Soccer Tejas
The list of players who will represent the United States in women’s soccer at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris has been announced. Two of those players have ties to Texas.
The jewel of DFW
Jaedyn Shaw, born in Frisco, Texas, is just 19 years old and already has numerous awards to her name. She currently plays for the San Diego Wave FC as a forward, a team with which she debuted in professional soccer in 2022 and was named the second youngest player to sign with the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) at 17.
During her debut season she scored in her first match in the 27th minute which made her the youngest player to score in her debut. She also scored three goals in her three consecutive matches, making her the second player to achieve that.
Shaw will now be representing the USA on a stage where the American women have historically dominated despite their last appearance at the 2020 Japan Olympics where they placed third.
She has always represented the United States from a very young age in youth categories such as in U-15 where she was a key player in achieving triumphs.
The froward has World Cup experience because she was part of the 2022 U-20 squad. It was in 2023 when Shaw was called up to the majors and it is projected that she will be a constant for years to come.
Houston’s protector
Even though the goalie Jane Campbell was born in Georgia and not Texas, she is already considered an honorary Texan for all her hard work and dedication with the Houston Dash.
The goalkeeper has been with the Houston team since 2017 and recently signed a four-year extension contract through the 2027 season with an option to extend until 2028. So far in the 2024 NWSL season, the goalkeeper has been a key for clean sheets.
Campbell has over 490 blocks in the league since she debuted in the 2017 NWSL regular season, to just name a few of her achievements with the Dash.
With the national soccer team, she has 8 appearances, and was in the U-17 national team that reached the 2012 Azerbaijan World Cup. In 2013 she was called up the senior team for the first time and has a bronze medal from the 2020 Olympics. This time she was called as an alternative for the Olympics in Paris this summer. Which means that Campbell will travel with the national team in case one of the other goalkeepers can’t compete, she will be the one to take their place.
The “Stars and Stripes” team makes their Olympic debut on July 25 against Zambia, so be on the look for the possibility of seeing these two Texan players and what they can achieve on the soccer field.
