After years of playing through tears, Angel City players are grateful team supports moms

"“I honestly look back and I have no idea how we got through that,” said Gorden, who made $8,000 as an NWSL rookie with the Chicago Red Stars in 2016, less than the city's minimum wage. “We're making no money. We were definitely using government assistance and government aid. And then the help of family and friends.”"

"“I'm impressed and proud of the part of me that got through that. But it was no way to live.” As the memories come flooding back, so do the tears. “It's so difficult to explain,” said Gorden, now 33 and the captain at Angel City, as she dabbed at the tears with a tissue. “Not having enough money, not having enough time, wondering if I'm being selfish, wondering if I'm making the right decision. Ultimately it came down to: I didn't feel like I had another [choice].”"

"A decade later, the NWSL minimum wage is $50,500 and the league's collective bargaining agreement guarantees mothers job protection, full salary and benefits for the duration of a pregnancy-related absence, stipends for child care and subsidized arrangements for women traveling with children up to age 14. Angel City, founded by three mothers, has gone beyond what the league has mandated by supporting mothers with perks that include a well-stocked nursery at the team's training facility on the campus of Cal Lutheran University."

"“From the beginning, we always strive to support the whole player. Physically, mentally, emotionally, psychologically,” said Julie Uhrman, one of Angel City's founders and now a principal adviser to the team. “And then to”"

Mother’s Day is framed as a celebration of perseverance, grit, and survival. Sarah Gorden became pregnant during college and spent the next 12 years balancing a professional soccer career with single-mother responsibilities. She earned far less than minimum wage as an NWSL rookie and relied on government assistance, help from family and friends, and limited resources. She describes the experience as difficult, marked by financial pressure, time constraints, guilt, and uncertainty about decisions. Years later, NWSL minimum wage and collective bargaining protections for mothers have improved, including job protection, full pay and benefits during pregnancy-related absences, child-care stipends, and travel support for women with children. Angel City adds additional support such as a nursery at its training facility.

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