What will Kaleigh Kurtz and Ally Watt bring to Denver Summit?

In the lead-up to Denver Summit’s debut NWSL season, I will be analysing their recruitment, watching games and sharing technical details relating to the players they sign. I’ll start off with a game between Orlando and North Carolina in 2025 that saw two Denver recruits on opposite sides: Ally Watt and Kaleigh Kurtz, striker and centre-back.

Kurtz is comfortable using her left foot

Playing left centre-back in a line of four, Kurtz showed her comfort on that side very early on. With this first touch, she controls the ball using the outside of her left foot so as to open up. It’s a confident, positive touch with her supposedly weaker foot.

Kurtz passed accurately and decisively with her left foot, playing out to the full-back on her side and firing one excellent through ball into the feet of a forward.

The weighting and accuracy of her passes ensured play flowed at a good pace, making things simple for the receiver.

This is relevant because what I have seen of fellow Denver central defensive recruit Megan Reid suggests she is not so comfortable on her left foot. Reid is absolutely right-footed, and cracks can show when forced to use her left to control, pass or clear.

On this basis I’d recommend Kurtz start as the left centre–back and Reid as the right-sided centre-back, assuming it’s a back four. I’d like to get into the possible dynamics of their partnership more in time, but will wait to see if further additions are made before analysing Denver’s centre-back options—it’s an article for another day.

Watt defends from the front

As an expansion side, Denver will probably need to accept they won’t dominate the ball all the time. A large part of that is simply the difficulty of finding cohesion with so many new players still getting to know one another, learning how to communicate and play off each other in a short space of time.

The defending team always sets the tempo in football, though, and Denver may find it quicker and easier to get organised and control games in this way. And while Watt is a forward, she can be a key player for Denver defensively.

Watt often played on the right flank for Orlando, but did get plenty of game time as a striker, where her intelligence and work ethic leading the press always stood out to me. In the following pictures I’ll show why.

Watt takes up a defensive position between the centre-backs, meaning Kurtz can’t play a sideways ball across the back line. Kurtz has to go forward or back, and she chooses the safe option back.

Watt sprints after the ball and follows up on the other centre-back as she receives from the goalkeeper, again cutting off the sideways ball along the line.

This time she closes down the ball-player, Maycee Bell, rushing and tackling her.

A great example of zonal defending, with one player able to control multiple opponents on account not only of her speed, but defensive positioning and hunger to get after the ball.

Watt is proactive and as North Carolina builds down the left, she gets in position to keep them there. Splitting the centre-backs like this makes the opponent’s attacking play more predictable, limiting their options. You can see how tight Orlando’s midfield gets to their direct opponents, because they know these are Kurtz’s only options.

Watt’s positioning allows her teammates to be more aggressive in their marking. Ultimately, North Carolina’s short game is disrupted, Kurtz goes long and the ball goes out of play.

It may not show up in the statistics because Watt’s efforts don’t always lead to hard event data. But it will make life easier for teammates and tougher for opponents. She sets the table for others to dine at.

Another example of pressing intelligently—curving her run to screen Kurtz while simultaneously rushing the goalkeeper.

What this game highlighted is that, playing as a striker, Watt can help lock the opponent on one side; allow her teammates to be more aggressive; cover two opponents at once; force the opponent backwards; take their time away, preventing them fully developing their attack. And she can set an example to all the others: if the striker is working this hard, we have to as well.

Penalty box movement

If I’m nitpicking, there’s one thing I think Watt could have executed better in this game, and that is her movement inside the box.

Watt did one thing well consistently, which was get in front of her marker. That’s a good way of ensuring first contact on any ball whipped in. Timing is key. Make the run too late and it’s easy for the defender to clear the ball away; arrive too early and it’s easy for the defender to see both you and the ball, then mark you or block your shot.

Watt got in front a little too early in certain moments and that reduced her chances on a ball in.

There were times where Watt did start on the defender’s blind side, then looked to race in front as the cross was about to come in. She was doing the right thing in those moments and sometimes just didn’t get the service.

Starting blind side keeps defenders guessing, because they can’t see both the attacker and the ball.

Attackers need to confuse and surprise defenders in the box. Change speed or direction. Remind the defender that they aren’t in control. One good rule is “one run for them, another for me”, leading the defender one way so you can go another.

Watt was getting in the box and did make some good runs. Overall, I got the impression that she was just over-eager in this game. That perhaps meant at times she was a bit too hasty to get in front position.

Kurtz the communicator

Leaders in central defensive areas are invaluable. They can communicate with the entire back line and the central midfielders, and can see the whole game in front of them. Essentially, they can coach teammates through games, which is particularly helpful if some are inexperienced, or whose concentration might wander.

Kurtz was in communication with her teammates throughout this game. Here she checks her shoulder mid-transition, sees an opponent running on Maycee Bell’s blind side and lets her know.

It’s a great start for a new team with lots of new partnerships, not to mention a few NWSL rookies, to have a centre-back like Kurtz. Over 140 games during seven years of league experience; she’s encountered most of the defensive scenarios you’re likely to encounter, will have plenty of information to pass on, and evidently is happy to do so.

Defensive fundamentals

Carrying on the above move, Kurtz shuffles across and approaches Marta side on, showing her opponent outside, away from goal. On her toes, knees slightly bent, a slight crouch, well balanced with eyes on the ball, she limits Marta’s options and makes the block. A dangerous Orlando counter-attack fizzles to nothing.

Kurtz’s defensive reading was exceptional in this game. She was a ball magnet at the front post; her reading of cues and ball flight was never in doubt and she must have made five or six clearances on the ground or in the air. There was no messing around and I wanted to pay specific attention to one clearance in particular.

This is a horrible bounce, but Kurtz deals with it and gets right under it with her left foot. No dangerous loose balls or second wave attacking opportunities here—if Orlando score it will be from Row Z. Kurtz’s flexibility really stood out on this play. Her follow through takes her left knee to chest level. Other defenders would end up trying and failing to head it out for a corner or giving it away.

Kurtz achieved iron woman status in four consecutive years with North Carolina, between 2022 and 2025. That’s special, a testament to her fitness and preparation. She’s powerful too, and left a few players on the ground after aerial duels. It’s not deliberate; she’s just the definition of firm but fair.

A ball in behind for a runner and Kurtz is disadvantaged here, caught between ball and player. But she reads the play and uses her arm to hold the opponent off, getting between opponent and ball.

We’ve seen Kurtz defending on the back foot and asserting herself in duels, but she’s alert and quick to defend on the front foot too.

Here she’s crouched in anticipation, ready to spring forward. Ultimately she intercepts a pass and North Carolina can break away.

The following is the 96th minute during an Orlando home game, and Kurtz is jumping into midfield to stop attackers from turning and facing goal.

Finished with a sound shoulder barge to unbalance Julie Doyle and force her pass backwards.

Overall thoughts on two key signings

Kurtz is a hugely experienced player and a vocal leader who can guide teammates. She’s a well-rounded defender: strong, powerful, committed and alert with good positioning and anticipation. There were few one-vs-ones where she was faced up by the attacker in this game, in transition or the wider areas. Few centre-backs actually thrive in those situations though. Defending the penalty box there are few better in the NWSL, and Kurtz can step in to intercept or hold an opponent up as well.

If Kurtz leads the back line, Watt can steer the defence from the front. Her work ethic, tactical understanding and speed make her a relentless nuisance to opponents. So many times in this game, North Carolina paid a price for trying to play out against Watt’s pressure. She showed some good touches too and got her team up the field. With a bit more luck and a bit better timing, she could have added a goal to top off a strong, selfless performance.