Ali Krieger and Ashlyn Harris have been adjusting to life in Montclair ever since signing with pro women’s soccer team NJ/NY Gotham FC a few months ago. The married couple, who are proud parents to their one-year-old daughter Sloane Phillips, spend their downtime as a family hanging out around the neighborhood where the community has been accepting of their sexuality. Just like working as a team on the field, the soccer stars work equally as hard off the field when it comes to family life. Read on for The Montclair Girl’s exclusive interview with the soccer stars.
Ali Krieger and Ashlyn Harris
(Photo credit: Kyle Krieger)
Transitioning from the Sunshine State to the Garden State
Ali and Ashlyn were officially traded to the NJ/NY Gotham FC in December 2021 after playing for the Orlando Pride since November 2016 and November 2015, respectively. Since then, the women said they’ve had “tough moments” adjusting to living in Montclair, especially in terms of the weather difference, but admire the proximity to New York City.
“We love the team and community we live in, so it’s been an exciting adjustment experiencing life so close to the best city in the world,” Ali shared while Ashlyn added, “I feel like I’m at the center of the universe and everything is at the tip of my fingers. It is so fast-paced and exciting to live in such a vibrant city that’s so diverse!”
The soccer stars, who enjoy going to the parks and playground and even the Short Hills Mall with Sloane on their days off, feel at home living in Montclair, especially with “other Queer families who live in the neighborhood.”
(Photo credit: Katie Cahalin)
“Everyone has been so kind and accepting ever since we’ve moved here. Between neighbors, public figures in the community and Sloane’s teachers at school everyone has made this transition so smooth and easy for our family,” Ashlyn said.
Ali added, “Montclair is beautiful. There’s so much to do to stay active and the downtown area is super fun. There’s plenty of stores and restaurants to visit and the vibe is great for our family. The people we’ve met are very welcoming and kind, too… Montclair is the best place for our family with Sloane attending school, [with] dog parks and space for our pups.”
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Family Life With Sloane
Ali and Ashlyn became parents for the first time in February 2021 when they adopted daughter Sloane Phillips who was born on February 12th. Ever since welcoming Sloane into their world, the new moms have put motherhood above anything else.
(Photo credit: @ashlynharris24)
“Sloane is our priority therefore anything that happens at work, good or bad, we just put to the side and show up for her every single day the best we can,” Ali said.
Ashlyn added, “I think everything changes when you become a mother… You have to learn incredible patience and time management. Not to mention you learn to operate on fumes and lack of sleep which has been the biggest adjustment being a new mom.”
The professional athletes spent this past Mother’s Day spending quality time together as a family, while adding in a fun activity of customizing their vehicle in style. Thanks to their partnership with Hertz, their ‘soccer moms’ car is now decked out and reads, “Moms who like to kick it. #Goals.” (See the video here.)
(Photo credit: Courtesy of Hertz)
Sloane, who turned 1 this past February, is already a budding soccer star. The little girl has been throwing the ball back and forth with her mommies — and is hitting new milestones such as standing up, taking a few steps, and “talking up a storm in her own language.”
Ashlyn gushed, “She is fearless and very independent. She loves high fives and hugs and always seems to be waving and clapping. Sloane actually loves playing catch, so we have so many different types of soccer balls, baseballs, tennis balls and sensory balls for her to have fun with!”
They already can’t wait to have another child — in fact, they’ve talked about having “several” children. “We’re open to both carrying and adopting [more kids],” they shared.
(Photo credit: @alikrieger)
Looking Ahead
The NJ/NY Gotham FC players — Ashlyn is a goalkeeper and Ali is a defender — kicked off this season in March. They’ll continue playing home games at the Red Bull Arena in Harrison, NJ, and away games until October. Even though they spend a lot of time together, they can’t get enough of each other and both agreed they “wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“I love being with my wife all the time. The second she leaves for more than 24 hours I absolutely miss her. I get to experience life everyday with my best friend,” Ashlyn said.
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The NJ residents, whose contracts go until 2023, continue to break barriers day in and day out. Ali credited winning the World Cup in 2015 as the pinnacle point of her career that “changed women’s soccer in America and around the world forever.” And Ashlyn credited winning the 2019 Women’s World Cup, which was “when we, as a team, decided to change the narrative, to fight for [the pay equity that] we deserve as female athletes in this country.”
(Photo credit: @alikrieger)
They both have been through extremely difficult times — Ashlyn suffered two back-to-back ACL injuries in college that made her question her future career — but both have come out as fighters and winners.
Ali told TMG, “I love the game way too much to have given up on what I really wanted to accomplish in this sport. Was injury difficult? Yes, extremely at times but fighting through adversity is what makes this journey so worth it.”
