LAFAYETTE, Ga. — As much as U.S. coach Emma Hayes loves winning, she has even loftier ambitions for the national team — and women’s soccer overall.
When Hayes first took over as coach of the national team shortly before the 2024 Olympics, there was little time to fully realize her vision. But early last year she spoke about the WNT Way, which is now taking shape in the run-up to both next year’s Women’s World Cup in Brazil, and the 2031 tournament, which is likely to be hosted by the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica and Jamaica. Hayes came to the national team after 12 successful seasons at Chelsea, where she started to look at how her players were impacted by their menstrual cycles.
“I feel as president and as a coach and as a former player that we have a responsibility to grow this game, not only here domestically but internationally as well. And when I say grow it, I don’t just mean more, right? “But how do we help everyone create a more developmentally appropriate, fun, engaging environment for the female player across the landscape, regardless of the level. After she was named U.S. coach, she surveyed her players to gain insight into their needs. “Having a coach care so much about the holistic person and player, I think, was something that we all were like, ‘Oh, this is very new. This feels very different. “It’s been really helpful for everyone to feel like it’s a safe place to be vulnerable and speak about things that affect us all but you are always too afraid to speak about in the sense of like, you’re not feeling too good, you’re on your period. How do you voice that to a coach that hasn’t once asked you about any symptoms you have or what your cycle is like?”
More is only part of it,” Parlow Cone said. I think it’s been incredibly important,” former national team player Crystal Dunn said.
