Tag: NWSL

The NWSL Salary Maximum is a Lie

Posted on by RJ Allen

No one being paid by the NWSL makes the league allowed $41,700 maximum salary.

How do I know this, since the league does not allow contract details with salaries to become public? Because math tells me if anyone did the rest of the team would be making the minimum. 

The NWSL isn’t 100% transparent on how the roster pay structure is set up. They do tell us in the rules that the cap is “spread across a minimum of 18 Players … based on adjustments for Federation Players,” and that “if a Team is carrying less than 18 Players, minimum salary Player spots are added to the Team’s budget for the purpose of calculating the total”.

While the NWSL won’t comment for sure if the adjustment made for the USWNT player is to simply add minimum salary player spots as they do when the roster is under 18, we can be reasonably sure this is how it’s done.

The league’s salary cap is $315,000. What this means is that if one person out of the NWSL minimum 18-player club makes $41,700 for the season, there will be $273,300 left to pay the other 17 players on the team or about $16,076 per player for the season. That’s the league minimum of $15,000 plus an equal portion of what remains of the cap ($1,076).  

It would be nearly impossible for any club in the league to keep 17 players around at $16,076 while a single player on their roster is making $41,700. Not when salaries can’t happen in a vacuum.

It’s much more likely most players are making between $15,000 and $20,000 a season. To fit under the $315,000 cap, five players could be making about $20,000, while eight players make $17,500, and the remaining five players make the league minimum of $15,000.

Remember, too, that while 18 is the minimum number a team has to carry according to the NWSL, they can have as many as 20 players on their roster at a time. And in some instances, as when players are on the D45 list, or out for the season with injury, etc., their replacements are subject to salary cap rules as well, though a team can apply for relief from the NSWL. In other words, it’s probably standard operating procedure for a team to carry a little breathing room under the cap in case of injury. So that sample team breakdown? The numbers could be even lower. 

You want to know why the NWSL relies heavily on amateur players to fill in? 

Because they don’t have to pay them. 

If you really do care about players in the NWSL getting paid then you have to care about getting the salary cap raised before anything else matters. The NWSL can list the maximum salary as anything they want if it will never be paid. 

How the National Team Fits In

When people go on and on about the USWNT and the clause in their contract that states they must be paid more than any NWSL player, they’re mostly being angry simply to be angry. They often criticize the team for being on the leading edge of fighting for equal pay when they make triple what their club teammates do. Or they take shots on those who have some and are trying to get more when there are those who have much, much less.

As a reminder USWNT players are not paid by the NWSL. The clubs these players play for, along with the Canadian National team players, don’t hold their contracts either. As we talked about above the current interpretation is that rosters account for these players at the minimum salary.

The USWNT players are paid a USWNT salary, and on top of that, a NWSL salary. Their NWSL salary does not come out of NWSL funds, the USWNT pays it. The accounting for the salary cap is made up with ghost players making the league minimum on rosters to get to the magic 18 number.

In theory the more USWNT players on your team, the more to go around. The ghost players are only making the minimum so $2,000 or more from each can go to other players on the roster.

A USWNT player makes about $50,000 to play in the NWSL on top of their USWNT pay. But with the salary cap the way it is now, even if there was no clause preventing an NWSL player from making that much it would be nearly impossible–using any math out there–to get more than one or two non-USWNT players to $30,000, much less $50,000. The salary cap locks them into their wages more than the USWNT and that clause ever could.

The Future of the Salary Cap

One of the biggest problems the NWSL faces is growing salary in a way where players are able to make soccer their full-time job. No more being forced to coach on the side, no more picking up a part time job in between practices or using savings to get through the lean times.

To do, that it’s not the maximum salary that needs to change, no one can get it now anyway. The salary cap is where the attention for growth needs to be. That is what will change the real day to day lives of players in the league.

To look at how different caps effect the bottom line of pay, I set the cap at three different levels and played out what an 18 person roster could be paid while keeping under the caps. I did use whole round numbers to make the math easier.

What Might Future Salary Caps Look Like?

Salary Cap: $425,000

Possible Option:

  • $20,000 @ 3 players
  • $22,000 @ 6 players
  • $25,000 @ 4 players
  • $27,000 @ 5 players

My goal here was to lift the minimum as well as use the $425,000 to make sure that the clubs could pay the core of their team a little bit more. This possible option gives the clubs a bit more in the way of creating levels of play where rookies come in the league and move up after they have proven themselves.

Salary Cap: $500,000

Possible Option:

  • $23,000 @ 5 players
  • $25,000 @ 7 players
  • $30,000 @ 2 players
  • $35,000 @ 2 players
  • $40,000 @ 2 players

With this option, there is a lot of moving players up and giving levels of rewards based on what happened the year before. At the very top, the clubs would have six players they could reward as they would likely be the pillars of the team.

Salary Cap: $630,000

Possible Option:

  • $25,000 @ 5 players
  • $30,000 @ 6 players
  • $45,000 @ 5 players
  • $50,000 @ 2 players

Having double the current cap to play with gave room for everyone to be making the type of salary that will at least keep them buying the name brand Band-Aids for their blisters. With this option, the lowest was $25,000 with seven players able to move into the $45,000+ range.

Final Thoughts

As the NWSL grows they are going to have to decide if it’s the minimum or the maximum salary they want to focus on. Do they want to lift the minimum while leaving the maximum, as useless as it is right now, where it is or do they want to lift the maximum in a meaningless show that they are able to do so?

I hope it’s the salary cap that gets the most attention. With a properly adjusted salary cap the minimum becomes less of a “most players make this” and more of something used as a starting place as players’ contracts are being worked on.

If the cap can be lifted to $450,000 (or more) in the next season or two then soon players should have the chance to focus on soccer in a way that they have not been able to do en masse before. No more coaching to make ends meet, no more divided attention, or bills going unpaid.

The NWSL has lasted longer than any other league. The foundation has been set and the walls raised. It’s time to start paying the players who have put in so much work to build this house.

Unsung Hero of the Week: Dynamic Dash Duo

Posted on by RJ Allen

In this weekly series, I will be highlighting a player from the weekend who was their respective team’s unsung hero, win or lose. A player who does the dirty work, does the little but important things in a game, and someone who didn’t exactly fill up the stat sheet but found other ways to contribute.

This week is special–two for the price of one! I’ve chosen Houston Dash defenders Janine Van Wyk and Amber Brooks to highlight together because I believe that the on-field relationship between the two women really contributed to the Dash’s play this week.

Van Wyk is in her first year in the NWSL and has adjusted nicely to the American way of playing. The 30-year-old is the first South African player to suit up for an NWSL side, earning a place after her 2015 Women’s World Cup showing and her impressive performance against the USWNT in a mid-year friendly in 2016. Van Wyk is the caps leader for either male or female for South Africa, with an incredible 143. She impressed on the biggest stage so it was a no-brainer to recruit her. I, for one, was hoping she would make her way over here and it seems she has made a home with the Dash.

Brooks is a player who has been in the NWSL since 2014, with Portland and Seattle before settling in with Houston. The 26-year-old played her college ball at the Taj Mahal of women’s soccer, the University of North Carolina from 2009-2012. She is a player that has been solid no matter what team she has been on, yet she is on her third NWSL team. And while it is certainly not a preference for any player to move around that much, she has definitely made a home for herself in Houston.

Houston 1-1 Portland:

Going into this matchup, I wasn’t heavily favoring Portland but I certainly didn’t think Houston would put in this kind of performance. Keep in mind the Thorns were without Amandine Henry, Nadia Nadim, and Dagny Brynjarsdottir as they are with their respective teams for the European Championships.

From the starting whistle the Dash were buzzing, putting pressure on early to take control of the game right away. Portland would have a half chance in the second minute but Van Wyk intercepted a pass from Hayley Raso in the Dash’s own 18 that was intended for a charging Lindsey Horan. Van Wyk read the play perfectly and the Dash have a hard time coming back from behind so it was a much-needed play.

Although youngster Janine Beckie scored a goal for Houston in the eighth minute, the Thorns were not fazed, bringing wave after wave of attack.

Midway through the first half, the two Dash veterans continued their strong start, making back-to-back plays to keep Portland off the board. Van Wyk was up for the challenge of the Thorns attack in the 14th minute when, with Sinclair waiting on the doorstep, she remained a step ahead of the Canadian legend. Van Wyk cleared the dangerous ball sent in from Australian import Ashleigh Sykes and relieved the pressure momentarily for Houston.

Just a minute later in the 15th minute, Brooks took Hayley Raso’s chance away in Houston’s box. Brooks’ style isn’t to dive in with the speedy forward barreling down. Instead, she waits, patiently, unafraid. In this game, she waited and contained Raso long enough for Van Wyk to arrive and help support, eventually clearing the ball out of danger. Not too long after that, Brooks was busy once again. This time she sacrificed her body her block a vicious shot by Meghan Klingenberg, who was moving in her typical left-to-right tread.

A close call in the 27th minute required Brooks to be aware of just which Portland player was around her. In this instance, it was Allie Long attempting to get in behind the backline about 25 yards out. Brooks stretched out to steal the slotted ball, breaking off what was sure to be a breakaway date with Houston’s rookie goalkeeper Jane Campbell.

In the second half, it was much of the same from the Dash dynamic duo.

With the Thorns piling on the pressure, Van Wyk and Brooks had to do whatever it took not to allow a goal, let alone a goal right after half. In the 53rd minute, they stood their ground on teasing ball after ball being whipped in by the Thorns, each rising to head it out two different times. Even with the high pressure, Houston and its backline displayed steady composure, led by Van Wyk and Brooks in the center.

Several minutes later Brooks showed how dangerous her service can be, almost grabbing an assist, but Carli Lloyd’s header went just wide. It’s a shame Lloyd couldn’t quite get it on target because it was a gorgeous ball in from Brooks.

Van Wyk and Brooks orchestrated a solid game-plan from the back all night long, switching fields when necessary and providing support to the midfield. They did a fantastic job leading the Dash, and while they earned just one point, it was a sign of life once again from this team.

The other two points slipped away when Horan scored a lovely free kick in the 91st minute. Houston had done a wonderful job keeping Horan in check all game until a moment of magic spoiled the result. It was certainly a stunner for Dash fans, just seconds within reach of a rare win at home.

Still, it doesn’t take away from the performance of Van Wyk and Brooks that kept it that close for 90 minutes.

No matter what Portland tried, Houston had an answer. They were just making all the right decisions. Staying organized, working for quality spells of possession, movement on and off the ball was satisfying, and they worked hard to control the pace of the game. I could’ve picked several Dash players for this week’s column on the defensive side alone. It was one of my favorite performances of the year so far.

Nevertheless, She Played: What It Means to ‘Play Like a Girl’

Posted on by RJ Allen

It’s 2017.

Sports is still a major part of our American culture, and more and more women are playing them. 

So why does it seem like there’s still a double-standard when it comes to female athletes and aggressive play? When a woman appears to play aggressively on the field, they’re called dirty, or classless, or told they shouldn’t be playing in the first place. But on the other side, the world of men’s sports relies on its aggressive play, it thrives on its villains and it encourages that kind of play in just about every major sport and especially in the NFL and NBA.

In the National Women’s Soccer League, we have players who, in the five years that this league has existed, have become the ones who are known for an aggressive style of play. Those include Jessica Fishlock, Carli Lloyd, Merritt Mathis, Kelley O’Hara, and Shea Groom. Now I’m not saying these athletes are perfect–they have all made some questionable plays–I’m simply saying the spotlight is certainly on them every time they step on the pitch for their respective teams.

When athletes taunt their opposition, I don’t think that’s a dirty thing to do, but that does depend on how far they are willing to go. Every time I hear about taunting I’m always reminded of a certain NBA legend who made a choking sign in 1994 at Madison Square Garden. For those who may not know, Reggie Miller was taunting the New York Knicks in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals. In that case, I loved what Miller did. He clearly knew how to get the attention of the opposing fans. That’s just how other sports operate, sure some may not agree with it, but it’s literally a part of sports and it’s not going anywhere.

One player who always has the “Is she too aggressive” spotlight shining on her is WNBA star Diana Taurasi. Taurasi recently became the all-time leader in points, but is also a player who has always been aggressive and that’s her style, that’s what makes her so great. She is known for getting a technical every now and then or having calls go against her. But Taurasi hasn’t changed her game because of it, not in the 13 years she has played in the league. And no one should expect her to.

Another WNBA player just as popular as Taurasi is Australian legend Lauren Jackson. She was best known for her trash talk and assassin-like play and is perhaps most remembered for her encounter with another WNBA great, Lisa Leslie, in the 2000 Olympic games. Jackson accidentally pulled some of Leslie’s hair out and that fueled a rivalry for years to come. Jackson was a dominant and physical presence her entire career, both on the offensive side and defensive side.

In the NWSL, taunting and physicality of play doesn’t seem to sit well with some fans. In other sports, it’s seen as just a part of the game, it’s not usually deemed unacceptable. Just a couple weeks ago, Sky Blue defender Kelley O’Hara was called classless for her play against Portland. She made an aggressive but clean tackle on Hayley Raso, and then, believing Raso was making more of the contact than was necessary, yelled at her to get up. I watched that moment more than once, and I didn’t find anything that crossed the line or that done with malicious intent. She was aggressive, calculating, and trying to help her team win. But there was no ounce of dirty play–yet that’s exactly what she was labeled afterward from the opposing fans.

I’ve seen countless plays in women’s sports where, after a play has been made for the ball, it will automatically be labeled a negative action. Now, sure, sometimes this is just a fan being a fan and they don’t want their team to lose or whatever the case may be. But for the most part, it demonstrates a blatant disrespect towardsthe female athlete, to say it’s a negative thing to be aggressive. And that’s not cool, not in the past, not now and not in the future.

And that’s not cool. It wasn’t in the past, but we can’t change what was said then. It’s not cool now, but we have the opportunity to correct the way we talk about women in sports right here and right now. And it won’t be cool in the future, either, and we damn well better start appreciating our female athletes for their physicality as well as everything else by then). 

One prime example of people overreacting to players demonstrating any sort of aggression or “unladylike” behavior from this very NWSL season is the “swearing game” that took place in April between the Chicago Red Stars and the Portland Thorns. Midfielder Stephanie McCaffrey was a little bit heated after a play and was caught swearing at the referee. In her exact words: “Are you fucking insane?!”

In her exact words: “Are you fucking insane?!”

Yeah, clearly she crossed the line. OR WAIT. No, she did what a lot of women (not to mention men!) do in sporting events … she said a “bad word.” (Cue the longest eye roll ever, am I right?)

McCaffrey got comments from all angles of social media, so much so that she decided to write a very on point, hilarious and well-written post on her blog Sporting Chic about it. In her post, she assures readers that she understands swearing at the referee is selfish and that it is disrespectful. But by no means was this her backing down. McCaffrey pulls examples from men’s soccer, how literally every EPL match you can catch a player swearing at the referee. And when this happens, it’s taken in a humorous or matter-of-fact way and no one makes a big deal of it. It’s absolutely ludicrous that we even have to make a comparison or take a stand on this issue because swearing is not exclusive to one gender last time I checked.

McCaffrey went on to say that swearing needs to stop being a taboo in women’s sports. At this point in her article, I was clapping and saying out loud “HELL YES.”

What is so unbelievably annoying is the fact that this is a thing. Getting blasted for swearing? In an intense game? Here’s the obvious catch, guys: she’s a woman so clearly her mouth shouldn’t be allowed to say those words, let alone be caught on camera doing it. (But what about the children!) Yeah, I’m gonna go ahead and call bullshit on that thought right there (and I know I’m not the only one) and stop this ridiculous way of thinking in society.

McCaffrey was showing passion with a big side of ferocious intensity. And none of that is wrong. In fact, let’s celebrate it! She let her competitive fire be shown in a different way, and that’s important to understand. To put it in McCaffrey’s words, we need to “get excited about the fact that NWSL and Lifetime TV are helping to normalize the fact that playing like a girl can get rough and ugly and that’s fucking awesome.”

Another player who grabs a lot of attention around the NWSL is Jess Fishlock, a Seattle Reign midfielder who hails from Wales. In a recent sit down chat with her Reign teammate and goalkeeper Haley Kopmeyer, Fishlock talked about her aggressive style of play:

“I am very bold, and just do what needs to be done to win the game. I think that’s a thing that’s kind of lost within the women’s game, you see it in the men’s game all the time. You know that’s a professional foul, they take a booking and that’s a great play, well done. In the women’s game, it’s I can’t believe she did that, that’s so un-lady like. […] It’s very much a part of the game, my game, it has been very disliked by many because it’s not deemed as the lady-like play, right? You like it, you don’t like it, it doesn’t really affect me that much to be honest.”

Fishlock hits it right on the head, some people believe that women should not be playing aggressively. And this is extremely frustrating, not only as a former college athlete but as an avid supporter of women’s sports. This needs to stop, for those who label every single “aggressive” play as dirty needs to understand it’s very much included in the women’s game. It’s very much a part of every game, in fact.

But it’s become clear that women athletes are not afforded the same respect as men when it comes to sports (ok, let’s be real, when it comes to about 98% of things in life, but that’s a whole different story). Women are still struggling to gain the recognition they deserve for going that extra mile, for making that game-changing tackle, for getting physical to win the ball, for simply being an athlete.

It’s time for that to change, appreciate the effort these athletes are putting in, the work it takes just to be an athlete in the professional realm is incredibly difficult and to understand that women’s sports will continue to be fierce and the players will continue to play their part. Get used to it, women are athletes too.

The Inexact Science of NWSL Player Allocation

Posted on by RJ Allen

I drew the short straw with writing about the player allocation system in the NWSL and if it works in general. I gave it some thought. Had an adult beverage. Gave it some more thought. Had another adult beverage. Watched the two Planet of the Apes movie reboots to distract myself (they’re pretty decent, for those curious). Then I gave it some more thought.

Does the allocation system work?

We are in the fifth season of the NWSL, advancing further than the last two women’s professional leagues. Growing pains are still there because the league is still in its infancy. We know this. That said, overall the allocation system works. The NWSL was founded with the idea and practice that each of the eight founding teams would have the best soccer players that the US, Canada, and Mexico has to offer. RJ Allen’s piece is a nice capsule of the allocated players since year one, with what’s worked and what hasn’t. If you’ve followed the NWSL since day one, you know that there’s no absolute of a “right or wrong” about the allocation system. What I mean is if you want to win in the NWSL, you don’t need to have a super team of allocation players. Nor are you exactly digging your own grave if you don’t have any. The Portland Thorns have always had at least four allocated players and that’s gotten them one NWSL Championship and one NWSL Shield. At the same time, it has affected the Thorns when all those allocated players had to report to their respective national teams and roster depth was tested. The Seattle Reign FC have never really been focused on getting as many allocated players possible. Instead, Laura Harvey built her super teams through world-class internationals and the development of a core group of players she identified from the inaugural season. The Chicago Red Stars do have their US internationals but Rory Dames has a deep team through college draft picks working out, whether they are starting eleven caliber or impact subs.

The bottom line is that no NWSL roster is constructed with the thought process of, “Give us all the federation players, because that’s all we know.” Yes, any team would love to have the services of a Christine Sinclair, Megan Rapinoe, or Becky Sauerbrunn, but any coach worth their salt builds their team with a mix of allocated players, international players, and development of college drafted players. The first two years of the NWSL were confusing with the revolving door of changes as to who was an allocated player and where were they allocated to, especially when in the early days it was all about trying to get as many players to their preferred choice as much as possible.

Should there be a system of compensation for teams who are not represented fairly among the allocations and what should that compensation be?

There are a couple of angles to look at to answer that question. What is fair representation? If a team only chooses to have one or two federation allocated players and they are content with that setup, then all’s well that ends well. It’s a club’s prerogative to make their environment as attractive as possible for a player to want to play there – bright-eyed, ready-to-turn-pro college player or prolific international. For example let’s look at this season’s allocations between the Portland Thorns, Seattle Reign FC, and Sky Blue FC.

As we’ve reached the halfway mark of the season, Seattle and Sky Blue look to be playoff contenders and Portland are just on the outside looking in. Ask any Seattle or Sky Blue fan and I bet they’re happy with the current state of their teams, more or less independent of their teams just having two Ffederation players versus Portland’s six.

The other way of addressing the question of if there should be a compensation system in place is, what if an allocated player can’t play for their NWSL team? The question then becomes why can’t they? The obvious answers to that why are injury or a life event like pregnancy. Should there be a compensation system should one of those situations happen? I don’t think so. The player allocation system is unique in that only the top-flight soccer leagues in the United States are the only sports leagues to have such intricate systems. I don’t think the system necessitates needing a safety net if an allocated player gets injured or has to stop playing because of a life event. Injuries and life events happen in all sports and teams usually have the resources (roster depth) to address those problems should they arise. That said, I can think of one instance compensation related to allocated players could make sense – it’s if said player refuses to play for the team they were allocated to.

Megan Rapinoe was initially not happy with being allocated to Seattle – Portland was her first choice – and sought a trade, but in the end, it all worked out well for her and Seattle. However, it’s not completely out there to think of a scenario in which a federation allocated player would refused to play for a NWSL club and would go as far as sitting out a season. What’s a club and the league to do at that point? Consider a hypothetical scenario in which a US player was allocated to a team that they did not want to go to. It wasn’t their first, second, third or even fifth choice. Usually, before it becomes public that the player did not want to play for that team, a trade happens before they even set foot on that team’s home pitch. Likely they’d be traded to one of the NWSL teams they preferred to play for if there are enough pieces involved that both sides are happy. Another player, draft picks, allocation ranking places are usually said pieces. Or the player opts to play their club soccer abroad if they can and their “NWSL rights” stay with that team until a solution (player changes mind and reports to the team or the aforementioned trade happens) is reached. While I don’t think it’s happened where a federation allocated player simply sat out a NWSL season because they didn’t want to play for a specific team, I don’t think one can rule out it ever happening.

So what’s a team to do if the most extreme scenario happens – an allocated player refuses to show up for work, didn’t sign up to play abroad and would rather sit at home than play for (insert NWSL team here)? Honestly, I think the federation at that point would force a trade, using their best judgment (I hear you people laughing if it were USSF handling this – stay with me) to get the most equal trade for both sides to happen. If for some reason a forced trade can’t happen, THEN under this extreme scenario do I think a compensation system could work. And of course, the simplest form of compensation would be the almighty dollar.

Since federation allocated players have their salaries subsidized by said federation, if that player is that extreme-case scenario where they don’t want to play for their designated NWSL team and would rather sit out the season, then my proposal would be to give whatever salary that player would have commanded to the NWSL club as a “good for only this season” addition to their salary cap. Maybe put in a provision that the money can only be used to give a salary bonus to the rest of the players under contract with that NWSL club and aren’t federation allocated players. Maybe reward that midfielder that made it to the NWSL Best XI last season. Basically reward those that are showing up to play for that NWSL club, that city and not just look at that nice pile of money and think, “Alright, gonna go get me a mercenary for the season!” Again, this should only be for the extreme scenario in which an allocated player basically says, “Nope, not going to show up for work.” The player may have valid reasons for calling their shot like this, but you have to consider the NWSL coach that likely expected to use the player’s skills for their game plan and yes – the good coaches will find a way to adjust and plan accordingly, but as we know in sports, that extreme scenario could be when you least expected it.

Does this entire scenario sound preposterous? For the most part yes, especially since we the public wouldn’t know about it unless someone did some major silence-breaking. It would become a provocative story if Player X went public with their proclamations of, “I refuse to play for this team.” Even that though going public would feel incredibly last resort. Then again, this is WoSo where there is a particular word reserved for something incredible like the league and/or federation being unable to come to a resolution and more or less allowing it become ugly.

In the present, the allocation system works for the NWSL. Is it going to be around forever? I would say for the most part yes. As long as US Soccer remains the main investor of the league, then we know their interest lies in wanting to keep the national team player pool deep as college players turn pro, get drafted into the league and develop into national team-caliber talent. Yes the US has the biggest stake in investment, but Canada surely is enjoying the development of goalkeepers Sabrina D’Angelo and Kailen Sheridan the more they play in the NWSL.

Time will tell if Mexico resurrects participation in the allocation process, but I’d imagine there’s interest down the line as the league looks into expansion. It’s hard to foresee now if any influx of money from expansion and/or increased sponsorship brings about a conversation about NWSL clubs having enough money that they can cover player salaries without any subsidizing from federations. Though as the saying goes, never say never.

In an ideal WoSo world, yes, there’s enough sustainable money coming in that the budget-tight early days of the NWSL are barely a distant memory, but in the now and immediate future, player allocation makes sense.

Sam Kerr, Australian for Baller

Posted on by RJ Allen

Sam Kerr is going to win FIFA Female Player of the Year one day.

All I have to do to know that is watch the first half of this NWSL season to know it all the way down to my bones.The way Kerr reads the game, the way she finds space where there should be none, her heart-stopp ing shots, all of it combines for a near total package for an attacking player. And her backflip isn’t bad either.

Two days before Sam Kerr scored a hat trick in a little over 12 minutes to lead Sky Blue FC to an unlikely comeback over FC Kansas City, I was able to catch up with her at the practice field. 

Sidenote: Anytime you get a chance to watch Sam Kerr take shots on goal, take it. In a game or just in practice she has a bit of magic that can’t be denied. 

Backline Soccer (BS): First off, I have to ask, is the reason you’re having such a good year because you have Brooklyn (Kerr and her housemates have been fostering a dog during this season)?

Sam Kerr: I mean I guess you could say if I’m having fun off the field I’m playing well on the field so I’m sure she’s a part of it. Laughs

BS: You’ve had an interesting season this year. Two Player of the Month awards. Off to a little bit of a slow start and then you caught fire. Did you just need to get warmed up, and then once you were comfortable you were off to the races?

Kerr: Yeah, I think this is my first year really being in the league from the start. Other than the first two, so. I’ve been injured the last two. So it plays on your mind a little bit. But I think, yeah, it’s hard to come into a team and do well straight away and I think as a team we’ve gotten better as the season’s gone on. So I think you could say that, but yeah I just felt more comfortable with the girls and I think as a team we’ve started playing better. 

BS: You guys seem to be the underdog of the league no matter how well you do. There seems to be this underdog mentality–does that help a little bit, like you don’t have that target straight on your back? You just sort of get to have fun? 

Kerr: Yeah! I personally like being the underdog. It’s fun, I like being a dark horse. I feel like being from Australia we’ve always kind of been the dark horse. So yeah we love that. We love just having fun and playing our style of football and not having all the pressures other big clubs might have on them. I think this year we’ve beaten most of the big clubs so that says a lot about our team. 

BS: One event coming up is the Tournament of Nations. I think we can safely assume you’ll be going against one of your teammates. Is that something that’s you enjoy–wildly different styles in the tournament, American style, Australian, Brazilian and Japanese. It’s not the World Cup, it’s not the Olympics. Can you have a lot more fun with it? 

Kerr: Yeah, well firstly, obviously, I hope I’m there. Gotta get selected. So, fingers crossed. But, yeah, it’s obviously always fun to play the US. We’ve never beaten them so it’s a massive challenge for us and it’s always nice to play the top nation in the world. We have a really big rivalry with Japan AND Brazil, so I love playing the Japanese, I think they’re a really fast team. And the Brazilians, obviously we’ve had a bit of history with them in the last few years so it will be nice to hopefully get one up on them. 

BS: You play with a lot of these players in the league. You play with a couple on Sky Blue and you play against several. Is that nice to get more familiarity with those players in the league before you go into a tournament like this? Assuming of course, that you are on the roster? 

Kerr: Yeah, I think you kinda know their tendencies and know what they’re like and know how they play. But it goes the same with us; there’s a lot of Australians in the league so, yeah I guess it’s good to see more of national team players and being familiar with what they do and I think when you watch all the Brazilians play, whether they’re playing for Orlando or Houston, they all have the same tendencies. They’re a skillful bunch, and you know they like that crafty play. And then the US players obviously, they’re that fit, fast, and go team. The Japanese are obviously very different. They’re pass, pass, pass and everyone wishes they could do that as well as the Japanese. Yeah, I think us Australians have our own style of play. We’re fast, we’re fit, and we’re really exciting. We’re really fast and attacking-minded team, as well as a really strong defensive team. 

BS: Is it fun to play against your Australian teammates? Lydia Williams is a goalkeeper for Houston–you’re a forward. How is it to have to go up against her directly, to have to do your job?

Kerr: Yeah, it’s fun. But, I think all of us would say we’d rather be on the same team. But you know, that’s life. The girls in Orlando have three Australians there. So they’re quite lucky–well, two now. But, yeah. I love playing against them because we get to have a laugh and catch up with them, but I’d rather be on the Australian team. 

BS: Are you trying to recruit a couple of Australians to come here? 

Kerr: I mean, ask Christy (Head Coach Christy Holly) if he would take some. But yeah, there’s so many that could play over here but we’d obviously like to get Caitlin Foord back and have her here. But people move on and people want to do new things. It’s awesome that we have 6 or 7 in the league, but you never know. 

BS: The W-League has been having a lot of success in the last decade. Coming up next season will be 10 years. That’s something that’s interesting, having that home league to go back to, and sort of having those seasons match up. Is it something you think would be important and a good step to have allocated Australian players to the NWSL because of how the seasons match so perfectly? 

Kerr: Yeah, I think it sounds good. But it takes away, you know, the Australian player being able to play overseas in Europe if that’s their choice. So it really does sound good, but the USA is not our home, so obviously we prefer to play in our own league during the summer which we could do. But if people want to go to Europe, that’s their choice. But I think if the players have their choice to their allocation as in if they wanted to be allocated; it wasn’t, you know, they had to play here because I know there are a lot of girls that are in Europe. There’s six or seven there, too. So, it sounds good but when you think about it, it takes away the girl’s choice of playing wherever they want overseas. 

BS: Coming up on the end of this season, are you excited? Are you ready to make that push? Are you ready to three-peat as Player of the Month? 

Kerr: Yeah, I mean it’s obviously nice to get recognized for those things but mostly I just want to push for a first spot. We’re sitting fourth with two games in front of everyone and that’s not good enough for me. So if we had Team of the Week every week and we won, I’d be happy. It’s obviously nice, but I want to be at the top of the table with the rest of these girls. 

BS: There is a little bit of a curse on the Shield winner. The Shield winner has never won the championship in the year they won the shield. Is luck happenstance? Or are you guys gonna be the ones to break the curse? 

Kerr: I mean, I don’t know. I guess that’s football you know. Anyone can win on the day and especially in this league. I think this league’s probably the best in the world with all the teams being equal. I think in the German league and in the French league there’s a lot of differences in the teams. And this league, any team can beat any team on any given day. So I think it’s a good thing for the league. But, look, we’re going for first, and then we’ll deal with that when we get there. But finals and top-spot Shield winners would be awesome. 

BS: There’s a lot made of rivals in the league. They tried to do somewhat forced rivalries last year, scheduling you to play different teams different numbers of times. If you had to pick one team to be Sky Blue’s biggest rival, who would you pick? 

Kerr: I don’t know. I don’t think we really have a rival like you said, we’re the underdog. Everyone kind of thinks they can come here and beat us. I think when we go to places they kind of count it as a win. I think you could say maybe DC, but I don’t feel, but the team I love beating is Portland. Laughs

BS: Doing the flip in Portland was nice.

Kerr: Being there twice and scored a few goals, it’s just the vibe, and it’s a credit to them and their atmosphere. Everyone dreams of playing in an atmosphere like that. It’s nothing against the players or the club or the team or the coach, it’s just the atmosphere. It’s probably like all the little premier league [teams] going to United or City. I just love winning there, I love scoring there. 

BS: I’ll ask you one final question. Favorite defender to go against in the league? You’re playing Becky Sauerbrunn this week. I imagine she’s fun to outwit or get around. 

Kerr: Not fun.

BS: No?

Kerr: You know what? Like, it’s different. Like obviously you’d love to go against a weakened defender or something, but like yeah, I feel like Becky’s probably, for me, one of the best defenders in the world. I respect her a lot. I’ve played against her a lot in the national team, and in the club level and I just think it’s a massive challenge every week I go out and play against her. So, I’m excited for this week and I haven’t played her in a while. Last time I played her I came on as a sub, so I think she’s a great defender so it will be nice to go against her and battle it out even though I do worry about playing against her because she’s very good. 

Kailen Sheridan: Not Your Average Rookie

Posted on by RJ Allen

Fact: Kailen Sheridan doesn’t play like a rookie goalkeeper.

Watching her play, talking to her, if I didn’t already know this was her first season in the league, I never would have guessed it. The Canadian International is just 21 years old and has 14 games under her but yet she is playing with a confidence that belies her years and stands up on the pitch. Her 53 saves are enough to put her in second in this season’s goalkeeper standings in terms of saves, just three behind Seattle’s Haley Kopmeyer.  

As the 23rd pick in the 2017 draft, every team in the league had a shot to take her, but it was Sky Blue that handed her a scarf. Though her success this year might have as much to do with her talent as landing with the right team and having the players around her she does, she came in with considerable experience under her belt. Still, being chosen by Sky Blue offers her the chance to grow, to work with the greatest defender in this nation’s history Christie Pearce, the sophomore defender (and remarkably composed) Erica Skroski, jack-of-all-trades USWNT veteran Kelley O’Hara, and a pair of backline rookies, Mandy Freeman and Kayla Mills. 

Sheridan is putting herself not only in the conversation for Rookie of the Year but her play each week is flat-out making a case to consider her for Goalkeeper of the Year as well. 

There are few things in the world of soccer that are better than a goalkeeper who can make a little magic happen between the pipes, but one of them is getting to interview someone who’s been making as much magic as Sheridan.

Backline Soccer (BS): So, Canadian goalkeepers. Best goalkeeping crew in the world, I’ve been saying this for about eight weeks straight on our podcast (The Scouting Report), so I figured if I’m here, I have to bring it up. Is it something in the water up there? You guys just born with tattoos and goalkeeping superpowers in the great white north now? 

Kailen Sheridan: Yeah, obviously. [Laughs] No, I mean we definitely have some good programs. We’re all from different areas. I think we’re kind of a good group because there’s an ability to push each other, but we’re also really good friends. Like they’re somebody that I hang out with. Steph was just down in Jersey the other day and I went and saw her. We hung out at the beach. It’s a level of confidence but it’s also like a level of friendship that you can know that you’re gunning for each other’s spot but at the same time, I’m gonna go and hang out with you later. 

BS: That seems to be something that not every country has had historically. 

Sheridan: No. 

BS: Goalkeepers especially tend to–

Sheridan: It’s a competitive position. There’s only one of us that can ever play. You don’t get subbed very often, and you kind of own that spot once you get it. So, it’s more of, let’s hold onto it or you’ve gotta work to earn it. 

BS: How would you feel your rookie season’s going? You know, you’re halfway through it, feel good?

Sheridan: Yeah, it’s been great. I really enjoy being at Sky Blue. I’m really happy and lucky to have been chosen to come here and earn the spot that I have. And I think that it’s been a good start and I think we have a lot more to go. And there’s definitely a lot of ground that we have to make up. We’ve made a lot of mistakes, but at the same time, they’re mistakes that we all know that we can fix. So I think that the beginning’s been great but I’m looking more forward to the end of the season. 

BS: There was a rumor, that I’m sure you will confirm, that you yelled at Christie Pearce to do what a centerback should do during a game, and people were very amused about that. Is that something that, as a rookie, you’re becoming more confident, you’re directing more?

Sheridan: Definitely. Christie is such an amazing person though, that she kind of calls it upon us to call her out on those things. She’s definitely going to be there for us and call us all out because that’s her job. She has the experience and the mindset to be able to do that, but if we can call her out and make her the better player, then she’s the first person to be like “thanks for calling me out, I appreciate that,” you know? She’s a very humble person, and that’s somebody that’s just the best kind of person to work with. I’m lucky she’s allowing me to help her as she’s helping me. 

BS: Your national team coach has said some things about you guys being number 1 one day. Is that something that you really do think about, that one day you want to sort of knock– I mean you’d have to get through France, and Germany, and the US, which is doable with how the US has been lately–is that something that you think about? Or is it just sort of play the game and the points will be what the points are?

Sheridan: No, definitely that’s something we’re all working towards. I think as a national team, that each of us has that in our mind at all times, that number 1 is where we’re going. Number 1 is where we want to be, and anything below that is not good enough. So as we’re all in our home environments here, it’s always something that’s in the back of our mind. That’s what we’re training for ultimately. You know, NWSL is really important but at the same time, once this is over, we go right into camp and we start gunning for that number 1 spot again. 

BS: Is that something that’s nice? You’re not in your home country, but if they do have a camp you’re not traveling to France or Germany or wherever? 

Sheridan: Yeah, it’s definitely helpful. It definitely helps with the travel period because sometimes we do have to go to Europe so that’s hard. But it does allow us an availability to do national staff as well, being able to contact them so easily, and go home when we want to go home, and being able to get into camp when it’s time to go. 

BS: One final question. You have Christine Sinclair as your country captain and Christie Pearce as your club. Did you win the lotto? 

Sheridan: I definitely did there. I got two amazing role models. Very different personalities, very different people, and very different strengths. I think that I’m lucky because I get the difference in the two of them and I have both of them as outlets. I learn a lot from each of them. I mean Christie day-to-day, and Sinc every time I go into camp. And you know she’s still there every time I play Portland, she’s got something to say to me. So that’s always fun. But I did hit the lottery in a way. 

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: 2017, Week 12

Posted on by RJ Allen

Image Credits: Leanne Keator

Backline Soccer Recap:

Quick Fire Week 12 Game Previews:

Can anyone take the top spot from North Carolina? This week the Chicago Red Stars have a chance. With a win–and some help from the Seattle Reign–they could find themselves on top of the table for the first time this season. Let’s take a look at some keys for this weekend’s games. 

Game 1: Boston Breakers vs. Chicago Red Stars

Boston Breakers record: 3-6-3
Position: 9th
Total Points: 12

Chicago Red Stars record: 7-3-2
Position: 2nd
Total Points: 23

Boston is coming into this week off a much-needed morale-boosting win against the Spirit. But they will have a very tough task getting past a strong Chicago side. Rose Lavelle continues her time on the injured list, unfortunately, which will leave Boston without one of their more creative members. We’ve seen just how much she has done for Boston this year so far and it’s obvious that she is missed. But the Breakers have continued to fight. If they want to get a result here they’ll need to figure out a way to get past the strong Chicago defense, which should involve trying to find the open space in behind to challenge Alyssa Naeher. They need more production from their attacking line to accomplish this. In addition, Chicago has more attacking players than just Christen Press to carry the load and Boston should watch for pressure early.

On paper, this looks like a Chicago win, but as we’ve seen regularly in this league, no result is ever certain, and it’s anyone’s game from day-to-day. And Chicago does have weaknesses, for all that they’ve settled into a solid route. They’ve had problems creating and finishing good chances, and have also struggled to maintain enough possession to make anything happen. This week that will be their key to getting ahead of Boston: take advantage of possession and opportunities in front of goal. 

Game 2: Washington Spirit vs. Orlando Pride

Washington Spirit record: 3-6-2
Position: 10th
Total Points: 11

Orlando Pride record: 4-5-3
Position: 6th
Total Points: 15

The Spirit get the advantage of the home crowd this week, but the enthusiasm will most likely be shared between teams since this will be Ali Krieger’s first trip back to Washington in an Orlando uniform. The Spirit have started to slump into a rut that even Steph Labbé–who is having a great season–has had trouble managing.  It seems they have resigned to letting Labbé carry a heavy load as she faces a ton of shots every game. The key for them against an Orlando side that is finally finding some form is to hold some possession. They’ll be in trouble if Orlando can control the game and send waves of attacks toward the Spirit goal. 

The Pride will be coming in this week looking to pull out a big three points after a disappointing result last weekend, where they outplayed Chicago but came away with nothing. But that game was representative of their problems across the season. They tend to maintain fairly high possession percentages but have a hard time converting their chances into quality shots or goals. This is an area where the return of Alex Morgan could make a huge difference. She got a few minutes last weekend but should be ready to contribute fully here. And if Morgan and Marta start to connect and click on the field, the Spirit may be in trouble. Orlando also needs a lot more from players like Kristen Edmonds and Monica in the back and middle of the field or it may be time to try something new there. 

Game 3: Sky Blue FC vs. FC Kansas City

Sky Blue FC record: 6-6-1
Position: 4th
Total Points: 19

FC Kansas City record: 3-5-4
Position: 8th
Total Points: 13

Sky Blue FC is coming in from a whirlwind three-game week and ready to fight their way to the top. Sam Kerr has seemed to settle into a consistent routine lately, and if she continues that against FCKC, they will have a hard time stopping her. Sky Blue mixed up their defense last game, either because of players needing rest after the long week or a desire to see if something new could bring them more success in the back. And this will be an area of continued attention for the team, as the young backline has had some issues so far this year. It those recur, it could spell trouble against an FCKC attack that is just waiting to break free. 

FCKC just seem to be missing a bit of direction right now. Losing Amy Rodriguez after just one game really put a dent in their entire season and has forced players into roles that don’t really serve their skill sets, with Sydney Leroux being the most notable example. She doesn’t work well as a lone striker, but KC doesn’t really have any other options to lead the line. To stand a fighting change against Sky Blue this week, their attack will need to take advantage of the holes in the younger backline early and hope to put themselves up a goal or two before halftime. 

Game 4: North Carolina Courage vs. Seattle Reign

North Carolina Courage record: 8-4-0
Position: 1st
Total Points: 24

Seattle Reign record: 5-2-5
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 20

North Carolina is looking to stay atop of the standings this week but they may need to get past Seattle to manage it. And given Seattle’s current form, that may by tough. Still, for NC the gameplan is clear and it’s really just a question of whether they can execute. The return of Jess McDonald last week as a late substitute was a good sign; she looked primed and ready to score a few goals. Lynn Williams has not seen any minutes recently but be on the lookout for her status this weekend as well. And even without their twin towers, the depth of the NC attack has been impressive. The main issue for the team, then, is whether they can manage to stave off a very strong Reign attack and a very in-form Megan Rapinoe. No team has seemed to be able to stifle her yet this season. 

Seattle is coming in strong and will be looking to pick up more points on the back of Megan Rapinoe. However, at least for now, the status of Jess Fishlock is up in the air. We still don’t have word about the seriousness of her injury from last Saturday, and she is a crucial part of this team.  Seattle will have equal parts in trying to keep up their pressure and attack but also rely on their backline to hold off the wave of attack from the Courage side. If Fishlock can’t play, that could be a decisive factor. But with the quality backline and Megan Rapinoe, this should be an even and well-fought match. 

Game 5: Houston Dash vs. Portland Thorns

Houston Dash record: 4-7-1
Position: 7th
Total Points: 13

Portland Thorns record: 5-4-3
Position: 5th
Total Points: 18

The Dash have earned some crucial points in the last few games in the attempt to turn around their season. This week they will have their work cut out for them with a Portland team that will be hungry for a good result. The biggest issue for the Dash all season has been the lack of a consistent plan. But with the coaching change, it seems they are beginning to settle into a stable starting XI, with some small tweaks here and there. Carli Lloyd has seemed to be a positive factor as a morale and organization boost since her arrival. They will rely on her heavily this week against the Thorns. With Rachel Daly also settling back into her preferred role as a striker, the attack is beginning to look more solid. This week, though, they’ll need to focus on getting their backline to communicate more and try to contain the fluid and flexible Portland attack. 

The Thorns have had quite the topsy-turvy season this year, with injuries to some key players and puzzling results being mixed with some dominant performances.  But they are starting to find some success in their attack. Christine Sinclair is enormously important, of course, and she looks to be rounding into form; Portland should expect more out of her this week. The biggest question mark they’ve got is how to fill their Tobin Heath-sized-hole in the front line. They have a lot of depth and can handle missing players in most other roles, but without Heath, they’re really suffering for a lack of general creativity on the ball. But if the Thorns can get their attack moving and play through the midfield, they should find success against the Dash.

The Scouting Report:

We went live on Thursday night with our weekly TSR. A reminder that you can catch TSR live every Monday night at 8pm EST on our YouTube channel. Make sure to follow the podcast on Twitter @ScoutingPodcast.

In case you missed this week’s episode, catch up here:

The Unused Sub: Women On Fire

Posted on by RJ Allen

Next week is my birthday. So here’s to me getting old.

SO ABOUT JERSEY & SEATTLE

Sam Kerr and Megan Rapinoe are beyond on fire–they’re straight nuclear. I think both will be on the shortlist for NWSL MVP and if either of their respective team gets into the playoffs, it will be in most part because of them. Seriously, find me soccer players in the world that are in better form than they are? Get your popcorn ready because we could be witness to an incredibly awesome second half of the season from these two.

With specifics to Sky Blue FC–if they punch a ticket to the playoffs, Christy Holly has a damn good case for NWSL Coach of the Year considerations. The relationship he has with his players is very much unique; if you took Holly out of there and put in any other the NWSL coaches there, I don’t think you get the same output from those players. Much like Laura Harvey and the Seattle Reign FC players are tied to each other in a special relationship, a similar thing is going on over in Piscataway.

As for the Seattle Reign FC–going into the start of the season, I figured it was going to be a case of they’d be taking the season to figure out what is their new wrinkle to show to the league that pretty much had caught up to them. Sometimes the Reign were going to look good. Other times, no so much. The win against the Chicago Red Stars was ugly and they’re fine with that. If that is how they have to claim some wins in the second half, so be it. Especially when they have more games on the road right now (7) than home (5). As much as I think “Pinoe, take the wheel!” is sustainable, they’re going to have to win ugly on the road. A good place to start that is at North Carolina Courage’s seemingly indomitable home.

KEEP PORTLAND THORNS WEIRD?

If the Portland Thorns want in the playoffs, they need Tobin Heath back on the field. I know, what a hot take. It’s a little startling that she’s been out so long with this somewhat mysterious back injury and what we can only guess have been some unfortunate setbacks. It is weird seeing a Portland Thorns team sans Heath and much credit to a good coach in Mark Parsons that Portland is only one point out of the last playoff spot. Yet there’s something gut instinct-y about them so far this season. Is it possible they could be enduring something akin to what bit the 2016 Seattle Reign FC team? Yes, no Heath for the first half stinks, but it feels like there is something else that’s discombobulated the Thorns in the first half of the season and it’s hard to say if Element X, whatever it is, has been taken care of. We shall see this weekend when they travel to Houston.

THESE YOUTS CAN BALL – ESPECIALLY ONE UP IN SEATTLE

At the start of the season, we all pretty much had it in mind that Rose Lavelle would be in the conversation of being a nominee for NWSL Rookie of the Year. Sure, she’s been injured for the past couple of weeks, but there’s plenty of season to go for that assumption by all of us to hold true. That said, you know who has been making a damn good case for Rookie of the Year considerations?

Seattle Reign FC’s Kristen McNabb.

She can ball and she sure has been making the most of the likely higher than expected starts she would be getting because of injury. Yet there’s this confidence in the Reign rookie–really among the rest of the young players in Seattle’s squad. They’re showing they can hang with the veterans and don’t shy away from head coach Laura Harvey’s high expectations.

So you heard it here first–I am starting the Kristen McNabb Rookie of the Year campaign bus–there will be no refunds.

IS IT JUST ME OR WILL ONE OF THESE GAMES BE A COMPLETE ROUT?

Here are my predictions for this weekend’s NWSL games.

  • Chicago Red Stars OVER Boston Breakers
  • Washington Spirit OVER Orlando Pride – Yeah, that’s right you heard me on this one.
  • Sky Blue FC OVER FC Kansas City.
  • North Carolina Courage OVER Seattle Reign FC.
  • Portland Thorns OVER Houston Dash.

Song: “Lonely Cities” | Artist: Tigertown

Unsung Hero of the Week: So Calm, So Cool, So Catley

Posted on by RJ Allen

In this weekly series, I will be highlighting a player from the weekend who was their respective team’s unsung hero, win or lose. A player who does the dirty work, does the little but important things in a game and someone who didn’t exactly fill up the stat sheet but found other ways to contribute.

This week I’ve chosen Orlando Pride defender Steph Catley.

The 23-year-old Australian international has appeared in 23 games for Orlando, already making a place for herself in women’s soccer history. Catley scored the first ever goal for the Pride in its inaugural season on April 21st, 2016. Sometimes I forget just how young she is but then I remember this young talent has already made 57 appearances for the National team. But I also need to give some credit to Australia’s coaches, as they are known for young talent and putting them into the squad as teenagers and finding success (Sam Kerr, Kyah Simon, Caitlin Foord and Hayley Raso to name a few).

Orlando 0-1 Chicago

While Orlando may have lost this game, (thanks to a penalty by Christen Press in the 68th minute) I do think it was one of their best efforts on the year. Steph Catley was a player who stood out on the night, starting the game strong in her left back position. Her first call to action was in the third minute as she raced down the sideline to receive a beautiful ball from Toni Pressley, splitting the two defenders who tracked her down (Alyssa Mautz and Taylor Comeau). She found fellow Australian Alanna Kennedy for the trailing ball a few yards from the Pride’s 18, takes a shot at serving up Rachel Hill in the box but her effort was a bit strong over the top.

Right off the bat, we see Catley attempting to put pressure on the Red Stars outside backs, showing not only her aggressiveness but her ability to get forward and find that space on the left side. I am an avid supporter of defenders who want to get involved in the attack and Catley is just one example who can do that on a consistent basis.

I thought Catley and Jasmyne Spencer worked well together, combining down in the offensive third (in the form of give-n-go or overlapping) for the Pride on several occasions and earning Orlando corners which they totaled six in the first half alone. With the awareness of Catley and the speed of Spencer, they could spread out Chicago for a period of stretches in the first half by exploiting the space once again on the left side.

In the first half, Orlando controlled possession nicely (70%), building an attack from the back significantly better than Chicago, which allowed them to dictate the pace of the game early on. The start of that success was the backline of Orlando, consisting of Catley, Ali Krieger, Kristen Edmonds and Toni Pressley. The organization allowed Catley to venture up as far as she wanted, knowing she had the capability to ignite the offense and it could pay off at some point.

In the second half, we finally saw Catley make a play in Pride’s end, showing her defensive prowess. The first major one being in the 58th minute when she read a sneaky seam pass from Vanessa DiBernardo in the middle of the park. By recovering to make a sliding tackle just outside the 18 on a ball that was on its way to Press, Catley prevented a dangerous 1V1 with Orlando keeper Audrey Bledsoe. It was a beautiful pass and if Catley hadn’t stretched out for it, surely Press would’ve made the backline pay for letting her slip through the cracks. It was really the first time in the run of play that Catley was called upon after spending most of the first 45 on the offensive end for the Pride.

Just a few minutes later in the 62nd minute, Catley was busy breaking up a play in a 1V1 situation on the right side of the box. Again, it was DiBernardo with the ball, this time looking to switch it to her left for potential service, Catley got a foot on it just in time to clear it another 10 yards from goal. A play that momentarily gave Orlando a breather as Chicago had been pressuring relentlessly for the last few minutes.

Catley was the best player on the field for Orlando in my opinion, her versatility clearly being showcased all throughout the game, doing a little bit of everything to help her team. She created just about every corner for Orlando, her service into the box showed promise, she worked tirelessly all game down the left side to find space and did her defensive duties to a tee all night. She was absolutely outstanding and a joy to watch against a tough Chicago team.

Catley is a key player that needs to continue her form if Orlando want to stay alive in the playoff hunt. The Pride are currently sitting in sixth place with four wins, five losses, and three draws on the season.