Racing Louisville FC Forward, Nadia Nadim, dropped in to 'Wake Up With Cheddar' along with co-owner Christopher Harding to tlak about The 2022 Women's Cup, the future for the team and the importance of shining a spotlight on women in sports. 

Wake Up With Cheddar

The Importance Of Women In Sports With Soccer Star Nadia Nadim

friends to wake up with cheddar with Shannon Lanier and baker machado. The women's cup soccer tournament was held this last weekend in Louisville Kentucky. So here to talk all about how it went down and why shining a spotlight on women in sports is so important. We're pleased to be joined by soccer star and Racing Louisville Fc forward, not even a deme and also the co owner of the team Christopher Harding guys. Great to have you here. Thanks so much for getting up early with us this morning. Nadia, I want to start with you. How were the last couple of days playing in the women's Cup? And how did it feel to be the host team on Racing. Louisville's home turf here? Well, it's been amazing. You know, getting the chance to play with against some of the best teams around the world and then, you know, having the opportunity to promote the beautiful game for our fans. It's been really nice. And then obviously second year hosting this tournament, it's a lot of fun. And also the crowds, I think the crowds are enjoying this Now for those who don't know, the women's cup was founded last year 2021 and is the largest women's professional club soccer event tournament of its kind, bringing together six teams from five countries and they even played seven matches together in three days. So Christopher, why is this women's cup so important and how was it for you to also play on your home turf? Well, it's always amazing to, to shine a spotlight on my hometown of Louisville Kentucky. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to make it this year on in London right now, but it's truly an amazing event. It is just getting started and uh, you know, for me, I think what it does really is when you're able to bring together some of the greatest athletes on the planet, uh, and you're able to give the young girls and young women of Louisville Kentucky and the surrounding communities more of a sense of belief that, you know, their goals and their dreams can be real. You know, when they see Nadia Nadeem right in front of them lacing up her boots or they can give a high five to jess Mcdonald or take a selfie and, and look at it from time to time, it just reinforces that yes, yes, I can do it. Yes, I can achieve my goals and dreams just like they did. Yeah. So true and not by the way, it was a really great game, but unfortunately racing, Louisville fell short to ol reign on Saturday. However, the regular season coming back up on Saturday, the 27th is this last weekend's tournament going to give you all the drive you need for a successful upcoming season. Yeah, definitely. I think as I said, you know, there's three, we played two games, but there was three for some other teams have been really good and then for us tuned in for the next game. You know, we've had a long season and I think houses on team, we're reaching this level where everything is kind of like sinking in and we're super excited for the next game against Chicago on our home field. Hopefully, you know, this buzz around it that we had during the women's cup is gonna continue for us and for offense. Um, and I think it's just so inspiring that you have an opportunity to really inspire a lot of young women and I have two daughters out there and even my son, they love soccer and they love watching these games. So what does it mean to you to inspire the next generation and those that are coming up in this sport and women in sports in general. I mean it means a lot. Obviously I love the game, you know, I, I play full because it makes me happy, but now being here, knowing that there's so many younger girls and boys looking up to you and you know, and as chris was saying, you know, we're almost telling them, you know, this, this is possible, this could be your life as well and that's an amazing feeling and then it makes me happy and proud. Well just a congratulations on the amazing tournament that is soccer star and Racing Louisville Fc four Nadia Nadim and the co owner of the team Christopher harding joining us this morning, Thank you guys so much for getting up early