Olathe East’s Haley McCutcheon claims ‘emotional’ NWSL championship in front of family

While the Kansas City Current didn’t get to play in the NWSL championship game, Kansas City still had representation through Orlando Pride midfielder Haley McCutcheon.

McCutcheon, an Overland Park native who played her high school soccer at Olathe East, is now an NWSL Champion. And she went the full 90 minutes to boot.

As the final whistle sounded on the Pride’s 1-0 victory, McCutcheon dropped to her knees before joining teammates in mobbing captain Marta in celebration.

“It didn’t set in for a little while until I saw teammates and people who have been there through it all,” McCutcheon said. “It’s just emotional.”

After not scoring all season long, McCutcheon came up clutch in the playoffs. She scored the first goal for her team in both the quarterfinals and semifinals. Her goal in the first half of the semifinal helped spur the eventual victory over the Current to book a place in Saturday’s final.

The Pride put up seven goals in those two games but needed a stellar defensive performance — holding a 1-0 lead Saturday for nearly an hour of game time — to be able to lift the trophy.

“It came down to sacrificing, putting our bodies on the line and defending for our lives,” McCutcheon said. “Doing anything to keep the ball out of the back of the net.”

McCutcheon grew up playing soccer just like her sisters, starting when she was 3. She remembers the rec league games and practices at Heritage Park. In 2012, she won a state title with Olathe East.

She eventually joined the KC Legends academy and later joined Sporting Blue Valley, where she was coached by Huw Williams, the former FCKC assistant coach. (Williams also coached the Current in the club’s inaugural season in 2021.)

McCutcheon played four years at Nebraska before being drafted to the NWSL with the Houston Dash. She never considered playing pro soccer until it became a reality.

After the championship match, she put her emotions into perspective, particularly accomplishing such a feat at KC’s own CPKC Stadium.

“It gives me so much pride in the city,” McCutcheon said. “Seeing young girls and boys who play for clubs that I used to play for, it just gives me so much joy. Because I didn’t have that growing up.”

After the final whistle was blown and Queen’s “We Are the Champions” started blaring over the CPKC Stadium speakers, McCutcheon finally found her family: parents, cousins, uncles, the whole lot.

“I got emotional again seeing them,” McCutcheon said.

Of course, winning a title is exciting enough. But for all the family support through cold mornings, nights out and tournament weekends — not to mention drives to and from practice and games — McCutcheon was happy to give her parents a special moment in return.

“They express to me how proud they are of me regardless,” McCutcheon said. “But to give them this championship is so exciting.”

Daniel Sperry covers soccer for The Star. He can be reached at sperry.danielkc@gmail.com.