It’s been quite a while since Mallory Swanson spoke to the media, so the NWSL’s Media Days was a good opportunity to catch up and get a sense of where Swanson is in her return to the Stars since the birth of her daughter Josie. Here’s a bit of the session with Swanson, slightly for brevity.
Q: How are you feeling?
Swanson: I’m feeling good. Yeah, I’m feeling good as good as you can two months postpartum, which is crazy to even say, but I’m doing pretty good. I’m kind of just getting the hang of things.
Q: You mentioned kind of working your way back from pregnancy, having to be in that newborn bubble. And I was like, hey, just a media day. What’s kind of been the build up to something like today?
Swanson: I think, to be honest, I feel like the past few weeks, I’ve been in survival mode. That’s what they call the newborn bubble. I just think it’s a good reality, and it’s kind of fun, just getting back into the swing of things and kind of out of that newborn bubble, I miss Josie dearly, so much. But it’s okay, I’ll see her tonight.
Q: Are you training yet? What do you have like an outline or timeline of what your return to the pitch looks like?.
Swanson: We’re just working with sporting and performance and everyone and we don’t have an exact date. I think it’s more just about completing phases and just kind of taking it week by week, day by day. But yeah, not an exact day yet, but I’m hoping soon.
Q: You’ve been watching all the changes with the game and now you’re preparing to return. I’m just curious what that’s been like and how you’ve processed that.
Swanson: I think that honestly is probably the hardest thing to process is just when you’re gone for that long, I think it’s different than an injury. Because like an injured like you’re still — not saying that with a pregnancy you’re not in with the team and working, I think everyone’s pregnancy is completely different — but I think you kind of have to turn on the soccer brain again, it’s like seeing everything and how that all comes to you, is like a little bit of a shock to the system, but I want to say it’s kind of like riding a bike and like once you kind of get the movements going and seeing the game in certain ways it kind like comes back.
Q: Were there any teammates that helped you or maybe gave you some guidance for navigating pregnancy?
Swanson: Yeah, I reached out to Alex (Morgan) and then also Cheyna (Matthews) and I think the biggest thing that I’ve learned so far is everyone’s pregnancy and postpartum is so different and I think that’s just like women in general, but then also put the athlete side to it, so it’s it’s nice to have like that connection with them and like see what worked for them and try that for myself. If it works, it sticks. If it doesn’t, then try something different. And then also, it’s just been really nice having Soph, too, literally going through the same exact thing, pregnancy and postpartum and everything together. It’s been super special as well.
Q: On that note, I know Emma Hayes has talked a bit like in the past about how the national team can help with pregnancy journeys and postpartum journeys. What is your connection with her and the national team been like?
Swanson: I remember when I told Emma that I was pregnant she was obviously so happy and ecstatic and one thing that she said to me was `You’re gonna look at the game completely different’ and with her being a mom to Harry, really you do, you just look at it completely different. I don’t really know how to explain it. I’m only a two month mother here, you know? I haven’t been really into it. But already so far it’s like, I’m kind of like playing for something different, which I think is super special. Again, I haven’t been on the field, like playing-playing yet, but just being able to see the game a little bit different. She said, I would, and now I can do that.
Q: You mentioned talking with Sophia a lot because you were going through the same thing. How cool is it to be part of this new generation of new moms both on the US Women’s National Team and in the NWSL just with you you know the protections and the resources that everyone fought for so that you could come back to the field.
Swanson: I mean, my appreciation for the past moms just grows, and I’m just so thankful for all that they fought for because it is doable. Obviously, they did it, but they they made it even more, I don’t want to say easier, but like easier in a sense that we have all these resources now. And then I think the biggest thing too is like that it’s doable, that you can be a mom and then also be a high-level athlete at the same time. Again, everyone’s experience is completely different, but having this group that has done it before, I have looked up to them so much.
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Q: How much did you kind of like divorce yourself from the game? I’m kind of curious, you know, when you’re a professional athlete, do you pay attention to the games? Do you watch them? Do you break them down?
Swanson: Oh, gosh. No, I didn’t break them down. But every Stars home game I would try to go out and support and just watch, I think it was kind of nice because I wasn’t playing, but I could also be a fan, and like that part was kind fun and I could really like dive into that, and being a fan of my teammates has been fun, while also still giving my insight of the game.
Q: Everyone’s excited to see Triple Espresso back in the NWSL. Does it feel like a moment kind of even for you guys, like we’re all coming back at the same time?
Swanson: I think a lot has happened, and there’s been a lot of change, but I think change is so exciting. And so yeah, I thinks the biggest word that I have right now and looking forward to is just excitement. It just really is exciting, hopefully, to be able to play again soon, to be be able play with them, and have Triple Espresso back together.
LINKS:
All for XI with the top moments from NWSL media days
Sporting Tribune with a feature on the Denver Summit
CBS Sports on the NWSL’s best offseason moves.
Jess Fishlock has had conversations about a role with Wales
Denver Summit set to break NWSL attendance record
How the Reign are approaching their Spokane matches, from the Equalizer
Excellent piece from The Athletic’s Tamerra Griffin on Crystal Dunn
Chicago Stars defender Aaliyah Farmer left Tigres because of harassment, former coach says
Why the Kansas City Current pushed for an academy in Brazil
The Athletic with a disturbing story on online abuse
Giannis Antetokounmpo is part of Chelsea’s ownership group
Another BBC story on why Cascarino joined London City
Radical changes proposed for the FA Cup
The Guardian’s WSL Roundup with a cameo from Madonna
Bompastor defiant after tough week
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