Photo Copyright Chris Nicoll for USA TODAY Sports
Change is the operative word around the United States women’s national team as players and staff navigate an unprecedented period of extended transition. The six-month wait for Emma Hayes to arrive full-time as the team’s next coach will put a particular emphasis on player leadership.
With so many veterans missing from this week’s training camp — ahead of the final two games of a year the U.S. would rather forget — there are valid questions about who will fill that void over this extended period.
“As my role has evolved, and their role is evolving, we’re evolving together, which has been great,” U.S. interim coach Twila Kilgore said on Friday in response to a question singling out the leadership of Lindsey Horan, Emily Sonnett, and Rose Lavelle.
“But we’re looking for leaders from every direction. There’s space and room for players to step up and evolve in their roles and also in a leadership capacity, and you see it in lots of different ways in the…
