Distance has never been a problem for new Ellie Carpenter. On the contrary, it’s always been a sign of progress.
From the two-hour drives her parents made after school to get her to training, to the 190-mile move the family undertook when she was 12 – when it was clear both her and her brother, Jeremy, could have professional futures – Carpenter’s athletic ascent has been defined by distance and the lengths she was willing to travel to reach her goals.
Today, the 17-year-old right back makes her biggest leap yet, signing with Thorns FC – the first move out of Australia in her professional career.