The Essential USWNT Friendship Series: Kelley and Sonnett
Who you are: a person who has stumbled across this post because you are gay, and/or someone who wants to get into the women's world cup and the USWNT but whose fandom experience requires knowledge of the Narratives And Friendships
What this isn’t: an endorsement of being weird to players in public spaces (in real life or comment sections, or on unlocked Twitter accounts)
What this is: a (hopefully) comprehensive collection and explanation of the (public!) friendship between two fan-favorite members of the 2023 WC squad
I know I’m missing stuff and it’s likely I’ll come back to add to this! Every time I try to add anything to this post the draft editor throws me an error message so consider this a part one. Please note this is a sideblog 🫶🏼
EMILY SONNETT
29 (as of the beginning of the 2023 Women’s World Cup)
Born in Virginia, but raised in the northern suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia
Attended the University of Virginia, graduated with a degree in Sociology
Was originally a midfielder, later converted to defense. Primarily plays centerback, but can play fullback on either side, and defensive mid
She is a Sagittarius (this is important)
KELLEY O’HARA
34 (as of the beginning of the 2023 Women’s World Cup)
Born and raised in the southern suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia
Attended Stanford University, graduated with a degree in science, technology and society with a focus in environmental engineering
Was originally a forward (and in fact won the Hermann Trophy as college soccer’s top player, as a forward) but converted to play fullback on either side
She is a Leo (I told you it was important. Twin fire signs 🔥)
THE BASICS
Sonnett’s first cap was against Brazil on October 25, 2015–she started and played all 90 minutes as a centerback (beside Becky). Kelley was on the bench.
On Feb 15, 2016 they played together for the first time! They both started against Puerto Rico and Kelley scored!
Kelley was a good mentor to Sonny immediately, her little Georgia peach padawan
They didn’t appear to really get close until winter 2016-2017, when they trained together in Atlanta during the offseason and started to hang out in a smaller group and one on one
Eventually they played on the same team (Washington Spirit in the 2021 and 2022 seasons) and won a championship together! (2021)
It was Kelley's first NWSL playoff run and her first championship, but Sonny's second championship (she won with the Thorns a few years before)
Kelley scored the game-winner in the championship final, in overtime, as a header. She does not typically score, much less with her head (she is like 5'4'' on a good day). It was insane.
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PRE-SPIRIT
Once they were friends they were BEST FRIENDS. Kelley loves to annoy Sonnett and has since day one. Couples massage!!, training together with Moe Brian
Typical rookie/vet prank but cuter because they're besties: BOO!
They drink coffee together: Sonnett Sunday, theee Kelley O'Hara,
Sonny is secretly an artist (seriously, she can draw): Lactose Tolerant Cow
They dance together so much. Seriously, so much (bonus Rose). In the car, anywhere.
They hype each other up: Snacks at the beach, blue on navy, flexin, cutest sports girl ever, Sonnett is an undercover singer,
Even their friends have pointed out their similarities. Are they the same or are they the same?
The 2019 World Cup parade was deeply chaotic: please beer and god they drank nonstop idk how they survived, they also napped on the plane back from france with pinoe and ashlyn
they help each other out: cold towel, guest coach kelley,
They threw out the first pitch for the Braves after the World Cup (with Mal, whose husband Dansby played for the Braves at the time)
They also made an appearance at an Atlanta United game together
They were chaotic in every team picture, X,
they took on the Tokyo olympics together (feat many teammates)
they were extremely annoying in the BFF quiz while Kelley and Alex tried to win (link to the BFF quiz episode below in required viewing section)
THE SPIRITS
Sonny's e-bike is their bike, not her bike, but sometimes they biked together too
More coffee adventures, in DC this time, X + X
Mentoring rookies, but this time together
When half the Spirit got COVID in 2021 and had to quarantine at a hotel in Portland, somehow they did not get tired of each other
Exploring restaurants together
Taking pictures of each other (they called each other Rick and Morty for a while which I try to forget), & with their bikes, & with matching orange beanies, more matching orange beanies
more dancing and celebrating, even celebrating carli as a duo, celebrating moving onto the nwsl final
getting jumpscared by their own rookies...together this time
being stinky and sweaty together and generally chaotic
cheering on the braves together on kelley's couch, being very loud and annoying
celebrating the spirit championship together, X + X + schwasted dancing with Kelley's girl together, doing a tiktok with Trinity and the trophy, making memes out of their championship cellies
showing off their championship rings together and celebrating the CBA signing at Audi together
they went to DC pride with the spirits
they developed this weird euopean cheek kissing thing
clowning in huddles together and doing tiktoks with the kids
Being annoying on the player's pod they recorded with Trinity and Andi (link to the pod below in the required watching section)
Still hyping each other up, of course: nice kick!, sonny's soft spirit fingers
POST-SPIRIT
Kelley took a pic of her abs when she got cleated at the CONCACAF tournament in 2022 and in solidarity, Sonny nearly took her shirt off
still taking lots of pictures and videos of each other, mostly Kelley. (I'm putting this in post-Spirit because although we didn't know it yet, Kelley already knew she was leaving DC)
Kelley literally left the Atlanta airport during her layover to hang out with Sonny on her birthday
loving on their Spirit rookies together, even after Kelley was off to NJ, +1 (Trinity's first goal in the 2023 WWC Send-off game)
celebrating Mal's wedding together with Andi and Rose
bringing each other up in every conversation
Being annoying about Taylor Swift
Sonnett almost killed Kelley within the first 30 seconds of them playing against each other for Gotham and the Reign and Kelley thought it was hilarious
OTHER PHOTO DUMPS / COLLECTIONS
Georgia girls
Glued together in Tokyo
More Spirits shenanigans
NT Camp besties
Kelley's visit to Portland in 2019
Hyping each other up in Instagram comments
General camp/NT shenanigans including the infamous "you're so wiggly" video
2019 WC Parade ridiciulousness
More coffee! Plus a cookie (and a "cookie")
MISC PHOTOGRAPHS THAT I JUST HAVE LYING AROUND
more of Kelley mentoring rookie Sonny on the NT
Kelley and Sonny in Atlanta in 2016 or 2017 (I don't remember exactly, I also cropped Moe Brian out of this but it was 800 years ago, sorry Moe)
A moment caught in the background of a post-2019-final celebration picture
Pre-2021 NWSL championship moments: not impressed with someone's pregame speech, Sonny wore 6 for the Spirit so they were neighbors, something Sonny was saying with her mouth full was very interesting to Kelley ,
Some more Spirit NWSL championship moments: they can't believe it, Kelley was beside herself, tongues out for the gals, I would pay to know what Kelley said here, another moment where I would love a transcript,
REQUIRED VIEWING
Kelley's episode of Laughter Permitted with Julie Foudy, where a few of her best friends surprise her with an appearance, including Sonny, Allie Long and Alex Morgan
The BFF Quiz Championship, moderated by Sonnett
The Player's Pod with Sonnett, Andi Sullivan, and Trinity Rodman
1v1 with Kelley O'Hara (pre-camp 2023 WWC)
Throwing the first pitch out with Sonnett, Kelley and Mal
