This week on The IX Sports Podcast, host Kathleen Gier is joined by Riss Willett, Shea Butter FC’s Washington Spirit correspondent and co-founder of Rose Room Collective.
Gier asked Willett to describe the Washington Spirit’s strengths. Willett said that leadership of the Spirit have done a good job “looking at players that you wouldn’t necessarily look into,” she said, naming Mélissa Bethi, Clara Luvanga and Monique Ngock as examples.
“It’s been really fun to watch them bring in players and then kind of see them just get into the game so quickly,” Willett said.
Gier said that last season, much of the conversation around the team was about whether Trinity Rodman would sign an extension with the team.
“I feel like maybe that’s added some just freedom to them this year, where that’s not just like this constant question mark over their heads,” Gier said.
Willett said that having Rodman back and healthy this year has also been good for the team, even if she hasn’t scored as much this year as the team would have liked.
“They’ve kind of had this up and down year, but they have been so consistent,” Gier said of the Spirit, “and I think it’s you know due in large part just to the incredible amount of talent they have on this roster. But over the last couple of years, in those top couple of spots, and it just feels like they’re kind of on the edge every season.”
Willett said that the third time could be the charm for the Spirit.
“They really want to win this, and I think I think this could be the season for them that they really they just take it all the way — and they take it home,” she said.
Tune in to the episode to hear more from Gier and Willett about who they think should take home top honors this year, and the controversies that have colored some of the other matchups in the league this weekend.
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