“Courage isn’t what you have; it’s what you choose to practice. Keep chasing your dreams, Ladies!” said KC Courage’s social media post the day two of their players temporarily put on KC WoSo (now Kansas City Current) jerseys and stood at the ready in case the NWSL team needed them while their international players were away.

Those are words to live by, but in this club’s case, they’re words to build your foundation upon as well.

KC Courage has been around for a little less than a decade and in that short period of time, they’ve fostered a reputation and a standard for other clubs in both the WPSL and in the UWS to follow. They’ve partnered with many organizations in their community in Kansas City - Global FC, Youth RISE, KC Current, and Mission Southside - to name a few, and they help gather donated soccer equipment to distribute to disadvantaged local soccer players. Their roster is made up of D1 student athletes and associate head coach, Candice Fabry, is the founder of Fearless & Capable, an organization that empowers and mentors young women. It’s safe to say that their mission to invest in their community by developing strong individuals has been successful.

The year 2020 was a hard one for just about every lower league club, with most leagues cancelling their seasons for the safety of everyone. 2021 wasn’t much better. The UWS was the only women’s lower league to successfully execute a full season and championship tournament, but even while facing the complexities of keeping players and coaches safe while playing the game we all love, KC Courage kept chugging off the field.

In March, the Courage partnered with AGY Performance to help their players safely return to play without injury and in April, before many NWSL teams even had done so, they facilitated a partnership with Elite Performance Counseling Services to provide their players with access to counseling services geared towards athletes.

And after club owner Wendy Louque’s daughter Jayme Sue passed away late last month, organizations and individuals from all across the soccer world sent their condolences, demonstrating that KC Courage’s mission to lead with courage had made them a cherished member of this community. Their loss was our loss.

KC Courage makes us all better. They are the type of club we aspire to play for, to have our children play for, and they are the type of club we want in our city so we can root for them. And as the women’s soccer community turns a magnifying glass on itself as it looks to improve and ensure player health and wellness is the top priority for clubs of all professional levels, we would be amiss if we didn’t recognize the clubs - such as KC Courage - that are out there already prioritizing their players and protecting them and investing in their communities. That’s why KC Courage is my nominee for club of the year.

- Lis Schendel