Ashlyn Harris Opens Up About Soccer Career and Finding Love with Sophia Bush Former U.S. Women's National Team goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris, a key figure in the team’s back-to-back World Cup victories in 2015 and 2019, is sharing the story of her life in a new Roku documentary titled Gamechangers: The Ashlyn Harris Story. The film explores her journey from a troubled childhood to her rise as a professional athlete, the challenges of retirement, and her current life as a mother and partner to actress Sophia Bush. Harris, now 40, reflects on the sacrifices she made to achieve success in soccer and the emotional toll of leaving behind the identity she built as a player. Harris grew up in Satellite Beach, Florida, where her passion for soccer became an escape from a fractured home life. As a child, she was the only girl on a boys’ team, embracing her tomboyish nature and thriving in the sport. However, her family’s stability was disrupted when her father nearly died in a boating accident, leading to years of instability, including his drinking, marital strife, and Harris feeling unsafe at home. By age 12, she had already begun smoking and drinking, and her older brother, now sober, struggled with substance use. Soccer became her refuge, and by 13, she committed to a full scholarship at the University of North Carolina. Her professional career spanned 13 years, during which she played for teams like the Washington Spirit, Orlando Pride, and Gotham FC. Despite her success, Harris admits that the financial rewards of soccer were limited, and she often felt the pressure to prioritize performance over personal well-being. “We never made enough money to live a life where we could take a break in retirement,” she says. Yet, she remained determined, believing in her ability to overcome obstacles.#university_of_north_carolina #washington_spirit #orlando_pride #ashlyn_harris #sophia_bush
Ashlyn Harris Talks New Documentary, Ali Krieger Divorce Soccer star Ashlyn Harris has opened up about her recent divorce from former U.S. women’s national team teammate Ali Krieger, reflecting on their four-year marriage and the challenges they faced. Harris, 40, shared her thoughts exclusively with Us Weekly while promoting her new documentary, Gamechangers: The Ashlyn Harris Story. She described the decision to end their marriage as a necessary step, emphasizing that their relationship, while meaningful, was not sustainable for her. “I don’t resent or regret anything about the life I built with her; it just wasn’t for me,” Harris said. The couple, who married in 2019, filed for divorce in September 2023. They have two children together: daughter Sloane, 5, and son Ocean, 3. Harris acknowledged the emotional toll of the process, stating, “You try and you try and you try and you keep trying to make it work and you don’t want to fail. But also, life is really short and really long at the same time. I get one shot at this. There’s no second act.” She admitted to feeling “unhappy” during their marriage, to the point where she questioned whether she was “serving” her family and herself. Harris also addressed the difficulties of balancing motherhood with a professional soccer career. She criticized the lack of financial support for childcare, stating, “We don’t get paid enough money to have full-time childcare and schooling so we can do what we want to do while playing and having the career we want.” She described the decision to leave Krieger as “really hard” and acknowledged the pain it caused her. “I had to make a really hard decision. I know I hurt her in that process.” Following the divorce, Harris said she focused on rediscovering her identity beyond her public persona.#ocean #ashlyn_harris #ali_krieger #sloane #sophia_bush
