Taking the Lead in Kentucky

By Jody Schaefer, Kentucky State Chapter President



Two years ago in December, I received the call that every coach waits her entire career to hear: “I MADE IT!”, she screamed into the phone. It was electrifying to know that two Kentucky athletes would travel to Germany to play with the U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team. Assumption High School junior Lee Ann Gordon and Christian Academy of Louisville sophomore Claudia Thomas both made the 2019 U-17 USWNT after a rigorous process of selections, beginning with Futures training, moving through the National Futures Championship and on to Junior National Camp, and final selections for the squad. Watching these girls grow from U-12 teammates on their IFHCK club to competing on the Junior USWNT displays the potential that Kentucky has for growing players who can achieve at the highest level.