Last week was a lot to digest for NWSL fans. The drawn out, will-she-or-won’t-she saga surrounding Trinity Rodman’s future with the Washington Spirit finally ended with Rodman signing a 3-year contract worth some $2 million a year, making her the highest paid women’s player in the world, according to her agent.
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Rodman, flanked by Spirit owner Michele Kang, CEO Kim Stone and new President of Soccer Operations Haley Carter, said she had always wanted to stay with the Spirit. There were rumors that she was drawing interest from Europe, particularly Arsenal. And of course, there was that earlier agreement that was scuttled by the NWSL, throwing her future with the team in doubt.
“I think it was going into offseason, it was just kind of like, `OK, what are my next steps? Where do I want to go with soccer, with life? What’s the next steps?’ And the one question – and I don’t even remember who had said it to me – but making my decision the one question I was asked was, `Do you feel like you’re finished with the Spirit? Can you say that and feel confident leaving?’ I didn’t even need a half a second and I was like, no, I’m not. I don’t feel ready to make a different decision and that’s just getting drafted here and developing and maturing and learning and failing at the Spirit and in D.C. it’s become so much of my legacy and my story. But on top of that, I still feel like there’s so much more I have to give and so much more that I want to do,” Rodman said.
Rodman said coming back from her injury was especially poignant in her journey back to the Spirit.
“That moment alone was just emotional. I’m a very emotional person because I’m passionate about it. It was like a moment for our team, a moment for me. But also just the feeling of feeling supported by everyone, even when I wasn’t on the field winning games for them every day, which speaks to the fan base. And another reason, big reason, that I stayed with the Spirit, is just the community and the fanbase and the family and the feeling, is just something like you can’t replace. And in that moment, that’s all I felt was like everyone was just like so happy for me and for that moment that it was just amazing,” Rodman said.
In so many ways Rodman has become the face of the league, as well as the national team. Of course, there’s her larger-than-life personality, those TikTok videos and the post-goal celebrations. But she also filled a role stateside while the other two-thirds of Triple Espresso, Sophia Wilson and Mallory Swanson, sat out a season to start families.
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Carter was asked about Rodman’s impact on the field, for the Spirit and the NWSL. Carter, of course, has a unique perspective having recently joined the Spirit from the Orlando Pride.
“I think it’s almost doing a disservice to talk just about the impact that Trin has on the field, but on the field she’s incredibly creative. Her acceleration, her change of direction, she can really create something out of nothing in the attacking third, and that is incredibly difficult to try to play against. But what I appreciate the most about Trin is her ability to process the game quickly. She makes decisions at speed, at an elite level. That’s incredibly difficult to combat, it’s incredibly difficult to anticipate. She knows when she wants to take defenders on, when it’s the right time to combine, when she can get in behind. And again, just an elite force. So to be able to retain Trin’s talent here within the club, and within the NWSL as a whole is really, really exciting and I’m thankful that she chose to stick it with us,” Carter said.
The day after her signing, USWNT coach Emma Hayes said Rodman would captain the team against Paraguay on Saturday in Carson.
“I think it’s really fantastic for the NWSL that they’ve been able to keep Trinity Rodman. I think knowing that she’s going to be settled and happy in Washington is going to be a win for the U.S. national team, because, as I’ve always said, happiness and what they want is of the highest order to me,” Hayes said.
Of course Rodman scored, because the fairytale wouldn’t be complete without it. But it almost didn’t happen. Rodman was supposed to come out at halftime, but she asked Hayes to keep her in so that she could get a goal.
Once she did, she ran to the bench, urging Hayes to join her in a dance. Hayes just laughed.
“She said to me at halftime, you’re not taking me off till I get a goal because I’ve got a celebration. I thought, don’t know what that’s going to look like. Then she did it, and I couldn’t quite see. Then she came over to me and she asked me to mirror it, and I said `I’m 49 years of age. There’s no chance I’m doing that. My son’s up in the stands,” Hayes said.
In another sweet moment, Rodman told the TV she’s getting better at tennis, thanks to boyfriend Ben Shelton. She’s even returned one of his serves – although Shelton told her where he was going to hit it. He’s also getting better at soccer, as one might expect.
Finally, the USWNT announced before Saturday’s game that it would play three matches against Japan during the April FIFA window. And, in some welcome news for West Coast supporters, all three are going to be played west of the Mississippi.
The matches will take place on Saturday, April 11, at PayPal Park in San Jose, on Tuesday, April 14, at Lumen Field in Seattle, and on Friday, April 17, at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park outside of Denver.
“They are a highly experienced group and are fully committed to their style of football. Playing the same opponent three times is unusual but it presents a great challenge and a chance to test ourselves against a top-quality opponent,” Hayes said.
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LINKS!
ESPN’s Jeff Kassouf looks at what the Rodman deal means for her and the league
The Athletic’s take on the Rodman deal
The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jonathan Tannenwald on the NWSL sticking with the HIP rule
Tannenwald also had a story on the issues around brining an NWSL team to Philly.
The Athletic with the role the Spirit community played in keeping Rodman
Mak Lind hired as new coach of the North Carolina Courage
The Times of London with a story on Jess Carter and why she left Chelsea
The Equalizer on the questions that remain after Rodman’s signing
Sports Business Journal says the Rodman signing is a turning point for the NWSL
Bunny Shaw again for Manchester City!
Daily Mail (don’t usually link) but this story is disturbing and important about harassment. We’ve got to protect women.
Chelsea coach Sonia Bompastor says the WSL title is probably out of reach
