u/TheWomensSoccerPod

Hi Matildas fans!

In today’s episode, LDG sits down with a true history-maker: Sydney FC defender and Junior Matildas captain, Willa Pearson!

Besides becoming the first guest in the history of our podcast who is younger than LDG himself, despite her youth, her pedigree on the pitch and list of records broken off it is immense.

Willa made global headlines after playing the full 90 minutes in Sydney FC’s opening match at just 14 years and 312 days old, officially becoming the youngest debutant in A-Leagues history. She followed that up by shattering Sam Kerr’s long-standing record to become the league's youngest-ever goalscorer at 15!

Willa has quickly gained attention for her composure, defensive awareness, and maturity playing against experienced professional competition. In this conversation, we talk about her journey into the professional game, balancing soccer at such a young age, her development with Sydney FC and Australia’s youth national team setup, and what she’s learned from her rapid rise in the sport so far.

Fresh off her second match at the AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup, Willa joins the pod to take listeners behind the scenes of her historic rise.

We chat about her earliest soccer memories, how navigating a high-level dual-sport background in both soccer and cricket enhanced her athletic abilities, and the exact thoughts running through her mind during her record-breaking pro debut.

Willa also opens up about adjusting to the pressure of top-flight football, what it meant to receive the Junior Matildas call-up, and how she processes taking on a massive leadership role as the squad’s captain.

To wrap things up, we look ahead to her short- and long-term objectives with Sydney FC and the Matildas youth setup, followed by a must-listen rapid-fire section where we find out her locker room DJ picks, favorite kits, and her one-word preview for her massive 2026 calendar!

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Hey NSL Fans,

In today's episode, LDG is chatting with Tanya Boychuk, forward for the Montreal Roses and Ukrainian women's national team.

With experience playing for Canada's youth squads, Tanya's career spans over two continents, competing across North America and Europe. Tanya began her professional career in Iceland and Sweden before she found herself back in Canada joining the Montreal Roses. Today, Tanya competes for the senior women's national team of Ukraine, after making the switch in March after being called up for training camps with the team, ahead of the upcoming international windows that hold weight in qualifications for major competitions.

In our conversation, Tanya opens up about the switch from college soccer to the professional game, adapting to the footballing cultures while playing club football in foreign countries, and how that experience enhanced her development on and off the pitch.

Tanya also speaks candidly about her decision to switch teams and play for the Montreal Roses when the Northern Super League was still very new, the experience of building a team from scratch, and the role she took on from day 1 after being appealed to the project in discussion with the club's sporting director.

Towards the end of our chat, Tanya shares why she decided to play for Ukraine internationally and her ambitions in the game at the highest level, along with her goals for the future with both her club and national team.

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USL fans,

Thank you for your support on our last Gainbridge Super League interview with Sophie Harding!

In this episode, I am so excited to talk with Sporting Jacksonville and USWNT U-20 forward Ashlyn Puerta, who is currently leading the Gainbridge Super League golden boot race.

A rising force in the professional game, Ashlyn's made an immediate impact in her first season at Sporting Jacksonville, quickly establishing herself as one of the most dangerous attacking players in the Gainbridge Super League. From a standout youth career that included top academy performances, early national team involvement, and exposure to elite training environments, her path to the professional level has been defined by constant challenges and adaptation at every stage.

In this episode, Ashlyn reflects on her earliest soccer memories, the moments that shaped her development, and how she built the mindset needed to transition from youth standout to professional goalscorer. Ashlyn also breaks down her decision to forgo the traditional college route in favor of joining an expansion project, walking through what ultimately made Sporting Jacksonville the right fit at a pivotal moment in her career. Now a key figure in the club’s early success, she discusses her adjustment to the professional game, playing in front of growing home crowds, and what it means to be part of a team building its identity from the ground up.

The conversation closes with reflections on her goals for the future, both short-term and long-term, as she continues her breakout season and looks ahead to what’s next in her career.

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KC Current fans,

Thank you for your support on our last KC Current interviews from last season with Izzy Rodriguez + Bayley Feist and Rocky Rodriguez + Laurel Ivory.

Fresh off one of the most decorated collegiate seasons in the country, in today's episode of The Women's Soccer Podcast, rising defender Kolo Suliafu gave her first-ever interview as a professional in an exclusive and in-depth conversation with LDG.

Kolo gives a glimpse into the path that led her to reach a professional level of play. Beginning with childhood memories of playing soccer and being a standout at high school all the way to deciding to join University of Washington and making history by taking the Huskies to an Elite Eight appearance, Kolo shares stories of winning Big Ten Defender of the Year and All-American awards, creating the winning mindset that she is bringing to KC.

Kolo brings listeners behinds the scenes access into what it is like becoming part of Kansas City Current in its new phase, the journey of a rookie navigating a post-draft ecosystem, what made Kansas City the most appealing project to start her professional career, and her experience in her first-ever professional preseason being tasked by achieving the club's lofty goals.

Lastly, Kolo chats about her initial days in Kansas City, the elite amenities of playing for the Current (dedicated stadium and training facilities,) the message she wants to convey to fans, and the objectives/staples on her vision board for 2026 and beyond.

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