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The Women's World Cup led her to take another shot at professional soccer — and brought her back to her Jewish roots

JL;DR SUMMARY Jessica Ayers, a professional soccer player, has returned to the field with IFK Kalmar in Sweden after a hiatus, driven by a desire to improve the conditions for women's soccer and a personal reconnection with her Jewish roots. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.

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Tags

IdentityEuropeLithuaniaFamily HistoryJewish RootsProfessional SportsCareer ChallengesJessica AyersWomen's SoccerIfk Kalmar

Places mentioned

Kalmar, Sweden
"Ayers, a veteran leader for IFK Kalmar in Sweden and a rare Jew in the ranks of professional footballers, retired in 2016 when it seemed the game had nothing left to offer her, as an immensely talented player who hadnt quite risen to the level of a world-class star."
Seattle, Washington, United States
"The Seattle native has, since her 2019 return, played in the Champions League a World Cup-style competition between the best clubs in each country on a continent and helped Kalmar avoid relegation from the top flight of Swedish soccer for the first time in club history."
Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States
"Ayers secured an athletic scholarship to attend Colorado College, and earned first-team all-conference honors in Conference USA all four years she played, and second-team all American honors her senior year."
Kansas City, Kansas, United States
"After graduating, she was selected in the third round of the 2015 National Womens Soccer League draft by Kansas City."
New York, United States
"She bounced from Kansas City to New York to Seattle before eventually landing in Finland, a league with few players as talented as those in the NWSL."
Finland
"She bounced from Kansas City to New York to Seattle before eventually landing in Finland, a league with few players as talented as those in the NWSL."
Lithuania
"A short spell at IK Myran, a Finnish club where Ayers had played before her retirement, led to 18 months with Lithuanian champions FC Gintra-Universitetas, who also play in the Champions League."

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Cairo Item ID 35590
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Retrieved 2024-11-09 05:31:15 UTC
Curated 2024-11-09 08:31:44 UTC