Kaleigh Kurtz of the North Carolina Courage talks women's soccer
I LOVE THIS TOWN.
>>> THANKS SO MUCH, KENT.
IT IS HOT OUT HERE.
BUT MORE IMPORTANT, TEAM USA IS
PLAYING ON FIRE AND I'M SO
EXCITED FOR THE WORLD CUP ON
SUNDAY WHICH YOU CAN WATCH
RIGHT HERE ON FOX 50 ON SUNDAY.
JOINING ME TO TALK ABOUT THAT
IS A DEFENDER WITH NC COURAGE.
YOU HAD QUITE THE ROOKIE SEASON
LAST YEAR WINNING A
CHAMPIONSHIP YOUR FIRST SEASON.
>> IT WAS AMAZING.
IT WAS A STRANGE ENVIRONMENT TO
BEGIN FOR THE FIRST TIME.
WE TALKED ABOUT IT A LOT LAST
YEAR.
TYPICALLY YOU'RE NOT GOING TO
WIN ALL BUT ONE GAME FOR AN
ENTIRE SEASON.
I THINK THAT SHOWS WHAT KIND OF
CULTURE WE BUILT FROM NOT EVEN
THE PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE BUT
THEY BROUGHT THE ROOKIES AND
RIGHT AWAY.
IT IS THIS CULTURE OF WERE
GOING TO GET BETTER EVERY
SEASONAL, SINGLE-GAME.
>> ARE YOU SEEING IT CONTINUE
TO GROW?
>> DEFINITELY.
THE MORE AND MORE WE WON,
PEOPLE SAUCE WIN THE ICC AND
THEN THE SHIELD AND THEN THE
CHAMPIONSHIP AS WELL.
OUR FANBASE HAS CONTINUED TO
GROW AND WORD-OF-MOUTH SPREAD
VERY QUICKLY.
>> WE'VE GOT TO TALK WORLD CUP
SOCCER.
YOU HAVE FOUR TEAMMATES ON THIS
TEAM AND THEY ARE PLAYING SO
WELL RIGHT NOW.
OVERALL REACTION TO HOW
DOMINANT THEY ARE.
>> WHEN I FIRST CAME IN I WAS
IN ALL I LOOK LIKE A DEER IN
HEADLIGHTS.
I GOT TO MEET EVERYONE AND YOU
KNOW, IT WAS CRAZY TO GET TO
TALK TO THEM BECAUSE I THOUGHT
IT WOULD BE SO INTIMIDATING.
THEY ARE THE NICEST PEOPLE IN
THE ENTIRE WORLD.
YOU SIT THERE AND SEE HIM
AMAZING THEY ARE AT SOCCER AND
IS HUMAN BEINGS AND YOU PUT
THEM ON THIS PEDESTAL OF
AWESOMENESS IN EVERY SINGLE
CATEGORY.
>> IT IS EPIC.
>> IT IS THAT BACK.
>> HAVE YOU BEEN TALKING TO
THEM?
>> YES.
IT WAS CRYSTAL DUNN'S BIRTHDAY
AND IT WAS SO COOL TO TEXTURE
AND SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
>> DO YOU KNOW HOW THEY'RE
FEELING RIGHT NOW?
>> I WOULD ASSUME A LITTLE
ANXIOUS BUT EXCITED.
THEY ARE GETTING TO SHOW
THEMSELVES ON THE BIGGEST STAGE
AND THE ENTIRE WORLD AND
COMPETE FOR THEIR OWN COUNTRY.
>> I'VE GOT TO ASK YOU THIS.
WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT
THEIR CELEBRATIONS AND WHAT DO
YOU MAKE OF THE, ESPECIALLY
WHEN YOU DESCRIBE THEM AS NICE
WOMEN?
>> I FEEL LIKE YOU WOULD NEVER
TELL A MAN NOT TO DO A
CELEBRATION.
MEN RIP THEIR SHIRTS OFF WHEN
THEY SCORE A BIG GOAL AND WE DO
A TEACUP AND GET IN TROUBLE OR
A GOLF CLAP AND WE GET IN
TROUBLE.
WE DID SCORE 13 GOALS.
WE ARE GOOD ENOUGH TO SCORE 13
GOALS AND WHEN YOU SCORE A GOAL
YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO CELEBRATE
THAT AND NOT JUST TURN AROUND
AND NOT CELEBRATE SOMEONE NEW
ON YOUR TEAM SCORING A GOAL FOR
THE VERY FIRST WORLD CUP.
>> THIS IS BEEN SUCH AN
INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE FOR ALL
OF THEM AND ALL OF US.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CHATTING
WITH ME.
WHEN IS YOUR GAME TONIGHT?
>> IT IS AT 7:30.
>> CHECK THEM OUT.
SHE IS GOING NEXT.
BACK TO YOU.