Ashley Sanchez’s parents, Julie and Ralph Sanchez, raised three athletic kids in California. Julie and Ralph come from sports backgrounds.
The American soccer player Ashley Sanchez grew up in a household that loved sports to its core. Her maternal grandfather was a football player, and her dad was a baseball player.
The Washington Spirit midfielder comes from a mixed ethnicity. Her mother, Julie, is Caucasian, and her dad has Mexican roots. Her friends didn’t know about her Mexican heritage at school because of her blonde hair.
After the teacher would call out her name, those in the class learned about her Mexican roots. Sofia Huerta, her teammate in the national, is also one who has Mexican roots.
The two talented players are part of the USWNT that has traveled Down Under to win its third World Cup title in a row. Finishing second in the group stages with a win and two draws, US Women’s team is through to the next stage.
Ashley Sanchez Parents, Julie, And Ralph Sanchez
Ashley Sanchez’s parents, Julie and Ralph Sanchez, were always hands-on when it came to their daughter’s development as a soccer player.
The couple, both involved at one point in soccer, blessed their daughter with their athletic genetics.
Ralph Sanchez Was His Daughter’s First Coach
A former baseball player, Ralph Sanchez, also known as Rafael, comes from a Mexican heritage. He grew up in Azusa, California, and trained Ashley and his two older kids during their formative years.
In an interview with The Sporting Tribune, Ralph Sanchez gushed about the hard work and training put in by his daughter to reach her current level. Even her previous coaches have admitted her dedication was one of a kind.
During the interview, Ralph also added that his daughter had always been a quiet personality growing up. She had few friends but a very tight-knit bond with everyone and always has been loyal.
And maybe that is also one of the reasons why hundreds of close family, relatives, and friends showed up at a near restaurant to cheer on Ashley and USWNT.
Ralph works at Republic National Distributing Company, the second-largest beverage alcohol distributor in the US. He joined the company in 2022 as a Territory Manager.
Prior to working for RNDC, Ralph worked 22 years at E & J Gallo Winery as a Territory Sales Specialist. At E & J, Ralph also won the Salesman of the Year honor.
Julie Sanchez Comes From An Athletic Household
In an interview with Los Angeles Times, Julie Sanchez revealed she was a decent soccer player during her youth.
But did add that she was nowhere near Ashley’s level. Julie’s dad was a football coach leading her to become interested in sports. He later tried his hands in soccer and coached for a few years.
Julie used to play for American Youth Soccer Organization and later played in high school. Her interest in soccer became stronger because while she was growing up, it was the only sport girls were offered to play.
Both Ralph and Julie had seen the soccer talent in Ashley at a young age. But they were hesitant as Ralph had seen many kids before Ashley do the same but reach anywhere.
Now as their little girl plays for the USWNT, the couple couldn’t be more proud of her.
Ashley Sanchez Siblings
Ashely Sanchez has two older siblings, Evan and Sierra Sanchez. The two older siblings were coached by their father in various sports.
The soccer player’s mother said she benefitted a lot by watching her siblings and competing against them. Her brother and sister have maintained a low-key profile and are private on Instagram.
Sierra Sanchez resides in Monrovia, California, and is married to Jason Morris. The couple also share a son named Chase Axxel Morris.
Her older brother, Evan Sanchez, is an Azusa Pacific University graduate in Accounting. He completed his degree in 2017 and was previously an assistant football coach at Monrovia High School.
After graduating from Azusa, Evan worked at BDO USA LLP as an Assurance Associate and was later promoted to Experienced Assurance Associate. He worked there for a year before joining CBRE.
At CBRE, Evan worked as a Valuation Associate and once again received a promotion to a senior position. After working for three years at CBRE, Evan left the job to start working with Worth Valuations as an Associate Vice President.
