An international approach has led the Wave’s comeback from a miserable 2024 season.
Players from , Canada, , Sweden and Nigeria have teamed up with American and Mexican American players to lead the club to fifth place in the 14-team National Women’s Soccer League.
The Wave (3-2-1) are scoring twice as often as last year and coming off back-to-back road wins entering Sunday’s home match against sixth-place Bay FC (2-2-2).
One of three French starters, forward Delphine Cascarino, shows the best ball skills of any Wave player in the club’s four seasons. She has two goals and a team-high three assists.
Another European standout, German midfielder Gia Corley, 22, has two goals and an assist in five starts.
Corley moved from Tacoma, Wash., to at age 3. After her seventh professional season in , she ed the Wave in January.
This week, Corley answered questions about her soccer journey and the Wave’s progress. During the chat came funny moments of language clarification, not unlike what the multilingual Wave experience day to day.
What led you to the Wave?
A: So, it was always interesting to look at what’s going on in America. It was never my goal to play in America, but when I got the offer from San Diego, I put my focus more into American soccer. It caught my eye. And then I saw San Diego and was, like, “Wow, it’s really nice there.” And I saw the players there, who’s playing there. After the call with San Diego Wave, for me it was clear: if my ex-team (Hoffenheim) would let me leave, then I would be so down to go there.
How were you able to start fast, scoring in the first two games?
A: Of course, it was a wish. It goes like this: but it was on purpose. I am so happy it went this way. I had a really easy start. I arrived at San Diego Wave, and the people there were just so open. It felt so welcoming. The people made it so easy for me to arrive. Then soccer-wise, we had a long preseason. We did a lot. We worked out well.
Can you compare the style of NWSL soccer to that in ?
A: It’s different. Sometimes, it’s more fast or more physical than in . Of course, there are exceptions. It’s really good that our team is not playing the typical American soccer. We are playing a little European soccer. That’s what is really good and fits us the most. That’s why I don’t miss anything. It’s perfect.
Oh, terrific.
A: No, perfect. What is terrific?
Pretty close to perfect.
A: Perfect (laughs).
Did the recent road trip bring the team closer together — two victories and being on the road on a long trips?
A: It was so important for us, yes, to win both games, and to win the way we won, like, how we played. Travel was so exhausting, and yes, maybe this brought us together closer. Because we died together.
Because you died together?
A: No, it’s just a saying, right? Suffered together. We say died together, but we didn’t die (laughs). Yeah, it was so important. Still, really fun. How we won the games was so important. Game to game, we learn a lot.
What was life like in for you?
A: I can’t compare it to anything else. It was nice, good. All of my life, it was just soccer. That’s why I don’t really think that I can say something special about (). I liked it, it was nice.
What made you fall in love with soccer?
A: At first, it was only because it was my favorite hobby. I really just had fun with my friends and my little brother. I forced him. He was 3 years old, but I played with him. I didn’t want to do anything else. It was my favorite. And then, it turned out that I am actually not that bad at it. And my mom (Cornelia Corley-Skawransaw) had that before me and put all of her into me. She knew, “OK, you’re good at it and we can achieve something.” And I was like, “Yeah, more soccer, let’s go, I love it.” All of my focus went into soccer. It’s still fun.
It looks like everyone on the Wave is having fun. Are you enjoying this style of play?
A: I really like it. It’s so perfect for the players. We are the players who want the ball, who want to play short, who want to be creative. From our personality, we all are, like, it’s not enough, we want to do better. That’s the thing that makes us such a good team.
Does it make it more fun to have a lot of players from different countries?
A: It’s so fun. I don’t know if it’s more fun. It’s really nice that we have a lot of foreigners. It’s funny, too. Because you can laugh about how sometimes people say things differently or meaning differently. Some people are French and like Canadian, and everything together. The mix is really good.
Soccer is a universal language, right?
A: Yes.
