as competing as players.
(25:57):
Like, I don't look at the NWSL and I'm like, oh, you know, like, I want them to succeed.
And I hope that, like, they want us to succeed because at the end of the day,
it's providing more opportunities for players to play in the United States.
Yeah, that's amazingly well put. And kind
of going off for that a little bit you have played overseas you
know how can you kind of compare your experience in Portugal to so
(26:17):
far you're you know comparing the two pro clubs that you've been at yeah I
think it's interesting when I was in Portugal obviously that league is
growing a lot you know they've got some excellent representation in Champions
League with Benfica and now Sporting I think the parity overseas is a lot higher
between top and bottom but I think again it's a league that's growing And so
(26:39):
my experience was really positive for the most part.
Obviously, there's growing pains everywhere, especially like in a lot of European leagues.
You know, I think when you look at the States, we very much know what's right
and what's wrong and what resources players need.
And I think a lot of that is driven by what players have access to at the collegiate
level. I think so many U.S.
(27:00):
Players are used to a really high standard of care and access to things in college.
So then I think when a lot of players go overseas and it's not quite the same,
it's like, well, this is a professional league, but I have less than when I was in college.
And so I think now coming back to the States, you're given that same level of
(27:20):
resources again. So I think that's really exciting for players that doesn't
have to be a drop off in terms of what you're getting on the other end,
if that makes sense. Yeah, absolutely.
And so, so far, you've been in Spokane for a month, month and a half now.
What do you think it is about Spokane that makes that team special?
Yeah, I think we have like a really wonderful front office and ownership group.
(27:45):
I think they're just such genuine people.
Like I said, they want to do the right thing. And like they're really investing
in us as players and trying to do give us the things that we need to be successful.
It's really cool walking around town. There's like Spokane Zephyr stuff everywhere,
like like billboards and posters.
(28:06):
And I think that's really cool because I've never really experienced something like that.
And so I think the community is really excited for us to be here,
which is really special.
The men's side has obviously been going for a while now and they've had a great
response. So I'm really excited.
I think we'll get the same response and really excited for our home opener to
kind of see and interact with the fans and the community.
(28:28):
And speaking of, you have your home opener this Saturday, the 17th against Fort Lauderdale.
Going into that game, what excites you about the team and the players that you
have going into the start of the season?
Yeah, I think we have such a talented group, honestly.
Probably the most talented group I've played with in a while.
So many of us love to be on the ball, want the ball, want to possess while also
(28:53):
being aggressive going forward, which is fun.
I think the commitment is there from all of us. And it's interesting because
no one really knows what other teams are doing. So I think the first few games
is going to be really like an interesting chess match of figuring each other out.
And, you know, we don't have film on anyone. We don't have an idea of what formations
(29:13):
people are running. So it's really going to be a test of like.
Who knows themselves and who can execute the things that they want to do.
And at the end of the day, work harder than the other team too. That's so great to hear.
So moving forward, obviously home opener, like you said, you kind of,
it's unknown about who your opponents are, what they're doing and everything like that.
But what are your guys' within your team's expectation for the first year in
(29:36):
general, not only for your team, but for the Super League in its inaugural season?
Yeah, I think it's so hard to set expectations, but
I think all of us our competitors we obviously want to win as many games as
possible a lot of it is about like setting short-term goals for ourselves of
what what what team do we want to be in the first month of the season the next
(29:57):
month the month after and kind of riding the wave of the way the season progresses.
Our schedule we're extremely home heavy on
the front half and then we're away probably the
last you know bit of the fall here so
I think for us it's about managing that
as well and kind of seeing you know can we
(30:19):
make a strong homestand and then going on the road what do we need to do
so I think everything will kind of evolve as as we get started but for the most
part you know we're competitive we want to win and we want to play our best
soccer at each time we step on the field so kind of beating that previous best
yeah that's amazing to hear and I think my final question is just like overall
(30:39):
you know you finally get to play back in the U.S.
Like you said back in front of that home fan base what does
the start of this new league kind of mean to you and what has it meant to you
so far yeah I keep like as we've gone through preseason and kind of have the
hardships and the tough times or whatever it's like just having the gratitude
that we're able to be here is crazy.
(31:03):
A year ago, this did not exist.
And I think it was funny. I saw a tweet on Twitter about the US women winning gold.
And it was like, the last time they won gold, there wasn't even an established league or something.
I would need to look it up to find it. No, that makes sense though,
because it would have been 2012 and the NWSL was hurt till 2013.
(31:24):
So that makes a lot of sense. And so now looking forward and there's two established
leagues and that many more opportunities for players to play like almost giving
me chills like I just think of how many talented players there are that like
there are in the States and they either go overseas and kind of,
you know, go through that.
(31:45):
Exercise like jumping club to club or not having the stability over there or
not being treated right or paid well.
And now I think about how many players get the opportunity to come back and like play.
And it's just awesome. Like I think the league, like the States needed this
because of how many talented players we have and how many players don't continue
their careers because there's not something that's the right fit for them.
(32:08):
So I think just being able to be a part of the inaugural
season is so special and like I think just being
grateful for it above all is is the approach
I'm taking so yeah that is so amazing Jenny thank you so much for spending a
little bit of your morning with us I know we greatly appreciate it as we kind
of explore and for everyone it's Peacock right that USL Super League games are
(32:30):
on all right perfect so streaming games on Peacock helping support this new
league and we're so so excited about it so I'm once again Again,
so thankful for both Shy and Jenny for sitting down with me and discussing their
experiences so far in the Super League.
I think, you know, with both of them playing overseas and now coming into the
USL, it kind of brings a whole new perspective on what the league can be.
(32:52):
And all I know is that I'm excited to see it and watch.
So as we've talked about, games kick off this weekend for all Super League teams.
All games will be streamed on Peacock. So, but all, like all your teams have social media.
The USL Super League is super active on social media, you know,
sharing all that stuff. And I don't know, I'm just, I'm excited to watch them football.
(33:13):
How are you, Jordan, though? You're in the heat of preseason, first game on Thursday.
What are you thinking about that? lot yeah I'm super
excited you know it's I think a little
bit nostalgic here as we go through it thinking about past three
years as we go through these meetings and scouts and watching the
freshmen grow and kind of assimilate into our program and as we get ready for
(33:35):
our first official game and my last first game you know I have a lot of feelings
and a lot of emotions around it but mainly I'm just excited I'm excited for
the season to start I'm excited to get into it preseason is very long, very stressful.
I think once you're into games and you have a little something to actually play
for in terms of scorelines and things of that nature, it's a lot more exciting, a lot more real.
(33:59):
I think we got a good group this year. I'm very optimistic into what we can
do with a whole new league, essentially, with the Big Ten now having four new
teams and just being prepared for what that's going to look like.
Speaking of, not only has national rankings dropped, but also Big Ten rankings
dropped today as we record these as a team. How are you feeling about them?
(34:21):
You know, I think it's something where you look at them and it's nice to have
that recognition for what you did last year.
But that's really all it is. It's recognition for the team that happened and that was last year.
Because as of today, we have done nothing yet as Michigan State women's soccer team.
We have not won a game or anything of that nature. you
(34:42):
so well I think it's nice to
have it it also kind of puts a target on your back in some ways where
you're used to being the underdogs in a lot of scenarios these
past three years growing the program and now
there's kind of a target on our back being backs back big 10 champs having a
national ranking you know there's there's mixed feelings about it it is nice
it's nice to see it's nice to post it's nice to look at but I think it's something
(35:04):
that you kind of get out of your mind really quickly because all that matters
is the ranking at the end of the year and end of the the season. Absolutely.
Yeah. And so season kicks off for all of college athletics this Thursday games start to go.
So we will start providing even more updates on teams that we think look hot
teams, you know, big matchups, all these things that we're seeing.
(35:26):
And we have so many exciting interviews coming up as well.
And I'm so, so excited for the future
of what this college season and professional season now have to hold.
Absolutely. Speaking of professional season, Sam, how's yours going?
Season's going well, actually. We had our first start back from our little summer
(35:46):
break and we played at...
In sweden and they are a top four
team we were sitting in fifth and came home
with three to one victory team looked really really sharp so
super excited to see and we're happy with our position with where we're at in
the table right now you know being a top five and almost bound skin really honestly
(36:07):
should be number four is super exciting especially when you look at top three
or champions league and our teams that go far in champions league and so there's
a lot to be really excited about. There's a lot to keep going.
And so the train's chugging here in Sweden and excited to be on the train,
excited to be going for a ride.
Absolutely. You know, I think it's becoming more and more cool every time I
(36:29):
talk about this podcast as season three comes out and you're in Sweden and you
have your home professional league going on.
And then you're talking about the Big Ten and just how much coverage there is
in women's sports, women's soccer. It's continuously reminding me how big the soccer world is.
And as we get into this interview and learn about the new leagues with the
USL you know the world just got a little bit bigger so I
think it's something super cool and I'm so happy that we got to do this today
(36:52):
yeah absolutely so like we said Peacock for all things USL Super League social
media Big Ten Network for all things Big Ten soccer and as always we will be
back next week and soccer on bye guys.
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