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In an unprecedented move, the Kansas City Current signed 15-year-old Alex Pfeiffer to a three-year contract, making her one of the youngest players in NWSL history. The bold decision highlight the club's commitment to nurturing young talent and building its program.
Pfeiffer, a rising star in the U.S. youth soccer scene, has been part of the national team pool across the U-15, U-16, and U-17 levels. Her exceptional skills were on full display as she contributed to the U-15 team’s victory at the 2022 CONCACAF Championship. With such a promising start to her career, Pfeiffer is poised to make significant waves in the NWSL.
The Kansas City Current announced Pfieffer's signing Oct. 30, Steph Wang of The Athletic reported.
Pfeiffer draws inspiration from Manchester City forward Erling Haaland, admiring his creative movement and prowess in the penalty area. She is also a fan of KC Current’s recent signing, Jeremy Doku, whose style of play resonates with her own.
Pfeiffer attended a talent identification camp with the club last summer. This experience kick-started a period of observation and evaluation, allowing the club’s general manager, Cami Ashton, and the coaching staff to assess Pfeiffer’s potential and fit within the team. For Pfeiffer, the decision to go pro was a clear one, as she saw the potential for growth and development at KC Current that she believed would surpass what she could achieve in the college soccer system. This decision, however, did not come without its challenges, as it meant leaving behind her peers and stepping into a professional environment at a very young age.
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“There definitely was talk of going to some colleges and even seeing what that environment was like,” Pfeiffer said, “But I saw what KC was doing. I feel like that was going to push me even more than going to college for four years.”
The Pfeiffer family, aware of the potential pitfalls, ensured they had a strong support system in place, seeking guidance from sports agency Wasserman and maintaining open lines of communication with the club. They were cognizant of the need to strike a balance between pursuing professional opportunities and acknowledging Alex’s age and the unique challenges that come with it.
The KC Current, for their part, are committed to providing Pfeiffer with the support she needs to thrive. General Manager Cami Ashton spoke about the importance of understanding each player’s individual needs and ensuring they have the resources and support to succeed.
“Both to understand them as people, but also really give them that experience in a professional environment because it is different than youth environments,” Ashton said. “With Alex specifically, the maturity that she showed in this environment, the way she handled herself on the field, she knows exactly what she wants. There was no question around that. When I asked her, ‘Are you sure this is what you want? Are you considering the college route? What is important to you? What do you want?’ And she looked at me, and with her mom there too, and she was like, ‘I know what I want. I want to go pro’.”
With Pfeiffer set to join the team in January for the Current's season in the team's new stadium, all eyes will be on how this prodigy navigates the challenges of professional soccer and whether she will indeed make league history with the Current.
