It’s been 3 1/2 months since the USWNT won the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup on July 5th. Since the win, the team’s popularity has exploded. The team walked the red carpet and attended award shows, had a ticker-tape parade in NYC, and even joined Taylor Swift on stage at one of her sold-out concerts. They began playing matches in their 10-game Victory Tour and had record number of sales for each one so far. They’ve become household names. More importantly, they’ve been using their recent success to grow the women’s game.
In the weeks that followed the World Cup win, several players on the 2015 roster announced their retirement from the game of soccer. One of the surprises from that short list was 2013 NWSL MVP Lauren Holiday, better known as Lauren Cheney (she changed her name after marrying NBA player Jrue Holiday). Holiday, only 27 years old and at the peak of her career, decided to step aside from the game after winning 2 Olympic Gold Medals (2008, 2012), an NWSL Championship (2014, she went on to win this year’s title this past month), a World Cup title (2015), and plenty of individuals accomplishments throughout her professional career. As of today she has 124 caps with the national team and has scored 24 goals, one of which was the game winner in the World Cup Final. Her last match will be on Sunday October 25th in Orlando as the USWNT takes on Brazil.
This post isn’t about Lauren Holiday’s retirement though. Shannon Boxx’s retirement is just as significant as Holiday’s and she’ll be playing her last game tomorrow in Seattle. This post involves Lauren Holiday. Because she will be hanging up her boots, it will also put an end to a special group many USWNT fans have known and loved: The New Kids.
The New Kids are comprised of Lauren Holiday, Amy Rodriguez, and Tobin Heath. The trio joined the national team in 2008 when they were all 20 years old and under and trying to make the 2008 Olympic roster. It was at that time that U.S. Soccer did a feature on the three players dubbing them “The New Kids”.
Somewhere along the way since the forming of The New Kids, it is well known by hardcore USWNT that these three take the field together before every game. They stand out of bounds on the side of the pitch and then jump over the sideline to join the rest of the team for warm-ups. It’s The New Kids Jump. Sunday is the last time it will happen with all three of The New Kids (when one of The New Kids isn’t around for one reason or another, the other two still take the field this way). Besides the fact that Cheney will be missed because she is such an important piece to the current USWNT, this little, sometimes unnoticed ritual will be missed as well.
Rituals like this exist in all sports. There was Ray Lewis’s dancing and the tip of the cap from Derek Jeter. There’s the Lambeau Leap and the octopus on the ice during Red Wings games. The point is these little actions are special. They’re something extra fans look forward to seeing and probably players too. They become as much a part of the sport as catching or shooting or scoring is and they’re just as memorable as a championship winning goal, a buzzer beating three-pointer, or a walk-off home-run.
U.S. Soccer tried to replace The New Kids last year by introducing Julie Johnston, Morgan Brian, and Crystal Dunn as The “New” New Kids, but it didn’t stick the same way (probably because they don’t do the jump). So on Sunday, The (Original) New Kids will take their last jump as a trio (hopefully someone records it). After the match, Lauren Holiday will retire. She plans on starting a family and having new adventures. Eventually, Tobin Heath and Amy Rodriguez will play their final caps and join Cheney in retired life. Things change. People leave. Life doesn’t stop. But their legacy (and their jump!) will remain. They’re forever The New Kids.
Link to the U.S. Soccer introduction to The New Kids.
Link to The New Kids revisited.
Tobin Heath, Amy Rodriguez, and Lauren Holiday wave to the crowd during the USWNT ticker-tape parade in NYC on July 10, 2015. (Morgan Brian also pictured.)
The Spentertainic Source 