Sydney Leroux has always been a fierce advocate for moms. From drawing attention to the lack of paid maternity leave in the National Women’s Soccer League to calling for the league to reevaluate its childcare policies, she’s never been afraid to speak up for working mothers and athletes.
“I believe that moms should be supported and celebrated, and that’s what I try to do every day,” says Leroux, who’s mom to 8-year-old son Cassius and 5-year-old daughter Roux. “We’ve fought so hard for equality in women’s sports, but I feel like mothers, which make up a small number, are kind of overlooked. My hope is that if you want to have a baby in this league, then it’s celebrated and available for everybody. There are now more moms than ever, which is amazing, and it has gotten better. But I still think we have a long ways to go.”
No one understands rest and recovery more than a professional athlete – or a working mom. For Leroux, her ideal way to recharge is by going on vacation. “I like to see the water,” she says. “I do enough adventuring throughout the entire year, so I just want to relax, lay down, and be in a pool.” Though her soccer schedule and mom duties make it difficult to carve out time, she makes it a priority because that “reset” is “so huge for me in my job.”
That’s why the Angel City FC forward partnered with the ARDA, the trade association for the timeshare and vacation ownership industries, to launch the Sharing Time Off Contest, which encourages Americans to take their PTO and experience timesharing. From Feb. 19 through March 19, travelers can enter for a chance to win four weeks of timeshare stays at various resorts, as well as $10,000 toward their vacation.
While Leroux may not have PTO in her job, she does have off seasons, which she “loves utilizing to spend time with my loved ones.” “We should really take time off as being a reset and being able to be with our family and just relax,” she says. “Everything is so busy and chaotic. When you have that time, use it.” Recently, she spent her time off at a timeshare in Carlsbad, CA, with her girlfriends, where they drank wine, hung out by the pool, and played games. “We had the best time ever, and I was just thinking, I cannot wait to bring my kids.”
Given that rest is essential for Leroux, it’s no surprise her current product obsessions include a high-quality mattress and a celebrity-approved throw blanket. Check out all of the pro athlete’s must-have items ahead.
