Reign FC’s Rising Stars Continue the Legacy of the Club

The start of the 2025 season has brought many changes for the Reign, but one thing has remained the same: the culture of the locker room.

A club renowned for its welcoming nature and gritty attitude, a new generation of players has burst onto the scene, ready to continue the legacy of the club while bringing their own flair.

In March 2024, just ahead of the regular season, forward Emeri Adames became the club’s first-ever U-18 signing, paving the way for defender Jordyn Bugg and midfielder Ainsley McCammon to follow suit four months later in July.

Now acclimated to the demands of the NWSL, the three players share a unique bond. Becoming a professional athlete at such a young age poses a unique set of challenges, but the three were able to navigate these hardships together.

“It's really nice to have other young players who are going through the same thing that you can talk to and relate to,” shared Adames. “We all become so close because we're going through the same thing and how many people get to go through the same thing at the same time? I feel like I can tell them anything and not really feel judged and talk through everything.”

She continued, “With being a professional, a lot of things come into play. You have to show up to practice every single day, you have to perform every single day.”

The young forward is no stranger to putting up solid performances, as she has now amassed 22 regular season appearances and scored two goals. She most recently scored the Reign’s first goal of the 2025 season, displaying her hard-to-track, dynamic presence up top.

Adjusting to the change of pace on and off the field can be shocking, but the more experienced members of the Reign were crucial in helping the three young players traverse the changes.

“Becoming a professional brings a lot of pressure and a lot of expectations, but I think that especially being a younger player, just remembering you don't have to be perfect; it's going to take time,” said McCammon, the Reign’s youngest-ever signing.

“Especially with us, you can lean on the older players, like they are always there to support you, they're always there to encourage you, like taking off as much pressure as they can, but just remembering to learn from your mistakes and learn from your experiences and just use that to help you get better,” added the midfielder.

Since signing with the club, McCammon has made two regular season appearances and earned one start. Bringing a maturity beyond her years to the midfield, she made her debut during the NWSL x Liga MX Summer Cup and played two matches in the tournament, putting up a passing accuracy of 84%. Willing to put in the work her entire shift, McCammon’s steady presence in the midfield shines on offense and defense.

Bugg shared a similar sentiment, emphasizing that feeling comfortable enough to make mistakes has been important in her journey with the team.

“I learned making mistakes is okay,” said Bugg. “Going from club, where you can basically do whatever you want on the field, to coming to the pro-environment where the standard is high, and I think I mean that's a great thing to be expected of because it helps you grow. We're young, we're still learning. The older players don't put pressure on us, and I think that we feel comfortable enough to make mistakes and learn from them and learn that it's not the end of the world.”

The versatile defender has played seven matches for the Reign, including all 90 minutes of the 2025 home opener against Gotham FC. Aided by her extensive experience with the Youth National Team, the defender’s rare ability to seamlessly slot into the Reign’s backline made her a quick addition to the lineup.

The hard work of Reign staff and players over the last 13 years is on full display as the club remains a destination location for players. As the new generation of stars is ushered in, they’re relying on the wisdom of the veterans to guide them, building an unshakeable legacy for the Reign.

“I think it’s really special to be able to lean on the older players and like learn from them and kind of learn more what the history has been and kind of continuing the legacy of this amazing club because it's obviously been super, super cool, seeing all of that like a little bit behind the scenes, but it's special,” said McCammon. “I feel honored that people can look at me and expect that I can be a leader.”