The National Women’s Soccer League has been making waves in the past couple of weeks, starting with a groundbreaking deal with players that eliminated the draft system and culminating in the record-breaking $250m sale of Angel City on Thursday. Despite these monumental achievements, the league shows no signs of slowing down.
In a recent announcement, the NWSL introduced two new additions to its leadership team. Sarah Gregorius, the former women’s football lead at Fifpro, has joined as the senior director of sporting, while Karla Thompson, the former executive director of performance and development at San Diego Wave, is now the league’s director of youth development. These new roles are aimed at enhancing player welfare, improving provisions, and nurturing homegrown talent as the league heads into a new era without the college draft.
Gregorius, a former New Zealand national team player with 100 caps to her name, brings a wealth of experience to her new role. She reflects on her playing days, particularly her time as an English league champion with Liverpool in 2013, and acknowledges the significant changes that have taken place in women’s football since then. Her reputation as a “troublemaker” on the field stemmed from her relentless questioning of the provisions for players, a trait she now carries into her work with the NWSL. She is eager to contribute to the league’s ongoing efforts to enhance the playing experience for athletes, a task that excites her even more than the prospect of relocating to New York City.
In an exclusive interview with the Guardian, Gregorius expresses her belief in the untapped potential of the NWSL.
“Yes, the NWSL is leading in a lot of areas, but I don’t get the impression they want to sleep on that,” she remarks. “My impression is, they don’t feel like they’re at the top of the mountain yet. They feel like they’re very much still trying to scale it.
“What I like about women’s football is leagues want to improve with each other. [All women’s leagues around the world] have this idea of swimming in the same direction to improve women’s football. I think the NWSL wants to play a role in assisting those other leagues and also learning from those other leagues. There is a lot to be gained from being part of that global community. We do it better in women’s football than I’ve seen in men’s football, so there’ll be a lot of learning in the future.”
The NWSL’s recent moves signal a commitment to progress and a dedication to further elevating the women’s game. With Gregorius and Thompson now on board, the league is poised to continue its upward trajectory and make a lasting impact on the world of soccer.
