SoccerWise - Meghan Klingenberg & Kristen Hamilton (KC Current) Interview Special

Episode Date: October 22, 2025

It is the best time of the year as fall is upon us and the playoffs are on the verge of kicking off in NWSL. But with an international break coming in Soccerwise has put together a special episode. The crew interviews two of their favorites in Kling & Kristen. First Kling talks about what it takes to win a championship in NWSL, the friends she has made along the way, and soccer in the great state of Pennsylvania! Then Kristen comes on to reminisce about her trophy laden career on the verge of her retirement (and potential next trophy) in KC. This episode has it all from Nonnas to mom jokes and everything in between.2:40 NWSL Top News Update6:30 Meghan Klingenberg Interview45:45 Kristen Hamilton Interview

Hey, everybody, welcome back to Soccer Wise. Davagos here with a special episode. We'll hear about it as we go through the episode. But Jordan is away in Portugal. We are in an international break right now. So no NWSL coming up this week. weekend. We have one game left in the regular season. We are getting ready for the playoffs. But of course, that means we have a bunch of international games coming up. So we talked to some

special guests. We have Megan Klingenberg on, former U.S. Women's National Team player herself, a World Cup winner, a multi-time champion in NWSL, and one of my co-hosts on the U.S. soccer podcast right now. We are going to talk to her all about her career, what it takes. to win in NWSL and really get behind in the mindset of what the KC. Current are currently experiencing of dominant in a regular season and now pushing into a title. We will talk about her time in the national team, her time as a pro, the people she has met across her career. We'll talk about this current crop of U.S. women's national team players and what, especially these players that are pushing in for the first time, the Michelle Cooper, Zemaseer, Lily Johannes,

Olivia Moultry, these young players, what's going on in their, heads in their experience. And then we will talk about Pennsylvania, which is our 50th state and the home originally of Kling as well. And then we've got a great interview that we pre-recorded before Jordan left with Kristen Hamilton, who is one of a very few players who have won for NWSL Shield. She has done so across three different clubs currently on the books with the Casey current, but headed to retirement at the end of this season and has the chance to, lockdown one more championship this year as the number one seat so we talked all about her career the shifts she has seen in the league the experience of being a player what it takes to win what

has been successful with all these teams she has been on and of course the coffee shop that she started with six of her teammates which has become a staple in kansas city and maybe some breadcrumbs in there about it expanding as well we will be back with our normal show next week helping get you previewed as we head into the final week of the NWSL season, as well as reacting and recapping everything we see in the international windows. Reminder, the U.S. women's national team is playing in Pennsylvania, which is why they are our 50th state, to start this week of international games, and then they will head to Kansas City, actually, and of course be very familiar with Kristen Hamilton, and where she is playing

and where she is located at CPKC Stadium. A lot of games to follow Women's Afcon is coming up as well with some big qualifiers. The news coming out that Temwa Shawinga will not be a part of Malawi's games after she went down with an injury in the latest NWSL match window. Fingers crossed that she will be available for the playoffs. Be heartbreaking for her, the season she's had and her ability and opportunity on the biggest stage to show herself. and, of course, win a championship. It would be so brutal to see that taken away. And, of course, for KC, the team and the players and the fans and the city to not be able

to see the best player in the league in the biggest games of the season, but it's something that we will keep monitoring and we will keep talking about going forward. Some of the big results from last weekend, if you missed it at all. Seattle with a huge win on Friday night over Utah who have been the hottest team. and North Carolina with the goal-scoring explosion. Four goals against Bay FC. Monaca, the youngest player in NWSL history to score a hat trick, and it was desperately needed for this North Carolina team

if they were going to get this one last shot at the playoffs. They got a little bit closer to the line as Louisville tied 2-2 against Gotham FC. Not a bad result on the face of it. Of course, Gotham, a tough team to play. and a big game for Louisville, but Louisville, as we said, had the toughest run in towards the end of the season, and it only gets harder with the pressure coming on for this final weekend. It was a heartbreaking Rose Lavelle equalizer in the 86th minute to take the win away from Louisville and make things just a little bit tighter for them in the standing. So Louisville

going into the final game of the season, two points ahead of North Carolina, and that is going to be the playoff race that we are going to be watching for as Gotham in seventh place have clinched their playoff spot. And that means that there is only one playoff spot left to play for Louisville playing against Bay FC and North Carolina playing against Gotham. As we have talked about time and again, though, with the points so tight, Gotham could finish anywhere from third to six. That means Orlando, Seattle, San Diego, and Portland have everything to play for on the final weekend of the regular season in NWSL. That's coming up on November 2nd, talking about goal scoring explorations.

Orlando come from behind win at Washington, a 3-2 victory, Marta inspiring them out of the halftime whistle immediately forces an own goal and helps push her team forward for a big road victory and the San Diego wave 6-1 winners over the Chicago stars. A little bit of off-field controversy there. Ella Masser, frustrated with San Diego's actions around some of the stoppages. And it felt like San Diego, I think in her mind, with already a three, four-goal lead, were maybe overly aggressive more than they had to be in a game that was clearly already decided. But it was a relief for San Diego to finally see the ball hit the back of the net

and to do so a couple times. It pushes them all the way up to fifth place in the league. So enjoy all the national team games and let's go to Megan Klingenberg right now. Well, I am so excited about our next segment. It is going to be the biggest interview we have ever done here at Soccer Wise. We have, with us,

someone who needs no introduction, but I will do it anyway. 75 caps, three goals, one World Cup, two shields, two championships from Pittsburgh to the galaxy, Megan Klingenberg. Oh my God. I didn't expect that.

that, but I loved it. For anyone who needs contacts, Megan Klinberg, of course, one of the great soccer players in world history, but also currently my co-host at the U.S. soccer podcast. We did a live show in Texas. We had our producer writ up the introduction, had you down as the one introing Landon Donovan with all his stats, all his accolades, and you memorized it and you crushed it. Thank you. Thank you very much. I did. I was a little bit, you know, nervous about it at first.

And you're like, no, you know what, I'll take it. I was like, no, I have practiced the hell out of this. And I will be introing Landon Donovan. Thank you very much. It was also classic partnerships up where I was like, I'll do it, but I just wouldn't have done it. I just would have said, like, legend, Landon Donovan. I just would have done that. And you were like, no, I've already memorized the whole thing.

And I was like, oh, okay, you've put way more work into this, which I respect. And you should definitely be the one to handle it. And now I got to return the favor to you. Yeah, it felt good. Thank you. Now I know how Landon felt in front of the crowd. Must have nice. I didn't have as much good wordplay, so I'll work on that going forward. Any better wordplay in my introductions of you. Yeah, that's okay. I mean, I do appreciate a lot of wordplay. Like, it's, it is truly one of my favorite things in the world are like puns and wordplay and puzzles and stuff like that.

So do, do work it in. If it makes you happy, in my household, we now have the Klingrad candle. that I reference every time when we light it, which, by the way, anyone who works in my building, we don't ever light candles. That's never happened a single time. But when, let's say we would, when we're out, because you were nice enough to bring us a gifted candle from your partner's company,

and it smells amazing. And her name is Ingrid, and your name is Kling. And you guys combined it, and I think that's the greatest thing ever. Thank you. Yeah, I do think we have a pretty red couple name, Klingred. but she is just super talented at what she does and scent has not really been a sense that I explored or really thought about past food

before I met her and she's really just opened my eyes up to this whole new world and it's really nice being able to share that with your co-hosts. Yeah. So it was lovely and I'm glad Megan likes it. That's truly who I was like, your wife. I was truly, yeah, I was targeting her 100%. You were right to, because I'm not an active, like, changing sense type person.

Like, I want things to smell something, but if it doesn't, I don't think to be like, oh, I should go actively do something to change this, and she's the one who would. So you're absolutely right. Well, for anyone who's saying get to the soccer, we will at some point eventually. You, of course, longtime NWSL player with Portland and Houston, long-time national team player as well. And we have a national team game coming up for the U.S. women three games in the window, a really interesting roster.

So we're going to talk all about that. We also have NWSL on the verge of the playoffs. We have one game left in the regular season. We're waiting for the end of the international break for that as well. So I'm going to pick your brain a little bit. Big picture about the experience going into the stretch run of the season. And then we're going to talk about Pennsylvania, because in our 50 states of soccer, we were up to PA, and I was talking to you a few months ago about one state.

And I asked you a question about a player, and you said, Who's on the Pennsylvania list? Like immediately, and I was like, uh-oh, competitive juices are flowing. And I promised you that when we got there, that I would bring you on. So now we are in the right place to do it. And we're going to talk PA from the western side of the state, though, right? The true side of Pennsylvania? West Coast, best coast.

Is that a phrase that people in Pittsburgh use? No, absolutely not. I just stole that from California. I know. But there's like moments where you meet someone from a state and they're like, oh, I'm from the tri-cities, and you're like, which tri-cities? And then they name three places that you're like, no one, or someone's like, oh, you know, island culture.

Like, I'm from Wilmington, North Carolina. You're like, that's not really what I would associate with that. So I didn't know if there was a vibe that people in Pittsburgh are the West Coast people of Pennsylvania. All right, let's start with NWSL. Okay. Because we have a season. We went through it last week, myself and Jordan, talked about.

So last year, we had four. teams at the top of the standings for all four of them will finish on a higher points total than the number two team in the league this year so it's a very different season and we've had this back and forth in past year as dominant forces a couple dominant teams this year it really is like most teams in the middle the lower has gotten a little bit higher and then kansas city is just running away with absolutely everything so i'm curious from your experience you won two shields the mental shift of what maybe the people inside of Kansas City are going through going from we are rolling over everyone to single elimination one mistake in you're out to really re sort of

make your season worth it quote unquote because you've won a trophy but the championship at the end of the season is kind of the thing you're now gunning for right i mean i think there's like three questions in there so let's kind of parse it out the first thing is i love the shield it's such a cool thing to win because it shows who the best team is over a long yeah a long period of time like the consistency of kansas city has been really impressive and it's hard to do over a 10 month stretch that's arguably one of the hardest things to do in sport so achieving that hats off to them that's that's really tough um but what i will say is that when you're running away with it like Kansas City is,

you don't have the type of pressure that you're going to feel when November comes around and it's single elimination. So you have to be constantly working on the mental game and working on how do we replicate the type of pressure that we're going to face in the playoffs. Or how do we get ourselves to the place where we don't feel the pressure?

Like every game is just the same thing And we show up and we do what we need to do Like you either need to go one of two ways Whatever fits your team Because at the end of the season They're going to be playing and they're just going to be like Let's see how much better we can get Because they've already locked up the shield

They've already locked up a home playoff match They've already locked up like a first round By or whatever like all the things that they could lock up They've locked up But then there's this shift And it doesn't matter anymore and everybody's even. So everyone goes back to the beginning of the season

and you're going to play this mini tournament at the end of the year and just see who wins it and that's who wins the whole year. And that takes a whole different type of mentality, I think, that you're not going to get from being 20 points ahead in the shield race. So it's basically how does Kansas City take what they've learned over the season and translate that into the single elimination sort of round because everyone's able to be beat. Maybe out of 100 games, they'd win 98 or they'd win 97 of them.

But the whole, well, the reason why people like these playoffs is because there's that, you know, 1%, 2%, 3% chance that they don't. Yeah. And how do you deal with that like, okay, if we lose, we're out sort of situation? Because that's just a totally different feeling than being in regular season. One of the things I think I like about the new setup, even though for winning, you don't get accelerated into the next round on a buy. I do think in the past it felt like the teams coming out of the first round were a little more locked into that mentality because they played one playoff game versus the teams on a buy kind of just waiting. So even though the threat is now, oh, no, we could lose in the quarterfinals, the option there is, but you're not playing a team that's come out of this single elimination.

So at least you're even in that part going into the first game of the playoffs. Yeah, I think that's a really good point. Our team always kind of struggled with the bi-week and then going into the playoffs. It just there's like this trade-off between rest and mentality. And I think that sometimes at the end of the year, people are just cruising on mentality. And it doesn't necessarily matter how fit you are or how rested you are. It's all about what's up here. It's just so, it's 90 minutes and that's it.

And you just have to win every minute of those 90 minutes. And if you're not ready for that, that could be a huge disaster for the group. And I've seen it happen multiple times. I've been a part of it, unfortunately, once or twice. It's a bizarre resume, which is you won two shields and then both times the year after you won two championships. But separate seasons. I know. Kind of wild. I will say, though, the 2021 shield was really fun, and it was also one of the hardest seasons that I've ever personally had, and I think everybody else on the team would say the same thing.

That's when the Paul Riley allegations came to light, and there was a huge reckoning within the sport and within the NWSL in general. and our team rightly so got absolutely pounded in the press we were being asked to do things that we never have been asked to do and called on to protect people when we weren't we didn't know who should be protected and who shouldn't be in the middle of the storm yeah it was an absolute shit show and i think that that truly weighed on the team to the point where we were just to tired to continue and I know that sounds bad but like people were emotionally wrecked by that like what happened and how it was handled in those moments well how we found out it was handled but then also how it was handled in the moments when it when the shitstorm was happening and all of those things added up to this emotional burden where we couldn't continue to you know put on the armor and just win at all costs like there comes a point we're just not able to do that anymore and and our and our point camp and what's so sad about it is arguably i think

in that year we we could have possibly been the best team in the world uh winning the challenge cup the international cup against you know barcelona the likes of chelsea and uh different teams from internationally, and then winning the Shield. And before that, in 2020, we won the Fall Challenge, which was part of the bubble year. So we won like four competitions in a row. Every single competition that you could win four in a row, boom, and internationally, and weren't able to then win the championship.

And so I think that just took its toll. And then you can see like the quality of that team, and it carried over into 2022, and then we're able to win the championship there. Yeah, I was at that championship game. It was the first one that I ever went to. Oh, wow. There did not feel like a large amount of time where it felt like you were going to lose that game. Obviously, Casey, a bit of an upset going into it, but it was like, oh, this is like a thoroughly

dominant appearance where I haven't been to a lot of finals like that. Like, there's always the Jeopardy in a single game final, whether it's an Open Cup, whether it's an international tournament, whatever it's been that I've been at, where you're like, yeah, this could all swing on a kick. That one didn't feel that way. I wasn't at the 2015 final. I'm sure that one didn't feel that way either. But both of them, I would say.

But 2022, it felt like this is a team on a mission and knew exactly what they were doing. After the first five minutes in the 2022 final, I was like, oh, this is ours. Yeah. Like, we are going to grab this by the back of the neck and just like pin it down and never let them up. Yeah.

And we did. And it was some of the best soccer that we had played all year. I feel like we were playing at our 100%. And Kansas City wasn't able to find their 100%, which was arguably probably because we were able to find ours and we were relentless in our pressure in moving the ball quickly. And then we just had really talented players that were just like on a different level that day. It was super fun to be a part.

of and super emotional and yeah it was a it was a great it was a great team little cross promo here so you have sat down with a listener which we're going to be running on our u.s soccer podcast show over the next two weeks so i'd highly recommend everyone go over and listen to that one you flew out to chicago you sat down in person with someone you've known how long since we were 12 since you were 12 so there's a lot of background there and a lot of experience um i was not there so i'm super excited to hear it and listen to it and you can watch it on YouTube as well. But this is part of, we have talked about it many times on our show, your year where you have now retired from the game professionally and now doing some other stuff. And I'm just curious as you look back

at this time of year, as we get to the end of the season, your first season not playing, as we enter the playoffs and we think back on these memories, like what's your thoughts about the decision you made and sort of what it's like now watching the soccer world from a different angle. I think at the beginning of retirement, it was really difficult for me because I'm like, what, you know, what legacy did I leave? Did I reach all the goals that I wanted to reach? Am I truly done? Like, I still have fun playing. And moving through all of those emotions and that grief is really difficult to navigate, especially at first. I think ultimately I'm still navigating those things, and I think that I always will.

It was a huge part of my life, and I don't remember a part of my life when soccer wasn't the main priority, and now it's not. And at the same time, I feel like a freedom that I haven't felt in a really, like, maybe ever, I feel free to pursue things that just tickle my fancy and that maybe I didn't pursue earlier because I'm like, oh, I have to rest for a game. I have to rest for the weekend. And now I can go hiking when I want to and have a beer on the weekend and, you know, just enjoy family time that I haven't been able to really put in the amount of time that I've wanted to over holidays or weddings or funerals and all these different things that are really important

to human connection. They've been kind of neglected, not due to me not like wanting to do them, but just not being able to be there. And so catching up with friends and connecting with my family has been so awesome. I feel like I have better relationships with everybody than I did before and um i will say it's it's still hard for me to like watch soccer yet uh i enjoy kind of like watching it as a fan in person because i i love feeling the energy in the crowd but like watching it on tv right now has not been super fun for me because if it just feels like i'm back as a player because i'm watching it so critically and like We used to watch all of our games numerous times.

It would take me hours to get through them every week from like a critical standpoint. And so I do not miss that part of it. And I hope, I really, really, really hope that I'll get back to the place where I can just be a fan. But I'm still learning. I'm still learning. It is, it's interesting whenever we've talked about it where, you know, the experiences that you've gone through and we've sort of talked of like using the phrase retirement. at a time when you're like entering the prime of your life and have so much to accomplish. And we'll talk to Chris and Hamilton about it coming up.

Obviously, we heard the news around Christian Press and Lou Barnes last week as well. So it feels like there is a generation of players who really built NWSL that are now preparing to end their careers. And I think it's a big deal for a lot of fans because these are the faces and the names that they didn't just become fans of for their team. they are their team. Like they're, you know, Seattle fans don't know a world without Barnes on the field, same as Portland fans didn't know a world without yourself

and sync and all of that as a part of the group. I know. It's very weird. It's so weird to imagine a world without Kristen Press and Tobin Heath and Megan Klingerberg at Lou Barnes and Kristen Hamilton in it. Kelly O'Hara, Krieger. I mean, there's just so many people over the last two, three years who have decided to try something

different and try something new. One of the things that's been really fun that was watching my friends and seeing what they're getting into next and how they're pursuing it with like the same type of enthusiasm and mentality as they pursued soccer. And I'm just kind of like, okay, watch out world. Yeah. Yeah, there is a generation of World Cup winners, dominant athletes. high achievers who change the world who are now ready and have a lot more free time to do absolutely

whatever they want. Let's talk a second about the U.S. Women's National Team before we get into Pennsylvania and our favorites. A lot of these people you met through the national team. I'm curious if you think back to the moment we're at right now, which is a year and a half out of the World Cup, Emma Hayes spent this last year giving other players opportunities. And part of that was because of the openings that, you know, triple espresso, two players out on maternity leave, Trini Rodman struggled with injuries, unfortunately, once again, like there's been this, all this opportunity. And it felt like when we got this latest roster, and I know we were together getting ready

to record as it dropped, as we got it, it was like, okay, this feels like we're starting to now mix it of all the people who had their chances, plus we know the staples of, you know, Lindsay and Naomi Germa when she's healthy and the players, you know, Sam Coffee that will be around and we expect to be the core. And I'm curious what the feeling is from your experience for these players, like the M.S. Sears and the Claire Hutton's and the Olivia Motrys, who were a part of the experimental process, but now I think gets their first picture into, okay, I'm really in this group. And like, it's my chance now to try and take a spot on this roster going forward.

Yeah, that was me in 2011 right out of college when I came in before the 2011 World Cup. and it's tough it's such a tough position to be in i think that they probably have a little bit easier of the time breaking in and feeling comfortable in that environment because they're already in a pro environment so they know what it means to be a pro they know how to act how to do the recovery strategies uh what is expected of them from like a maturity and emotional level whereas I was like coming off partying on the weekends after we you know soccer house yeah exactly like so I do think they have a big leg up in terms of they know what it takes to be a professional because they've been living it for the last two

three years and Moultrie's been living it for like seven so I do think like that's a huge leg up I don't see them right now as like the 100% in the group that's going to the World Cup. And I think that they have a great opportunity to be in that place. I think they just need to continue growing, getting better, learning, being open-minded to feedback and just keep getting into camp. Stay healthy, get into camp, go, perform, do what you got to do. And then just see what happens.

I think for them to be thinking out to the World Cup is probably a little bit too far thinking. I think they just need to stay right in the moment and be like, okay, if I show up and be me, that's enough. I'm going to just keep working on, keep getting better each day. And then I think if they look back when they're at the World Cup and be like, oh, wow, that was a year and a half ago, I've grown so much since then. but to like focus on the present instead of focusing on that feature person i think we'll do them a world of good is there a shift experience i don't know what better phrase to use but i'll say from hunter to hunted like you're gunning for a spot you're on the outside you're scrappy first being established and protecting your spot like is there a shift internally in how you

handle it well i don't think there should be um but i think there often is, and I think that's a lot of times why we see these sophomore slumps is because people, when their first years or rookies, they come in, they have absolutely no expectations on them. Literally, people do not care what you do. They're like, oh, who's this new person coming here? And I hope they run around and have a good time. And because there is no expectations, I feel like they find a level that they didn't even know they had inside of them because they're like, wow, I feel so free. I'm free. And then going into the next year, it's like, oh my God, I have to do that all

again. What if I can't do that? And like these thoughts start to come in. And that's why we see people not live up to the level that they had their rookie year. And that's kind of what you're talking about with this hunter hunted sort of situation. How do you keep that same mentality of being like, wow, nobody expects anything of me? I'm playing completely free. I'm going to run around out there and have fun, because I guarantee that's when you play your best. I guarantee that's when every single person on this planet plays their best. So how can you train yourself to be in that mindset, no matter if you're Lindsay Heaps, who has like 150 caps or whether you're Olivia Moultrie chasing the bubble to get on the

roster? Yeah. I also thought it was fascinating. I was lucky enough we did a live recording with one. of your best friends and Becky when you first retired and Lindsay and hearing all of you talk about all of these other responsibilities that people don't think about as you become a veteran and a captain especially of like there's a lot going on that's not just playing soccer and it feels like all of that builds the longer you're in the group oh 100 percent like the older

you are the more veteran you become the more is asked of you're asked to start taking care of not just yourself but other people, you're asked to start interacting with people outside of the team and be like a medium between like a liaison between ownership and the team between fans and the team. You're supposed to be like the spokesperson for the group. You have to like start thinking about, okay, what's best for the group and not just what's best for me. You have to start thinking about how can I get everybody to buy into this culture and this group? How do I get some of the players who talk maybe a little bit too much to tone it down? So other players have an opportunity to speak and be able to get their point of view

and their kind of like put their stamp on the culture because some people are going to make a huge impression and some people are not. So there are just so much more things, so many more things that you're doing as a veteran player, even if you're not captain and have that, that label, there's a lot that's asked of you. Yeah. It's fascinating. As I listen to all of the things you're talking about of like, oh, whoa, that's its own job.

Like that's a full-time role of being all these things while also still expected to probably be the player that all of it is built around and the linchpin on the field. and playing at your highest level and all of that, that feels like a lot. Yeah, and then you have to think about, too, like a lot of these players are dealing with, like, responsibilities outside of that whole world in general. So you have motherhood.

You have, like, brand deals and partnerships with Nike and other, like, people make a lot of money that way, and I will never fault them for doing that. Like, do what you got to do. So they're not only, just like taking care of themselves, their team, their family, but they're also having to think about like their career outside of just playing. It's a lot. It truly is a lot. I want to talk about Pennsylvania before I let you go. You are from Gibsonia. Did I say that right? Yes. Yes. We met a

Pittsburgh fan in Austin and I was like, oh, she's from and I knew that I had read it and I knew it started G. I didn't know what it was without reading. it and both of you were like you mean gipsonia get out of my face so now i'm just trying to make amends to the world of pittsburgh and i have a million questions but the first one is like as you went about your career you are and and we've talked soccer a million times you're one of the best soccer vines in the world you're one of the best left backs in the history of the world was there like all these moments where you're like i'm just a kid from gibsonia and like the fact that that you know what I mean. It's not a soccer hotbed in my mind, where it's like, this is where that person comes

out of. So it's not necessarily a soccer hotbed, but I do think it's a sports hotbed in general. There's a lot of great athletes that have come out of there, whether it's men's or women's, and I think that we still see that happening now. And so maybe not in soccer, because I think some other places kind of got the jump on Western PA in terms of like creating clubs and systems that can put people in positions to be scouted and stuff like that. But I don't think it's like a bad place to be. It certainly is a wonderfully like local place. And that's like by far one of my favorite things about it. And I guess like I never really thought of myself as othered than just like Megan Klingerberg from Gibsonia, Pennsylvania.

Like, I never thought of myself anything other than that. And that's probably due to my mother who was, like, on it. On it. It was like two days after the World Cup. And I'm like on Taylor Swift's stage and having the time of my life. And she's like, don't forget who you are. And I was like, what? I was like, oh, my God, I'm not.

Yeah, you got your big fancy New York time, but don't forget, Pittsburgh is where you were made. So what was... Don't forget who you were. What was the soccer scene in Western PA when you were growing up? What was the culture and, like, how did you come through it? Oh, gosh, I think I actually had a little bit of a rough time. I certainly was the kid that was just like trying to have fun and playing. I was always trying to find, like, the best level.

So whether that was playing with boys or two years up, when I started playing ODP, I played two years above my age. And that was really hard because the girls certainly did not like that I was doing something like that. So they made it really hard for me. So I think in some moments I had like a big chip on my shoulder because nobody wanted me. to do it and I'm like why not like people like from Pittsburgh don't make it out of here for soccer why wouldn't we root for somebody to do that and I think that part was really hard and at the same time like I have some incredible people uh that are still in my life from like my youth soccer

times whether it's my coach joanel or whether it's like all the the the friends that my parents made they still come over and like have a great time hanging out together and so I just think there was some really amazing parts of it and then there were some parts that were really tough but who doesn't have like tough moments growing up you know is there uh because you mentioned ODP that's statewide is there a split Western PA when you're in those camps PA West yeah PA West yeah so I was literally the only kid no from PA West in all of the

regional camps all of the national team camps and then like all the kids from Eastern PA in New Jersey Massachusetts they all knew each other because they're all going they're like the ones that were always chosen so I was always showing up without friends

because I didn't know anybody so I was having to like make friends you know on team everywhere that I went it's very difficult for me I have a personality that grind people's gears. Yeah, but you grind them down to best friends. That's what you do.

I grind them down. Yes. We do our five aside, which is, you know, not positional, but we do five great soccer players from every state.

Some states are hard to get enough. Some states are hard to fit everyone in. Pennsylvania leans more on that side. We have a list of names. We're going to go through it over the course of the week. So you don't have to be the final say on any of this. But is there any first names that come to your mind? kind of like, these are the soccer legends of the state of Pennsylvania?

Well, I mean, isn't Christian Polisic from? He is. Pennsylvania? So, obviously, Christian Polisic, Megan Klingenberg. And then, you know, we got Veronica Latsko. She just retired. She was from Pittsburgh. We got a new young kid, Shepansky.

She's on Gotham. Balling. Although I don't think that I put her on the five-aside. yet, but, like, I'm real proud of her, and we're definitely rooting for us. Let's see. We love a two-footed active center mid. So Sarah Spansky right into the mold. Who does it?

Who does it? High soccer IQs. Yeah, I love it. It's been fun watching her play, and I think Gotham's obviously a hard team to break into, so it's nice this year to get some playtime there. Do you, like, when you run into people, is it like, oh, or when someone like that enters a league or a team or whatever. Are you, is there like a Pittsburgh group chat?

Is there a Pennsylvania group chat? No, but there should be. And I feel like I might start one now that you say that. No, I've never talked to her. After, you know, the rain games, me and Ladsko would just like catch up a little bit. But it was nothing like ever let's trade numbers and make a group chat. But now that I feel like there's a few. Oh, how could I forget this?

Megan Schnur. She needs to be in the five a side. I thought you were going to say the one that I was about to say. There is one central PA, which my friend Bobby Washa, will say we have to wrap, which I appreciate. And Abby Dalkemper makes it very easy to do. Oh, right, right, right, yes. Because she is Lancaster area, which I think is Central PA. It's Lancaster.

It's Lancaster. This is a tough moment for me. Yeah, this is tough. I feel like you can't come to Pennsylvania and have any, um, Like, you just have to be open to being corrected about, like, all of the pronunciations. They just don't make sense. Yeah. Like, we have, like, the Allegheny River, which if you tried to spell that, you'd be like, what is happening here?

The Monongahela. Like, we got all kinds of stuff and people struggle with it. But, yeah, you'll get there. Okay. I will work on it. We will be continuing to talk about this. There are, as you said, there are a lot of good names. on the men's side,

Jim Curtin is one that will come up. Zach Stephan as well. Oh, yeah, Zach, yeah. He even played in Pittsburgh for the Riverhounds for a little bit. Yeah, and he was around Philly's Academy. I don't know that he ever actually played for them. And then he left. And then Philly's Academy has been really good.

Not a lot, not everyone is a Philly player in that. They tend to recruit in. But Quinn Sullivan doing a great job. And obviously his brother, Kevin. the hope is he will be someone on this list going forward. I believe Ben Olson as well. Oh, okay. Ben Olson. Where's Ben from? Okay, that's a great question. One I probably should have had. See, in my mind, he's Maryland.

So that's normally where I go because he played in D.C. Middletown, Pennsylvania. Oh, okay. So I've never heard of it. It's not a cool place, though. It is in sort of the middle of the state, southeast of the state. The middle of the state's tough. There's just like a top. A lot of small towns. Yeah. It's really beautiful, though.

Like, it's very untouched. You don't get much of that on the East Coast. And it's, like, really, like, gorgeous. Yeah. Yeah. No, not even. There's just, like, a lot of big, like, trees and hills and old forest. It's nice.

I've driven through it twice on the way to Columbus, where I've stopped through Pittsburgh as well. But I've never spent enough time in Pittsburgh. So that is my goal for 2026. Oh, please do. So send me all the wrecks. and Kling, thanks for being here. Honestly, hang out with my mom. She'll take you everywhere that you want to go.

Like, she's a blast. We were passing ships in New York one time. And I was very sad that I was like, oh, I'm free. I'm around. I was not. And that was the only thing I wanted to do because you were like, oh, she's coming to New York. We're going to hang out. I was like, that sounds awesome.

Yeah, but then you had to go to the UN and do a whole recording at the UN, like a very cool person that you are. and my mom was like, we're going to go stand in line for Salt Hanks, the French dip TikTok phenomenon. So we did that instead. I will say this on New York last thing. When people visit, there are some tourist things that are worth doing, and you'll never do them except for when someone's being a tourist. So sometimes those are worthwhile.

I mean, I had a blast. It was just fun hanging with my mom, and we actually chatted this guy in line because we were standing there for an hour. And so we were shooting the shit with him and the lady who was doing the hostessing, so the hostess, she was like, do you, so three? And he like looked at us. We're like, why not? And so we just had lunch with this guy that we met in line.

And it was a, it felt like a very cool New York moment. And it was fun to share that with my mom. It's a cool New York moment, but it's also something out of like a Steve Martin movie where it's like the person who's not the New Yorker in New York. being friendly to everyone. It's like Will Ferrell and Elf, just like saying hi to everyone, which is one of the greatest movies of all time. So it's a great character. Oh, and speaking of, yeah, my mom, she was like, oh, watch this on her way out.

And I was like, oh, my God, what are you going to do? She walks out like she's with the hostess and she's like, oh, man, we're all sold out for the day to the people that are in line for an hour and a half. At a place she's not associated to. by the way no one laughed and she was shocked

shock it she was shocked and I was like why are you shocked these people just waited an hour and a half for this like TikTok

binom French dip and some random lady comes out and tries to make a joke about like that's never going to hit sis that is hilarious and on that note we should end and next interview about Pennsylvania

will be, of course, with your mother. And thank you for taking the time now. But you're getting cut for the, clearly the comedian, the performer of the family next time. Megan Klingenberg, one of the greats, listen to our podcast, the U.S. soccer podcast. We come out on every Wednesday. Two-part series with a listener coming out in a little bit.

So go listen to that one. And in general, thank you for doing this. Yeah, glad to be here. It's always fun to shoot the shit with you. Thank you so much. to cling. Always fun chatting with her. She is one of the best people. I have been lucky enough to meet and so thankful for her taking the time to join us. Now, let's go to our second interview of the episode, more NWSL focused, but Kristen Hamilton announcing that she is on the verge of

her retirement after 11 seasons in NWSL started her career at the Western New York Flash alongside a veteran Jordan Angelie. So all three of her. of us sat down and chatted a little bit take a listen right here well we've got a special episode here today with the international break coming up and jordan in portugal living her best life but we pre-recorded an interview and we are very very excited for this segment and to talk right now with christin hamilton who has just announced her retirement from nwsl and professional soccer after 11 years, over 140 appearances, four shields, and three championships,

and could be one more as it comes. Current Casey, current, forward, Kristen, Hamilton. Kristen, thanks for joining us. Thank you. Thanks for having me. There's a couple. Wait, you said current Casey current.

I know. Current Casey current. Hey, when I first, when I first joined the team, you would Google current roster, like Casey roster, Casey current roster or whatever you would go and the chief's like roster would come up because it was like thinking like you're like what is the current Kansas City but now it's changed so wow progress I like it that's the progress we like to hear in writing a couple of these questions and I was like oh I have to take out the word and not use it there there's a couple

of accolades though that I went through in there a couple championships it seems like you are very experienced in championships and that's probably a good thing Uh, yeah, I would say so. Um, it's been definitely a highlight of my career for sure. Is there a way you like to celebrate? Is there a like best way to celebrate? Uh, champagne showers, obviously is pretty fun after the game in the locker rooms. Uh, just seeing everybody get together and like, just, I mean, the season's so long so to get together and just be able to like pop that bottle and be like, holy cat, we did it is a lot of fun. But there's always a few post games. celebrations too. So anything, anything's fun.

Sorry, Jordan, you can go after this, but I have to ask this one question, which is, I'm scared of champagne opening. Like, I'm, like, crazy about it when people do it. I'm, like, put a towel over it, hide it here. So, like, is there never any issues with that? Like, everyone's just partying and no one cares? Yeah, no one cares. It's like, just cover your eyes, try not have to point it at people, but anything's fair game at that point. Wherever the court goes, it goes. I love that. Yeah, Kristen, as Goss said, it's been an awesome career for you. And this is always an interesting moment in players when they finally decide,

okay, I'm ready to move on. For you, what really went into that decision? A lot of things. You know, obviously, it's just been kind of a tough two years for me, these last two years. Last year was just more so dealing with not really getting much playing time. Had a lot of really talented players come into the lineup and on our roster. So kind of having to navigate and deal with that. And, you know, kind of came full circles. It's kind of how I started my career. I had a great middle part of my career and kind of ended on the same note. So I feel like

I was a little bit more prepared for kind of that moment. But this year it's just been a little tough with injuries in and out of team trainings and trying to kind of just get healthy. So just weighing those kind of things and I've started some businesses and have gotten really excited about kind of what the future has for me. So weighing all of that together, I was like, you know what, I'm ready to just kind of dive into what's next. And it's been a really fun run and, you know, I'm going to miss a lot of things about it. But yeah, I'm really excited about the future. yeah Jordan I know you right there sorry I was swallowing but probably emotional too it looked like your eyes are watering no probably I mean it's yeah I've been in and out of

crying happy said like literally feeling all of the emotions but overall I'm very excited for for what's next oh Jordan has loved this more than I ever will and many other people as you have that thought process who do you talk to and then Once you decide what actually happens then of like who you have to tell in what order and how it has to happen. Yeah, that was honestly a question. I kind of had, I'm like, who do I need to tell this to? I obviously like told my partner first and I'm like, okay, this is what's happening and

this is what we're doing. And she was like, okay, like I support you and whatever you need to do for this. So that was great. And she's on the team. So it was like easy to be like, okay, I'm going to tell you, but let's not tell everyone else and then that was like my ease into it and then I just kind of randomly blurted it out to one other player randomly one day and then I was like I should probably it was Laurel ivory I was like and I'm retic she's like oh okay congrats like this is amazing and I'm like I should probably tell

a whole team at this point now that I'm that I'm like feeling like ready and more open to to being able to kind of say that out loud so I started with that you know kind of sprinkled it in with my family I knew they were going to be really emotional about it so I was just like it's fine. I'm good. I'm retiring by and like kind of clays that one over. But yeah, then I ended up telling, I actually told the coaches and our general manager first and then a few weeks later end up telling the team. And I don't think there's any real right way to do it. I was just kind of like, I'm going to let them know so they can start planning on their end. And then when it came to it, I was like, okay, I should probably let the team know. And that was a hard

moment. But yeah. Yeah, I bet. Because a lot of those players you've played with for a long time. You mentioned it's kind of full circle, but I think in ways, too, Kristen, this team is so much better, regardless of you stepping foot on the field, having you there, that has to feel good to have a role even in the times where you're like, I can't help on the field, whether it's due to injury or not getting selected, you're a winner. And they've built that off of you being a winner. Have you found a role within that, within this group? Yeah, definitely. I think that I, like I said, kind of that full circle moment of like having experienced all of everything throughout my career. I've been non-traveling. I've been close to being waived on teams. I've been a super sub. I've then been a starter and then kind of, you know, I've done all of it. So I feel like I've really been able to connect with a lot of players. And this year, you know, I've been a lot of times in the weight rooms and the training rooms just kind of trying to get healthy. So a lot of the other players that have come through there, I feel like I've really. connected with a lot of them and I feel like I've really been able to help kind of those players through that and yeah so that's kind of been more so my role this year I feel like a little bit more off-to-field stuff and helping players who are maybe dealing with longer-term injuries being able to get through those yeah gosh before we go to the next thing I just have to say like I can

just imagine I was teammates with Kristen in western New York her rookie season it was my last season of the year and you heard just talking about the ups and downs the thing that ever everybody will know about Kristen when they listen to this is she shows up every day. She's that. She's smiling. She has good energy. She sets the vibes. She's joking in the locker room. She's all the things that you want of a teammate on the field, but also off the field. She's going to give you every single thing that she has every day. And I can just imagine you, Kristen, in the locker room or in the wait room right now, like doing your stuff. And of course, focused and hardworking and nap, like also setting the mood, like, hey, we're going to get better

today. We're going to enjoy this, too. We're going to make it, you know, even though we're not where we want to be right here in the wait room, we'd rather be on the field. Like, we're going to have a good time with it. Yeah, no, I appreciate that. Thank you. Yeah, obviously we got the Kelly Clarkson bumping. Yes, always. We got to get the vibes out. We got to get some karaoke moments in there, you know, so, yeah, I try to keep vibes high, you know, obviously it's up and down every day, emotional, But, yeah, I'm always trying to bring the vibes. We didn't have this on the rundown, but I'm throwing it in here. What is a veteran, Jordan, Angeli, like as a rookie coming into a locker room?

Because I've been in spaces with Jordan for the first time being intimidated. So I didn't know the experience. She was honestly our coach. Like, it was not an easy environment. to be in and I mean seriously we all looked up to Jordan it was if we ever had questions if we ever had doubts concerns whatever it was it was like Jordan's always going to speak up for us she's always going to support us she's always going to be somebody we can go to and like be an advocate for us as players and I mean yeah and then legendary on the field she steps on the

field and his scoring goals and just has such a presence on the field and for her to you know go through what she went through that's that year too I mean and then to show up for us every day. It was incredible. Somebody to definitely look up to. Well, thank you. That was, I did not expect that to be happening, but appreciate it, Goss, and appreciate the kind words, Kristen. Yeah, I, you know, I just feel you look back on things and you know that there's a purpose in it and that was a really hard year. But, um, so cool to see all those young rookies that were on that team go on to do really big things and to have big voices and not to be afraid to stick up for things when they weren't right.

Because, gosh, you know, I played in WPS, so I knew a very different league than early days NWSL. And I was like, no, no, no. You don't treat people like this. So, you know me. I kind of got a little bit of an attitude sometimes. I'll stand up for people when need be. So, Kristen, tell us a little bit maybe about the contrast in 2025 on the Casey Current verse in 2014 with Western New York Flash. Like, I don't even know where to start that question.

Oh, yeah. I mean, I'll just start with like, I mean, I always tell our players these stories today and they just absolutely cannot believe it. And they're like, no way, this is what you guys did. I'm like, yeah, we're living with host families, which shout out to the Molloys, absolutely love my host family. I, yeah, I had an incredible host family. So many players did not. Like, I had horror stories of players having terrible host families. But living a host family's, getting paid $6,000 is the minimum.

Valerie in the league for the year. So, you know, I don't know how we survived. Side hustles, second jobs, obviously, the boys, they supported me, gave me food every single day to be able to be able to keep training. I mean, we drove two hours to our home games and a bus that rattled the whole time that we get there and we're playing on a turf field that doesn't belong to us that has maybe 200 awesome fans in the stands, but just, I mean, at the time like you didn't really know ignorance was bliss but now I mean look at the stadium

that's built for us in a city that you can't go anywhere without seeing our colors with sold out games every single weekend to I mean the contract like you can't even compare I mean it's just night and day different but it is incredible I never thought I'd see the growth of the league get to where it's at within, you know, 10, 12 years. We were going to ask about with KC, like, we see the 15 to 20 home games where it's sold out, it's loud, whatever. And that's great. But what is it like being a KC current player on the other 300?

I'm going to try and do math on the fly. Oh, gosh, good luck. Three days of the year. Like you just said, the difference is, like, what is it like inside the market as a player on this team day in and day out? Oh, yeah. it's awesome. I mean, now seriously, you can hardly go out and go to the grocery store without somebody recognizing you, which is unbelievable. You know, some days you're like how great, I look

terrible, please don't recognize me. But most of the time, it's great. It's really cool. And I mean, you go in places and people just randomly yell out, good luck tonight, or, you know, we love you guys or whatever, or just even so many people you'll see at the grocery stores or at the shop just wearing Casey current gear in general, you see stickers on cars. I mean, it's just so cool. And even with, you know, the business, we started with Pitchside Coffee or Coffee Shop, like every single, like, game day, any, anytime we have any event there, you know, you always see people show up and turn up first, and they've always supported us. So it's been, yeah, I mean, it's been incredible. The fans have been awesome and made this experience so cool. I got to know, really quick, Goss, I got to know,

what's the weirdest thing or like, when is the strangest place that said, was like, hey, can I get a picture or have they asked for an autograph? Well, honestly, recently, we were just at dinner with E's mom at, like, somewhere so far away. And this random couple or, like, group of people recognize this from, like, a few tables away. And we're just, like, like, waving at us, like, from a bar. And I was like, I was like, and then literally, it was one of those, like, it was one of those K-pot places. So, like, we were going up, like, getting sauces and, like, can we get an autograph? I'm like, we're literally mid-birthday dinner, but it's fine, sure.

But honestly, because they recognize us, then the owners were like, oh, who are you guys? And then they came and gave us, like, discount. So we were like, okay, cool. Wow. So now you're just going to, you're going to hire those people to go around with you everywhere. Exactly. Who, us? Celebrities?

Who knew? Oh, my gosh. So funny seeing you here on this one. I want to talk coffee, though, because you mentioned it, you started a coffee shop with a lot of teammates. involved. And I think one of the things first that I thought of when we were talking about this was I don't know that people realize players' lives in terms of like time commitments. And outside of the games, you train for a little bit every day. And obviously you have to be regimented in what you eat

and when you sleep and all of that. But there is a lot of free time. Is that where this idea comes from of, okay, what's something we can all do together in our free time? It was yes and no. I think a lot of it started as just kind of like a passion project of, you know, we were in preseason and every time we go on away trips, it's like, where can we find the best coffee? Like, that's just coffee culture and soccer culture. Like, they really do mesh, like, hand in hand. So we were just like, oh, we want to have the best coffee. And then we're like, oh, actually, why don't we, like, it'd be so cool to start a coffee shop. I think for years, I've been on many teams and many players have said, like, we should start a coffee shop. It'd be awesome.

And then we were sitting there and we're like, let's just actually. do it, looked into it, and we're like, actually a brick and mortar is definitely not feasible on our salaries to be, you know, a lot more overhead, a lot more upfront cost. So, and we had no idea what we were doing. So we're like, okay, let's actually start with a mobile trailer and we just dove in and really committed to it. And like I said, the fans have showed up like crazy to kind of get us rolling on that. So it was more so that, but obviously it helps having free time on the side to be able to be able to run it. So like, is, everyone involved day-to-day?

Like, it's a large group of people that are working on one thing. Yeah, there's six of us. So, I mean, we definitely have, like, delegated roles. Some people obviously aren't in market anymore. So there's different things that we've done to kind of make sure everybody stays involved and stays incorporated in that. But, no, I mean, like, there's people who would take more, you know, more responsibility on, like, operations versus marketing, versus day-to-day business stuff,

versus running payroll versus, you know, all those things. It's delegated out, but. Jordan, you've tasted the coffee, right? I've been there. I've been there. I had a special barista on my visit. Kristen poured me a cup of coffee, made that latte art. It was pretty good.

Yeah, it was like one of those flower things. I don't know what it's called. Yeah. Did you train on that one or you just figured it out on the fly? I have like a brevel, one of those at home brevles. And I have done like tried a test. tempted to make latte art for a long time, but it's way easier on the nice machine. So we've been practicing a little bit, but I was always the milk pourer in the trailer, so I've gotten some practice

at it. That was your delegation. It was the tulip. It was the tulip. Yeah, it was beautiful. And it has just like, this city has latched down. Not only now do you have a brick and mortar, but it's like packed on the weekends. You have people hanging out. That's got to be. a really cool thing to be able to yes you guys are a part of the community but it feels like you guys are now like in the community you're a part of this you go and hang out there people come up and talk to you has that been really special to have your boots on the ground and say hey we're a part of this now oh yeah I think with the trailer is so cool to see everybody just show up for us and it was a lot of fans and some random people would be like what's happening and hop in line

And to see that translate to the brick and board has been really cool. And we have, you know, a big reason we started was to connect with the community more. And this has allowed us to so much more. I mean, we go in and every day always see fans in there. We'll see repeat customers. And we just walk in, get to say, hey, chat with them. And I feel like they really appreciate seeing us in there and, like, being able to connect with us at a different level as well. It's a lot more personal.

So some days, I'm baristas, some days, you know, mouths in there making something. Vanessa is making coffee. We got e-baller running the cash register. So, you know, I think it's really cool and a unique way to be able to connect with the fans. And, yeah, it's been so awesome to just when you're in there, especially game days, we run a little promotion. If you're wearing Casey Currant gear, you get a percentage off. So they come in, they're wearing their gear, and just getting to chat with them is really cool.

And sometimes you get people who don't recognize you. And it's even better because they'll be like, oh, yeah, the team's so great, whatever. And you're like, yeah, they're awesome. on the mind is like making coffee. So it's pretty cool. I feel like we need to roll out a coffee program across NWSL. I feel like every squad should be doing this. Is there expansion in the future?

That is our hope. Maybe in your hometown? Yeah, seriously. Well, I think I know somebody I can chat with about that. Just throw another cap on my head. Yeah, seriously. No, I think we definitely have the long-term goal. of franchise or expansion into other end of some markets but need to kind of get some time

under our belt here and get established and get kind of our processes and everything nailed down here before we get there but that is that is a goal yeah we want to talk a little on the field you have you know we talked about all the championships 26 goals in your career as you as I ask about them as you think back through them is there one that sticks out as like this is the highlight Juan Schoener, this is the number one memory that I have of scoring in NWSL? That's hard. Is there like children? You love them all differently.

Yeah, probably a couple moments stick out. I would say scoring in the semifinal in 2022 to kind of secure us going to the final. That was, that was my, I think, my only playoff goal. So I think that one is definitely meaningful. That was Seattle, right? It was against Seattle and Seattle, yeah. And we played so well that game. And then we played so poorly in the final.

I know. It's terrible. But that one was really, yeah, I think impactful for me. And then I think just the game, like I'm just scoring the four goals against Houston. Like, that's just, I mean, I don't think I'll ever forget that day. That was awesome. Yeah. Four goals is a hard thing to forget.

Yeah. And honestly, I think my second goal in that game is probably one of my favorites I've scored in my career. Okay. Talk to it. Tell us about it. Well, it's just perfect. We were like stuck in our corner. Like if you're way back corner and we had to throw in and get through the ball and it was just perfectly like, went through the sixes, back to the centerbacks,

went to like jeline and the left back and like it was just like it was right off of the training field our 10 like popped into the pocket and like dragged the center back out and then the ball's perfectly around the corner and then I ran onto it and chopped it and then hit it far post like pretty good goal far post so it was just perfect all around it thank you should I be a should I do play by play you should 100% do play by play on top of that that was like poe tree soccer, you could probably just sell recordings of like, you know, back through the six, bounced off the center back, pulling, like, that was, that's everything we love to hear. I don't even need to see the play.

Perfect. Yeah. You got it in your head now. It's a great visualization. Yes. Yes. You, the thing about you, Kristen, is your winner, right? We've talked about the championships, the shields that you've won.

What do you think it takes to win in NWSL? And has that changed over the years? I will say I do not think it's changed, and even though I haven't told you what it is yet. But I feel like the main key to success is buying into a system and having a leader that you believe in their vision and then can buy into that and then they can execute that. So it's really hard. And then on top of that, I guess that kind of combined in that is finding the right group of players to buy into that system. So, I mean, when I was in North Carolina, we had a really defined system and an exact way of training, how you had to show up every day, how you had to come to training with your mindset and your mentality and your work ethic and all of these things. and if you didn't fit that, you were gone.

Like, that was just how it was. And it was like, if you're not fitting this culture, if you're not fitting our style, you weren't going to make it. And a lot of players either left on their own because of that or they, you know, got traded or whatever it was. And we found players who would buy into that system and would fit kind of the culture. So it was, maybe sounds a little cutthroat, but if you weren't going to provide what the team needs, you to provide, then it was just like, okay. But it wasn't, I mean, it was all sorts of things, but the main thing is like, are you going to buy into the system or are you going to be like constantly complaining about something or constantly like pushing back about tactics or

pushing back about things? And that's not to say we can't obviously strive to be like, hold your ground and stand up for yourself and all of those things. But it's like at the end of the day, are we going to all buy into the system and not question everything that's going on? So I think, yeah, buying in, finding a group of players that will buy in and a leader, who can get a group to buy in. That is fascinating to hear, because I think from the outside, we talk about a lot of these teams. There are some people in sports, soccer being one of them,

and I think this is part of the global nature of, like, they think that the energy of a little chaos or being unknown, like there's a lot of different styles, I think, for how to run a group. What you are saying, I think is one that I know that I would more enjoy being a part of. I'm curious how this connects then to the 2025 Shield winners, who have set the points record and have won the most games in league history. Yeah, I was going to say, I think that Vladko has come in and done a really good job of that,

of just setting really clear expectations and giving a really clear game plan and finding players, again, who fit that and are willing to put in the work to do those things. So, I mean, you see the growth of us from last year to this year, and, you know, that's obviously just takes time, too, with new coaches and stuff. But I think, yeah, I mean, we all know exactly what's expected of us on the daily, you know, whether it's at training or in matches. It's, if you're not doing this, like, you're not going to cut it. And that's just, again, the mindset and mentality here.

And, you know, you're being asked to do this, go do it. And if you can't, then it is what it is. But, yeah, so I think it's this very similar concept and principles that, you know, made us successful in North Carolina as well. Yeah, I love that. Thanks for that insight. And it's funny when you're saying that about Blockco, we had a broadcast call with him the other day.

I think I said it on the actual game on Saturday against Gotham. He said, when you're on defense, you're on my time. When you're on offense, you can do whatever you want. But when you're on defense, you're on my time, which was a little bit of that mindset and buying into that. This team, if it does anything, it works really hard off the ball to win the ball back. So that is so evident.

We only have you for a few more minutes. So I think one of the things that there's two main things that pop up to me. One, you've been in this league for 11 years. There's got to be a good old untold story, Chris, that needs the light of day. Needs to see the light of day. It has to. Sure. That it has to. You should have pre pre pre pre prepped me for this.

I should have pre pre pre prepped you for that. I should have. That's a bad production on my, my end. Not the story. You want to know, no, I'm getting. No, you should. You absolutely should. This is what teammates are for.

You could be honest with them. An untold story. What's your other question while I think about it? She's going to come back to me and send me a voice. I am. That I can then add to the podcast. My other question is, what is the thing that you are so excited to never do again? Oh, my gosh.

For me, the 300 shuttles. I was going to say one of those again, ever, or the beep test. Yeah. I was going to say some sort of fitness. Like, the fact that I never have to get on a line and somebody is like, okay with a timer in their hand and is like ready to go. Like, I can just go on a nice leisurely jog. Like, I think I'll be pretty pumped to, like, literally never have to do timed fitness. Actually, what was that one you had to do in North Carolina, the mile?

The suicide mile. Suicide mile. Don't love that name. No. It was not. It was not. And we did it once a month. And it was just like this mental thing of like, okay, you just have to do it.

It was all timed, but it was like just beat your time. But of course, you're always competing with everyone else. I'm like always almost last in this thing because I'm like, this is horrible. So. You finished. But I finished. But I finished it.

What is the thing? Oh, go ahead. Sorry, I didn't know you. No, I was just going to... We're on one. All I was going to say was fitness, some sort of time fitness, or like max effort, like zone five, like three-minute run or something. Like, no, thank you. No, no, never again.

You never have to do that again, which is so awesome. And what is the thing you're going to miss the most? Oh, being around all the people that I'm around every day. 100% hands down. I'm like, that's one thing I'm really nervous about is like, I just love people. I love connecting with people. I love talking with people.

I love joking and laughing and all this things. And I'm, I don't know exactly what I'm doing next, but like I just know that is going to be a hard thing to replicate. So I'm, yeah, I'm definitely going to just miss all of the different personalities and different conversations every single day

and just all of the laughter that has come with it. So you don't know exactly what's next in that is, then ties into you've talked about your role talking to people across the team does soccer still interest you is it coaching front office is it away from the game like how do you sort of think about that yeah i'm not sure i don't think i want to coach um honestly they put in more hours than we do so i'm like i'm good on that um i am really interested in like i do feel like i have a lot of knowledge to give. I've been a part of a lot of really successful organizations and I don't know. I feel like I have a lot of insight. So I, some sort of advisory, something I could be interested in,

you know, helping teams develop or build cultures or something along those lines as well. I have an opportunity to stay like within the current more front office stuff. So we'll see if that that pans out or not. But yeah, there's quite a few opportunities in front of me, which is great i'm i'm very blessed to have you know options very grateful to have options so just kind of figuring out what what i want to end up doing but yeah well it's nice to have options absolutely and that is the worst part not having teammates like anymore i know it's the worst part it's the worst part but the good thing is christin you've made so many good friends over the years and so um i'm sure that will open up a lot of doors as well uh last like sentimental thing i have you know when you're

when you're older and say you have you have grandkids and you're telling them about playing an NWSL, like, what are you bragging about about your career? Like, I used to do this. I used to do that. I would probably, you know, I'd probably just have to lean into the awards and the accolades. I think I'm going to be like, yeah, well, guess what? I won four shields. I won hopefully four championships, you know? So I think I'd have to lean into those aspects of things. Or it could be like people that I played with that are actually big names. I'd be like, you know Lynn Williams? Yeah. I actually, she's one of my best friends and I played with her. It'll just be like, or like against someone else.

Yeah, well, yeah, true. They'll know, they'll know, uh, yeah, Grandma Lynn, Andy Lynn. But any other, that could be a cool brag to any of those. Like, it's like, yeah, I played against her. There's like a cool picture of me, like, defending Tobin in the 2017 championship. And I'm like, well, that's kind of cool. Like, I defended Tobin Heath once. It's also kind of cool that you've won seven trophies and maybe eight is the hope at the end of this year. I think you could sort of stand on that stuff by itself as well. Incredible career. We appreciate you coming on and chatting with us.

Based off the play-by-play, we will have you on more or we will be listening to you somewhere else. Congratulations on an unbelievable career. Good luck for the rest of the season. And maybe after you win the title, we'll do this all again in San Jose. Perfect. Can't wait. thanks Kristen you guys I thought of a story oh my gosh we don't even have to edit it in I didn't stop yet go I thought of story I was just thinking of of um so after we won the championship in 2019 we were in North

Carolina and my family has always come out to all the championships and my nana is legendary first of all guys yes she is known as nana to everybody she's awesome and and after the game we had booked a beer bike to go around North Carolina the day after the game and we're like, this is going to be so much fun, whatever. And we're all like chatting about who's coming. And I'm like, okay, Nana's still in town. Can she come on the beer bike? And everyone was like really hesitant, like extremely like, I don't think we want a Nana on our beer bike when we're celebrating like winning the championship. So it was hilarious. I was like, well, she's coming. So she came with us on the beer bike. I have a pretty epic photo of all of us. And she

She's just on there with us, like, did the whole bike ride with us, did everything with us, and people still bring it up to me today, and they talk about how awesome it was that over there. And she's just out of the bars ordering margaritas with us. And it was like nobody had to be censored or anything because she was just down for it all. So honestly, it was hilarious. And Sam, to this day, Sam U.S. is always like, I can't believe. Like, I was so concerned about her coming, like, that it was going to be no fun because she was there. She's like, it ended up being a blast.

So, yeah, so it was kind of fun. and Nana there celebrating that with us on the beer bikes. That is legendary. That really is. That really is. You've heard a lot of different celebration stories, but not many that include your grandma. Not many, you know.

Dominating the beer bikes. Yeah. Oh, yeah. So good. Yeah. Next level is up. Well, I'm glad that we were able to stay out long enough for that. And if you get any other great idea stories, you can still send them to Jordan.

And we will put them in the show as well. Perfect. Oh, man. I was about. hit the stop button on the record, and Kristen came up with the story about Nana. So we got Kling's mom, we've got Kristen's grandmother, all the people that we want at a party if we had the choice. So much going on in the women's soccer world.

Of course, we didn't touch on the World Cup bid announcement that the U.S. made alongside Mexico, Costa Rica, and Jamaica, but we did talk about that for a while on the kickback committee with Susanna Fuller yesterday, so you can go listen to that show. And we've got a lot more coming for you as the MLS playoffs are on the verge of starting. Reminder, we are going to have a bracket challenge, a system that we created where you choose winners from every single league. And then all those points are mixed together to get an eventual winner. So the way it'll work is that you will have a points total next to each team. And the ones you choose, the bigger the underdogs they are, the more points you get if they win.

We want people doing this across MLS, USL Championship, USL League One, and NWSL. So over the next three and a half weeks, all three of those leagues, their playoffs are going to start. And we are so excited for this time of year, this season. And we wanted to combine that passion about soccer and North America across all these leagues, even though they're different formats, different timelines, different schedules. So we created this system. Go in, click on the links. They're all across our social media.

and join. And if you think you only want to do one league, you can pop in and just do that one league. But I think it will be really fun to test yourselves across all the different leagues in the U.S. and Canada. Thank you to all of you for listening. We'll talk to you all again. Very, very soon. Thank you.