Apex man celebrates World Cup victory with U.S. Women's National Team

Malley returned to the Triangle on Tuesday after the United States Women’s National Soccer Team celebrated its 5-2 World Cup championship victory over Japan.

Malley is one of the team’s athletic trainers.

“To be able to see them fulfill their dream after losing out on the last three World Cups was pretty special,” he said.

For the past 12 years, Malley has been responsible for keeping the team healthy and ready to play.

“I come down to the sideline during games as needed if the player gets injured, or to take them to the locker room,” he said.

The opportunity to work with the national team came after he was assigned as an athletic trainer for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s women’s soccer team as a graduate student.

“They do funny things. A couple of them will put skits together and they’ll play games on the bus,” Malley said. “They keep themselves occupied—they like to shop.”

Aside from his duties with the national team, Malley is a full-time physician’s assistant at Duke University Sports Medicine.

Malley said he doesn’t get noticed while walking through a store, but he likes it that way—being a part of something big and letting the team have the glory.

“It’s kind of interesting to be in a supermarket, or store, and hear people talking about the soccer team,” he said. “I think they wouldn’t know or believe me even if I said I do.”

Malley said it was an honor to work with some of the best soccer players in the world and was humbled by who they are as women, not just athletes.

“They’re just like normal people, they’re just the best at what they do in the world,” he said.