The college soccer season kicks off this month for NCAA men’s and women’s teams, and we’re celebrating the occasion with a lively conversation with Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak, an Olympic gold medalist, World Cup champion, two-time NCAA champion and current head coach of the women's soccer team at the University of Central Florida. 

In the episode, Sahaydak shares her journey from playing on boys' teams to becoming a professional (2:50). Then, she recounts her experiences as a soccer player, including the 1999 World Cup (20:18), the formation of the WUSA (24:20), and the challenges of maintaining a professional career. Throughout the conversation, Sahaydak puts on her coach’s hat, emphasizing the importance of teamwork, resilience, role models and how UCF can beat top-ranked UNC, where Sahaydak won two national championships as a student-athlete. 

The U.S. Soccer Podcast is a production from U.S. Soccer hosted by David Gass, Meghan Klingenberg and Alejandro Bedoya. The podcast tells stories in service to soccer and the people who live it, amplifying player voices and the stories behind the game. Episodes drop weekly on Wednesdays. 

Hosts: David Gass, Meghan Klingenberg 

Guest: Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak 

Producer: Matthew Nelson 

To learn more, visit ussoccer.org/podcast  

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