I KNOW! You’re thinking you haven’t had time to watch..or\nlearn about the players…so now it’s too late to really get behind them…you\ndon’t want to be a fair weather fan…<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hogwash! It’s our long birthday weekend, and you have time\nto get to know them before they step on the field Sunday against the Dutch. So\nI’m providing you some interesting snippets about 23 American heroes. Ready?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alyssa Naeher, 31, Goalie, Stratford CT: She’s tough on the\nfield, quiet off. Between games she works on crossword puzzles to keep calm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ashlyn Harris, 33, Goalie, Satellite Beach FL: Overcame\naddiction and a troubled youth; engaged to teammate Ali Krieger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Adrianna Franch, 28, Goalie, Salinas KS: Grew up in a\nHabitat for Humanity house she helped build.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kelley O’Hara, 30, Defender, Fayetteville GA: Media monster;\nhas appeared in Howler, Shape, and Sports Illustrated magazines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Abby Dahlkemper, 26, Defender, Menlo Park CA: Overcame self-doubt\nto become starting central defender; dating Minnesota Twins outfielder Max\nKepler.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Becky Sauerbrunn, 33, Defender, St. Louis MO: Reads books by\nthe armful; played sports with her two older brothers, which she says toughened\nher up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Crystal Dunn, 27, Defender, Rockville Center NY: Can play\nevery position; the only player to start every game for the team in 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ali Krieger, 34, Defender, Dumfries VA: In 2005, narrowly\nsurvived a pulmonary embolism and several small heart attacks caused by blood clots\nresulting from a broken leg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tierna Davidson, 20, Defender, Menlo Park CA: The youngest\nteam member; loves horror novels but hates horror movies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Emily Sonnett, 25, Defender, Marietta GA: The team joker,\nlikes to punk the older players.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Julie Ertz, 27, Defender, Mesa AZ: Sunshine off the field,\nruthless on it; married to champion Philadelphia Eagle Zach Ertz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lindsey Horan, 24, Midfielder, Golden CO: First woman to\nskip college and go directly to the pros, playing for Paris Saint-Germain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rose Lavelle, 24, Midfielder, Cincinnati OH: The trickster;\nhas the best ball skills on the team, as she showed with a stunning nutmeg vs.\nEngland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Morgan Brian, 26, Midfielder, St. Simons GA: As a young\nplayer, was so small she earned the nickname, “Plankton,” a character\nfrom her favorite show Spongebob Squarepants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Samantha Mewis, 26, Midfielder, Weymouth MA: “Six feet\nof fun” – enough said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Allie Long, 31, Midfielder, Northport NY: Trains by playing\nin immigrant men’s futsal leagues in New York City.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tobin Heath, 31, Forward, Basking Ridge NJ: Earned the\nnickname, “Tobinha” for her Brazilian-level creativeness on the\nfield.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alex Morgan, 29, Forward, Diamond Bar CA: One of Time\nmagazine’s 100 Most Influential People for 2019 as a leading voice for gender\npay equity in sports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Megan Rapinoe, Forward, Redding CA: Trashy-mouthed voice for\nequality. Cover-girl culture crusader. Captain America with a peroxide pixie. <\/p>\n\n\n\n