VANCOUVER, British Columbia — From the day she became head coach of the United States women’s national team in 2014, Jill Ellis told her players, “We can’t sit still.” A team that sits still, she said, will get run over.
It was imperative for Ellis to find a balance between the old and new, to acknowledge the contributions of established stars like Abby Wambach and Christie Rampone, but also to blend younger players like Julie Johnston and Morgan Brian into the lineup.
And now that the Americans have won their third World Cup title with a 5-2 victory over Japan, Ellis will again be looking to refine her roster as the 2016 Olympics approach in Rio de Janeiro.