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Becky Sauerbrunn, Alex Morgan are at the heart of a balancing act this fall, as they navigate the demands of the USWNT training camp while also gearing up for the NWSL playoffs.
These two soccer superstars are among the 13 players at the USWNT’s October camp who are still in the running for the NWSL championship, Just Women's Sports reported.
With the NWSL semifinals set for Nov. 5, Sauerbrunn and her Portland Thorns teammates are preparing to face Ali Krieger and Gotham FC. Meanwhile, Morgan and the San Diego Wave are set to battle it out against Emily Sonnett and OL Reign. It's a high-stakes time for these players, who are committed to performing at their best for both their club and country.
Managing this dual commitment is no small feat.
“You come into camp and it’s so busy because you have so many different meetings — a set piece meeting, a defenders meeting,” Sauerbrunn said after Thursday’s scoreless draw with Colombia. “And so you’re just trying to remember, OK, these are the national team tactics. And then you get back to Portland and it’s like you’ve got to relearn everything that Portland was doing. And so it is really tough.”
Sauerbrunn emphasized the importance of being fully present and giving one's all, regardless of the team jersey worn at any given time.
“You have to be wherever you are and give it everything that you’ve got with the team that you’re with. But it can be really tough because, I’m so excited to be back with Portland as well, but also I really want to beat Colombia in a few days.”
Alex Morgan and the USWNT is set to face Colombia once again Sunday, wrapping up a two-match friendly series. The national team’s coaching staff, headed by interim coach Twila Kilgore, is cognizant of the players' split loyalties and is “managing minutes with players in different parts of the NWSL season,” Kilgore said on Thursday. The emphasis, she said, is on ensuring that “when they do go in, that they make a difference that they’re asked to make.”
Other players navigating this challenging time include Sophia Smith, Sam Coffey, Crystal Dunn and Olivia Moultrie from Portland; Naomi Girma and Jaedyn Shaw with San Diego; Midge Purce with Gotham FC; and Alana Cook and Sofia Huerta with OL Reign.
