ORLANDO, Fla. – For the Orlando Pride, the start of March brings with it a lot of “new”: new players, a new National Women’s Soccer League campaign — Orlando’s fourth — and new Head Coach Marc Skinner, the Pride’s second-ever head coach.
But the Pride also retain some familiarity with the same-old Ali Krieger. At 34 years old, the Pride defender is the oldest of Orlando’s 25 listed players on its initial preseason roster.
To Krieger, though, age is just a number.
“I feel like I’m 25,” Krieger said after Day 1 of preseason on March 4. “You know, I feel good. I’ve been training my ass off this whole offseason and really preparing for this day… So, I wanted to come in and be prepared and be fully fit and, you know, be a good example and set a good example for the young ones coming in.”
Krieger is as good an example as any. She represented the United States in two FIFA Women’s World Cups, helping the U.S. to second place in 2011 and first in 2015, and helped lead Orlando to its first-ever NWSL playoff appearance in 2017 in her first season with the Pride.
Neither her body nor her age have stopped her from seemingly playing at that same level. Despite suffering an MCL injury in her right knee in a 5-2 win over the Chicago Red Stars on May 26, 2018, she still tallied two assists while starting all 19 of her appearances for 1,675 minutes last season for the Pride. Krieger also played every minute in each of Orlando’s 25 games in 2017.
Now, entering her third season with the Central Florida side, Krieger looks to expand her role beyond being a mainstay on the Pride’s back line. She said she wants to be an extension of the new coaching staff led by Skinner and new Assistant Coach Carl Green and returning coaches Lloyd Yaxley and Seb Hines.
“It’s gonna be huge,” Krieger said of her developing relationship with Skinner. “You know, I want to be an extension of the coaching staff on the field, I hope, you know, if I get that opportunity. And I’m ready to take that on and to put the team on my back and push through the season and win.
“So, I’m really excited to do that. I’m up for the challenge, and, you know, I’m here to do a job and do it well. And, whatever they need from me and whatever they ask of me, I’m going to apply it to my game as best I can.”
Skinner was already aware of the kind of player Krieger was. Seeing her in person, however, was a different story. In a separate, post-training interview, Skinner, too, said Krieger looked like she was 25 years old in his first-ever Pride training.
“Can I just say that although her age might suggest she’s a veteran, her body — the way she runs — she’s 25, mate. I’m telling you,” Skinner said after training on March 4. “She is unbelievable… Just saw her on the field: the power, the energy, supporting the younger girls. She is a magnificent person. I knew that when I came to the club.
“But, mate, don’t talk about her age. She is not a veteran at all. She is definitely, definitely young enough to play forever.”
In addition to the example she sets on the field, Krieger is also making sure she’s available for her teammates when they need her off the field. The 12th-year pro said she remembered what it was like as a new player looking up to veterans and wants to assure her team she will be there for the relatively green players on the Pride.
“You know, you always have to make sure you’re accessible,” Krieger said. “As a veteran player, I wanna make sure I’m personable enough for the younger players to come and ask me questions. I have so much experience that I’m willing to give. You know, I obviously don’t have all the answers, and I don’t know everything, but I’ve been through a lot…”
Under Skinner, a new style of leadership will take place. In addition to the traditional, on-field captain, Skinner’s Pride will be managed through a host of designated leaders representing different backgrounds.
Skinner never explicitly stated Krieger was a shoe-in for the captaincy, but, considering his early-preseason praise and that Krieger has captained the Pride before, it’s almost indisputable she is at least a candidate.
“What we’re gonna try to introduce this year is a leadership team where we have a variance of people that…will be from each background. So, whether it be the younger players, they’re representative, and we’ll meet each week to make sure we discuss any problems that each player might have or each player group might have…
“So, it’s very much a shared leadership, but this is definitely, definitely a player-led environment, but it’s not a player-controlled environment… Their voice is so, so important, and that will continue.”
The Pride will have a little more than two weeks before facing their first preseason opponent on March 23. Orlando will travel to face the North Carolina Courage in their inaugural Friendship Cup, marking the first time the Pride will play an NWSL team in the preseason.
“You could see just how happy everybody is to be back,” Krieger said, “and the type of energy that was out there today is really inspiring and motivating for our season to come.”
For more on Krieger and the Pride, as they solidify their leadership foundation, follow Victor Tan on Twitter at @NDR_VictorTan.
To contact Victor, you can email him at vtan@newdayreview.com, or you can tweet at him.
