Abby Smith: League Leader in Saves and the Home Opener That Broke a Record

Kate Hanson: Welcome back to the 5280 pitch women's soccer at altitude. I'm Kate Hanson and today we have Abby Smith goalkeeper for Denver Summit FC two time NWSL champion nearly a decade in this league and now one of the first faces of this expansion franchise. I feel like she's constantly been up for NWSL player of the week. Abby, thank you so much for joining me on the 5280 pitch today.

Abby: Yeah, thank you for having me, Kate. I think this is so exciting.

Kate Hanson: Well, I mean, it has been quite a whirlwind for all of you Denver Summit players as you've been introduced to the Mile High City. I can't wait to talk all about what it was like playing at Mile High Stadium. I mean, that's the Broncos play. And man, it was such an experience. We're going to get there. But I want to get to know you a little bit more as a person and as a player, because a lot of people here in Denver. I mean, you've definitely been blowing us away with your play on the field, but I want them to get to know you a little bit because you've been in this league for a while. You grew up in Plano, Texas, not exactly a traditional soccer hotbed. What got you into ⁓ goalkeeping specifically? Like, why that position?

Abby: Well, to start, I just happened to be a kid with a ton of energy. So I started off doing gymnastics first. And that was easy because I could do like the after school programs, ⁓ go to the gym, flip around, do whatever I wanted to do. And then I also got thrown into soccer. So my parents are like, run around, do something. Just please, you're an only child. You need to get your energy out. So that's kind of...

Kate Hanson: You're an only child too. I'm an only child. Carson Pickett, I've learned, is also an only child. Yes, Yeah.

Abby: Mm-hmm. ⁓ we a couple people that are only children. So it's ⁓ really exciting. like bonded over that. ⁓

Kate Hanson: Nice!

Abby: Yes, no, like that's literally what happened is like tons of energy. then as I started to grow and get taller, they were like, gymnastics may not be the best route for you. You're a little too tall. So then once we had to make a decision, I chose going with soccer and here we are. I just kind of got thrown into being a goalkeeper when I was younger, just cause we would rotate and it made things like pretty easy because it stuck and I kind of got good at it. So here we are.

Kate Hanson: I'd say you kind of got good at it. Yeah. Well, I mean, it's interesting to me because, you know, my I've got two girls, the younger one, she would do, you know, underwater basket weaving. mean, like she just loves to be active and she did gymnastics. She's done. She does soccer now. She plays keeper sometimes. I mean, it's it's really interesting to see, like how certain sports stick. How old were you when you made the switch to just soccer?

Abby: Yeah. to me. I've won a sales probably like 11, 11 or 12. So when before you had to be pretty specific with like certain sports. It was very like tailored like it if you wanted to do individual training and stuff like that. like my parents were, they let me do individual training, but at the same time, like we wanted to explore everything. So when you had to, I would say,

Kate Hanson: Okay.

Abby: select soccer is like kind of what we called it when we had to decide. I want to say it was like 12. So.

Kate Hanson: Were you moving up from like 9 v 9 up to 11 v 11, do you think, around that age when you had to make the decision?

Abby: Yeah, yeah, I think it was like when it was 11 v 11 because like we, I would guess play on different teams. I would kind of bounce around and do whatever. Um, because I just wanted to play. I wanted to be out there. I wanted to be active. then like once the switch happened, I think we just went full force into soccer and like

Kate Hanson: So when you were playing and you made the switch to just playing soccer, what other positions did you play out on the field? Were you also maybe a striker or defense or were they like, all right, you're the tallest on the team and you got good hands. You're a keeper.

Abby: ⁓ I think we all rotated to be completely honest. Like, you know when you're younger and they're like, okay, it's your turn to be a goalie, like jump in. I think I was just like one of the kids that was like, okay, let's do this. And I would like throw myself at the ball. I would run around, but I don't know if I was like particularly the best at that. Because like when I was younger, we would do like skills on Fridays. And so my parents were like, let's do some, let's do some of that too, ⁓ just like help you out. ⁓ then like,

Kate Hanson: Yep.

Abby: once they realized that I was sticking in goal like more frequently. I want to say it was probably 12 or 13. So it wasn't very long after I made the switch.

Kate Hanson: well, it's interesting to me because ⁓ 11-year-old, ⁓ also has a podcast. It's called Life of a Soccer Girl. And ⁓ listening to her show and helping her with her scripts and everything, I've learned a lot about soccer, a lot of different soccer players. And she did an episode on Hope Solo. And Hope Solo, I guess, played striker all the way up until college and then moved to keeper. And then... ⁓ It was just reversed for Abby Wambach, I guess. Like she played keeper a lot because she was the tallest on the team and then got moved around. So I'm always interested to see how people end up being a keeper because it's, it's a very, it's, it's different. mean, you, you're, don't mind having people like rocket shots at you jumping up, like people, doing headers at your face and everything. So, I mean, it's a very different skillset. And then I'm always curious to hear how keepers got their, their start to being thrown in the net. So. ⁓

Abby: Yes. Yeah, nothing too crazy over here. Just ended up being one of the kids. Yeah, yeah.

Kate Hanson: So you were good at it and they're like, stick with it. So you, you've played in at Texas, right? For, at, the Texas Longhorns and you had 30 career shutouts there. That's not a small thing. I mean, we're kind of getting a little spoiled here in Denver with shutouts and clean sheets here too, but that's not common to get so many shutouts. So what was that program like for developing you as a goalkeeper?

Abby: Yeah, I think for when I was there, it was the transition year. So Angela Kelly had just taken over the program. And so we were just kind of like rebuilding everything. It was a lot of new. was a lot of like, let's try and like make things work. ⁓ because at the time the big 12 was very, very different than what it is now. It was a lot of physical play. was a lot of like playing the ball in. It was very crazy. So, but now it's. I would say like they play a little bit better. So ⁓ I at Texas, it was just a lot of like trying to figure out ⁓ what ⁓ work. And one my best friends from growing up ⁓ was also foot tall. So it was, ⁓ can I serve a long ball? she win the header and somebody go tap it in? ⁓ So it like too crazy of like ⁓ a dynamic, but I say

Kate Hanson: Yeah.

Abby: When I was there, I'm like super thankful to look back and like, wow, I had a great four years there. ⁓ I don't think I would have been able to be as flexible, I would say, because we did have the big, network at the time with ESPN. So I got seen through that. ⁓ but at the same time, like being at Texas, like you're in Austin, you can't really complain. It was a great opportunity and it was a lot of fun. So.

Kate Hanson: Yeah, for sure. I love Austin. I love being there except for in July, because then it gets a little bit hot. But I think it's a very fun city. It kind of reminds me a little bit of Denver with some of the vibe and stuff. when you were at Texas, was it always the goal? mean, you came into the league in 2016. A lot has happened.

Abby: Yes.

Kate Hanson: in the NWSL since then. I mean, was it a goal to become a professional soccer player or was it kind of like, I'm going to play college soccer, I'm going to get my degree, see what happens, you know, and things just kind of continue to evolve for you as a player.

Abby: Yeah. So at the time, the league had kind of taken a little bit of a hiatus, um, when I was coming into playing collegiate soccer. And so it was kind of one of those where I was like hopeful, but I didn't really know. There's always these rumblings of like wanting to continue to play, but then at the same time, like you just don't know. as I was getting closer to graduating, the league became a little bit more like, okay, there's another year. There's another year. And so there was more hope into continuing to play. And so that was really nice. But then once I graduated, was like, thank goodness I can go play. I can go do this. I can like continue to play. And so that was kind of like what happened. I graduated and ended up going to Boston, which was the complete opposite direction that I had ever been in. Hadn't been in the cold being in Texas, like, and I stayed close to home. ⁓ that was a big adjustment. It was across the country ⁓ I was like,

Kate Hanson: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Abby: I don't even know what I'm getting myself into. But, yeah.

Kate Hanson: Yeah, I can't imagine. I mean, like talk about like a big shift because like you said, you were from Texas, you played at University of Texas and then all the way to Boston. Then you went to Utah, which is also not that warm. Then Kansas City, also not that warm. I mean, like I feel like you got sent to all the cold places before you ended up in Houston. And that's a lot of stops. What did you learn about yourself as a player going through all those different environments?

Abby: Yes. Yeah, so in those transitions, I will say a lot of it was like before the time that I could have a say or the league was stable. So we had a lot of movement. had a lot of like folding relocation. A lot of things happened. And so when I look at that, I was like, wow, I'm able to like shift where I want to play or I'm getting to experience different parts of the country and play with a lot of different players have different coaches and I felt very fortunate because like a lot of people don't get to play for as long as I have. And through all those teams, I've gotten to learn more about myself and more about the challenges that are in front of me. And I feel very blessed that I'm in Denver now because I think like when I was at the Royals the first time around, I loved being in the mountains. Utah was not on the map. I didn't even realize that like Salt Lake City was an amazing city from when...

Kate Hanson: Mm-hmm.

Abby: the team when the team folded in Boston. So now we ⁓ are fortunate to be able to be in the mountains and get to go back to Utah. It's crazy to think that the team came back, but at the same time, like, I'm ⁓ so excited we're in Denver and this is where I've landed because ⁓ being in last year, I was like, this feels a little full circle. I got to train with them when I was in college, but then at the same time I was like, ⁓ when Denver on the map, was like,

Kate Hanson: Yeah.

Abby: I want to be back in the mountains. That's where I want to be back there. Like that's one place that I think that I haven't spent a lot of time, but I think that hearing what the city was doing, what the founders, the owners, like everyone, they were building something amazing. And I was like, I want to be a part of that.

Kate Hanson: Well, I mean, like you led me perfectly, thank you, to my next question, which was when you heard that there was an expansion team that was coming to Denver, what was your reaction? Were you like, yes, sign me up? I mean, what made you want to be a part of it? Just the mountains or was it the ownership? What made you want to come to Denver?

Abby: I think the combination of everything, like it started from grassroots and people really like the fight that everyone put on to bring the team here. It's unbelievable because like everybody saw it this weekend. Like the support that we had was unreal, but then it started from the grassroots, which I think is something that speaks a lot on this city because people were already excited before the team was even here. So then when the team got here, I, and in the process of that, I was like, sign me up. I want to be a part of it. I want to be in the grassroots program. I want to help build in Denver. And so when we got here, I was just like, this is more than I could have ever asked for because like our ownership is incredible. They are so present and they like, give me a thumbs up. ⁓ they're so present. They are so invested and like actually want to be a part of. our growth and our development, like it's not as common to see like an ownership group or like our owners come out to practice and like know everybody's name and give you a hug and be excited that like we're having a team here. And then on top of that, like our founders, the people that really care for us, our supporters group, and even just like our staff and our players, like they've really come together. and they've worked so hard to make this for what it is right now. And there's so much room to make it even better. But like we have a base standard that's so high that a lot of expansion clubs don't even like get to within the first two years.

Kate Hanson: Yeah. Yeah, I and I've obviously I've read a lot of things about you. And one of the things that you've said recently is that this team feels more advanced than other expansion situations that you've been in. What does that actually look like in the day to day?

Abby: Well, to start off, to be able to just show up and not even think about like outside of playing, like we show up and we're able to train. We don't have to think about any of like the operations side. We don't have to think about equipment. We don't have to think about nutrition. We don't think about, have to think about like our strength programming or our medical team, like all the pieces that they put. Yeah. It's like, it's a massive factor. Like you.

Kate Hanson: It's crazy to me that you used to have to think about that. ⁓

Abby: Like when you come into a market, you're worried about where you're going to live or like, it close or having a car or feeling like you're in a safe area. There's so many different factors that go into it. And I feel like when I got to Denver, I was like, okay, I'm going to find out where I'm going to live. But like, I don't have to worry about anything else other than showing up training and being the best that I can be because like our medical was put into place early in advance. Our operation team was on top of things and made sure that we had what we needed, our equipment. is taking care of and our managers on top of everything. like she takes care of literally everybody. And then on top of that, like we have a nutritionist, we have a great strength department. ⁓ so ⁓ these factors that like allow us to just show up and perform and to just think about playing is ⁓ above and beyond because it's like something that sounds so minimal, ⁓ it's ⁓ that takes time to build. to do it right. And so they just like are doing it from the start.

Kate Hanson: Yeah. Yeah, and I think one of the things that I, that's reading a lot about how the team was built, the ownership, everything, it really feels like everything's being done very intentionally. It's not just like, ⁓ well we'll just throw the team out at, ⁓ well I granted ⁓ the stadium's being built, but I mean like, we'll just throw them out at Dick's Sporting Goods because there's already a stadium there or something. ⁓ Where's going to be a specific stadium for this team? we the game at mile high. Everything is being approached as a professional team. I feel not just, ⁓ let's see what happens if ⁓ the fans will get us and if they do, then we'll go ahead and talk about a specific stadium. Like everything has been done from the get-go. Saying that we want this team to be here and it's going to be here for a long time. ⁓ With an expansion team, feel like there's, ⁓ mean, and you've been a lot of teams.

Abby: Mm-hmm.

Kate Hanson: Everyone that's here to be here. They wanted to be a part of ⁓ expansion team experience and help build the culture. What does this locker room feel like right now? ⁓ you're all ⁓ You're all still kind of learning ⁓ zigs when someone zags, everything like that.

Abby: Yeah, I feel like our locker room is something very special. We have a young team and we have a solid, solid core of veterans, but we also have a solid core of rookies and younger players. And it's so exciting to see that mesh together. We get to build this locker room for what we want it to be. And that's something really special and that's something really hard to do because when you come into a team, like sometimes like There's already traditions, there's certain people and certain mockers. There's like already groups that have together, but at the same time, like we're all new and we all signed up to be here. And so we're all like really excited to like ⁓ something that we want to be sustainable.

Kate Hanson: Yeah, is there anyone on the team where you're like, oh, I've played against her for years or I watched her play in college and it's cool that I get to play with her? Is there anyone that you didn't maybe know too much about before and you're like, all right, she's really cool, she's different than what I thought or she plays differently than what I thought or she trains differently?

Abby: think there's a decent amount of people on our team that we've like played against or heard of. But like with Carson Pickett, I've known her since we were in high school. I want to say high school, which I'm like, ⁓ my gosh, it's wild because we came into the league at the same time. But also we had known each other before because we did youth camps together. We actually, I had a memory come up on my Facebook of us at our like U-17 camp and we're standing right next to each other. And I was like, Carson, look at this. I was like, we were babies.

Kate Hanson: That's so crazy.

Abby: to think that that's where we were. And now we were standing next to each other when we were at my high, just like watching the video board. And I was like, can you believe this? I was like, can you believe that they like made this happen and this like a dream come true? And so we were like pretty emotional at that like moment because it's so surreal and like it kind of is for full circle to be able to play with Carson again because it's been so long. So yeah.

Kate Hanson: Mm-hmm. Yeah. That's pretty awesome. I didn't realize that you guys had played together previously and how fun now that you guys are able to kind of do it, build this team and the culture in a city that's been dying to have a professional women's soccer team. When Carson was on the show, she was like, yeah, what took Denver so long? They should have had a team a long time ago. When you were walking out and 63,004 people.

Abby: Yep.

Kate Hanson: That is a women's sports record in North America. Walk me through what that was like when you walked out of the tunnel on Saturday.

Abby: I think part of it too, of that moment, I like got goosebumps. To be honest, our entire team that put that production on, like above and beyond. Like they're incredible. They deserve a round of applause and many more because sleepless nights, making sure that everything was smooth, we literally just had to show up. And that's not something that a lot of people can say that they got to do in front of. that many people like Denver really showed up for us and like we're in the game with us and we felt it it was so incredible because like that's wild that we just set a record not only for soccer but women's sports in the US and so I'm like let's do it again let's do like let's keep pushing to like break that record but at the same time like we're in history because that was so hard to do and our our entire team that like

Kate Hanson: Okay.

Abby: honestly that was incredible. every time someone mentions it they were like, that was so good. This was amazing, that was amazing. The pyro, or like all the fire and the ball like come, yeah, yes. Everything, like the halftime show, the DJ, the arc and literally just every piece of it was so smooth and seamless and like taken care of.

Kate Hanson: Yeah. the flyover, the skydivers. mean like everything.

Abby: that when it all happened and like all the videos, we were just like, we couldn't believe that we got to be a part of this and we got to set foot and play in front of all those people. like, I just, I still am like in shock and can't find the right words because like our team's incredible. team, not only like the players are incredible, our staff's incredible, but like also like our, team that put that on, kudos. They deserve so much credit because that's hard to do.

Kate Hanson: It's real hard to do. mean, obviously, I mean, I was telling my girls this, because we were, as you're driving to school today, was like, Taysa, are you going to tell your friends that you went to the game on Saturday? And they're like, oh yeah. And I'm going to tell them that I got pictures with so-and-so and I got my autographs. And I'm like, I mean, how cool is that? I mean, like that, you were able to be a part of that. And she was, my older daughter was like, yeah, I mean, how, but they, they've played in front of big audiences like that.

Abby: Yeah.

Kate Hanson: big crowds and I was like, not like that. mean, that's bigger than what the US Women's National Team plays in front of sometimes. Like that was an incredible moment for everyone that was there. The players is probably one of the biggest games that they've ever had, like for a crowd. I mean, it was a big moment and I'm so proud of Denver for showing up for the team because I think that women's sports, like obviously,

Abby: I don't know.

Kate Hanson: There is room for it. There's room for ⁓ crowds. We want this here. And those naysayers that just troll around on social media saying otherwise, obviously they weren't, they didn't see the game because it was, they sure did. My dad flew out for it. He flew out from California for it because he was like, I have to be there. So it was great. With the noise, like, mean.

Abby: I missed out on a great opportunity to be there. Absolutely. ⁓

Kate Hanson: Did it hit you differently? Was it harder to communicate, you know, and kind of direct traffic back there? Like how was that being on the field? I know it wasn't, I know we had the zero zero game. Thank you for this, for our zero. But you know, I mean like it was, it wasn't like erupting with 38 goals or anything like that. But was it still hard with like the hum of the crowd and everything to communicate with your team?

Abby: Yeah. Yeah, there are moments where I was like, okay, there's no point in trying to yell because no one's gonna hear me. So there are moments where I was like, okay, I'm just gonna wait until I can like, at least like have a dip in the crowd noise. But then I specifically remember when we were, I think it was when Janine was taking a corner kick, everybody started stomping their feet and I felt the rumble and I was like, this is so cool. This is unreal.

Kate Hanson: ⁓ yeah

Abby: Sometimes during the game, there's moments where the ball's on the other end, I need to just be present and reset. And I just took it all in and I was like, wow. Wow, this is unreal. So.

Kate Hanson: Yeah. So when we're building Santa Fe yards, definitely bring in that stadium effect there so that we can keep you in check on the corner kicks and stuff and stomp our feet there too. There are reports that you made bigs, I mean, you made some huge saves in that game. You've given us so many clean sheets, I think that we're starting to get a little spoiled here, but the whole stadium erupted on one of your saves. What was going through your mind in that moment? Because I remember like,

Abby: Yep.

Kate Hanson: I remember seeing it and then I think that you had it on one of your reels or maybe it was the Denver Summit reels on Instagram but they showed you again. I just remember that save and the entire place erupting. How was that when you kind of got up and had to go and reset and everything? Was the crowd that big really kind of affecting the way that you were playing? Like, can kind of get you hyped up?

Abby: think in those moments, you just kind of get tunnel vision. So you don't realize what's happening outside of the people that are in the white lines during those moments. because as soon as it gets closer to goal, your vision just kind of zeroes in. And so once I made the save, was like, thank God for our team in front of us, because they made realistically everything that happened, and I was able to make those saves. they were the reason why I was able to make the saves that I was able to make because they were putting pressure on the team so they didn't get as clean of a shot or wasn't like they could shoot anywhere. And so it was one of those moments where it's like, yes, I got the credit for making the save, but they're the reason why I was able to because they put pressure on the other players. So it's interesting because I'm getting the...

Kate Hanson: you Yeah.

Abby: the name recognition for the shutouts, like literally it's the entire team because like if it's me versus the other 10, 11 players on the field, like I would not be getting this much excitement because like it's a full team effort to protect a shutout. And so that's why I'm like, I'm just really thankful for the group in front of us because they're putting their bodies on the line to protect the game at that point. So.

Kate Hanson: Yeah, yeah. It's been really exciting to, well because you had that really big injury a couple years ago and you were out, how does it feel to kind of, I feel like you're back, you know. If any naysayers out there, ha ha, ⁓ you're showing all wrong. So let's talk about kind of working your way back from injury.

Abby: as well. Yeah, so which is crazy because like that injury was something that was supposed to be very minor that turned into a mess. But I'm like very thankful for the group that did step in that really like helped turn my rehab around. So ⁓ Scott Ebsley and Megan Poehler like literally are the reasons why I'm still playing and I tell them that because they took over my rehab. They I went from not being able to walk and considering retiring because I was just in so much pain and I wasn't getting better and I felt like I wasn't being heard. And so when they came, they like listened to what I was needing and then they walked every step with me and made sure that I felt so supported and just getting back on the field and putting my cleats back on because I had to start over. I had to start my rehab over after like. six or eight months and that was like not ideal. That was not what I wanted to do and it was so frustrating but I give them full credit for me getting back because it was a journey and it was really frustrating and really hard but they're the reason I'm still playing and like it's taken time for me to get back into where I'm at but I wouldn't have been able to do that without them.

Kate Hanson: Yeah. Yeah, well, thank you ⁓ to them for getting you back because it's been great having you be a part of the Denver Summit. The result, like I said earlier, it was a draw, scoreless. But from a goalkeeper's perspective, how do you feel about a clean sheet in a game like ⁓ Saturday's game where it's in front of a massive audience?

Abby: Yes. It's hard to do. think it's really a clean sheet and to have a zero is really hard to do. ⁓ Especially when there's that much, I would say like that much. Yeah, like there's, I would say pressure because there's pressure that we wanted to perform in front of everybody. But at the same time, like there was all this hype around the game. And so there's moments where players like normally would be able to check out or there's moments where you kind of have to like.

Kate Hanson: on the line.

Abby: reground yourself and for us to be able to come out with no goals against it's huge because that's a full team effort and after a three-game week that's even harder because we're tired and we're in altitude but we get to come home in front of our like amazing fans but at the same time like that the zero means a lot like it's really hard to do in this league in general and so I just feel very lucky that I'm like with this team and we get the opportunity to celebrate that.

Kate Hanson: I love it. Well, it's been kind of a weird start to the season. Like you said, you had three games in one week and then you play again on Saturday against the rain. And then you have like three weeks off and you play at the end of April. So let's talk a little bit about this team as we wrap up today's episode. Because it is early, we're four games in. First home match, you we can check that off the box now and really move on to the next thing. But you've been around long enough to know.

Abby: Mm-hmm.

Kate Hanson: what a good team feels like the inside. ⁓ very excited about this team. When had Jordan, Angeli on, ⁓ think playoffs is not out of reach. I think that is a good goal for the team. ⁓ what do you see in this group?

Abby: I see a team that's striving to win a championship. That is like the top, that's the goal. ⁓ Nick has said it, Janine has said it, Lindsey said it. Like everybody in our group is very adamant about that. But then at the same time, like I see a group that is fun, is willing to compete, ⁓ willing to invest in one another and ⁓ in the staff. And so ⁓ you have that at your core, that makes the day to day that much better. ⁓ then when you're striving to win a championship. you know that you are doing all the right things to then get there. I think like we're very early in the season and so like we're still growing and we're still building and there's a lot of progress being made. But at the same time like if you're having fun while doing it, it doesn't feel so daunting that like we do have a long season but it's like when we first started this league like we weren't playing as long and it wasn't as Like, I would say like it was hard, but like this is much harder, like to show up day in and day out and perform for as long as we have, like we're expected to. And so if you can have fun while doing it, I think that's so important because like this team really does want to win. And if we're tying, it feels like a loss. So I think that's something that's a really good thing that we're like developing.

Kate Hanson: Mm-hmm. ⁓ I'm all for that. And I know that, you know, this team is ⁓ really to watch. You've ⁓ been very exciting to watch back ⁓ in NetAbby. been great to have you a part of the Mile High ⁓ And for you personally, last question, for you personally, what does a successful inaugural season like?

Abby: that's, ⁓ hard to say. Like I think ⁓ back at it, I would say like we are better than when we came in. We are striving for a championship, but also knowing that like we want to set ⁓ for an expansion team, but then ⁓ sure that we are also taking care of like the group that we have and knowing that when people come and see our team and see our group and our organization, they can say. That's a professional team and they're striving to be the best. And we only want to be the best and nothing short of that.

Kate Hanson: Well, Abby Smith, number one for the Denver Summit FC. Thank you so much for being here. This was a fantastic conversation. And for everyone listening, go follow Abby on Instagram. I love keeping up with you and go vote for Abby. Because again, once again, she's up for NWSL Player of the Week. So go vote for her. We're so lucky to have you here in Denver. thanks again for coming on to the 5280 pitch today.

Abby: Yeah, thank you for having me.