National Women’s Soccer League experiencing youth movement as teenagers take the field

By ANNE M. PETERSON
AP Sports Writer

There’s a youth movement going on in the National Women’s Soccer League. Eighteen-year-old Alyssa Thompson was the No. 1 overall draft pick in the league right out of high school. She’s so talented she earned a spot on the U.S. team that will play in this summer’s World Cup. A change in league rules also paved the way for two 15-year-olds to launch pro careers. Olivia Moultrie of the Portland Thorns was the trailblazer for the movement when she successfully sued the league in 2021 to play before she was 18.