Trinity Rodman Eyes NWSL Glory to Cap a Stellar Year
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Washington Spirit are gearing up for the biggest game of their season, and all eyes are on their star forward, Trinity Rodman. The 22-year-old phenom has had a year to remember, and she’s hoping to top it off with another NWSL title when the Spirit face the Orlando Pride this Saturday in the championship match.
For Rodman, this will be her second NWSL Championship appearance in just four professional seasons. Fans will remember her game-winning assist in extra time during the 2021 final, a moment that helped the Spirit secure their first-ever NWSL trophy. Fast forward to 2024, and Rodman has evolved into one of the best players in the world. Her three goals at the 2024 Olympics were instrumental in the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) clinching their fifth gold medal, and she started every game in the tournament’s forward line.
“I don’t want to say it’s surprised me, but I’m extremely happy with the way that the year has gone,” Rodman said during a press conference ahead of Saturday’s showdown at CPKC Stadium. “I couldn’t have asked for a better Olympics. I think the biggest thing for me has been not getting too hung up on mistakes and celebrating other people. I think that has been really good for my development.”
Team-First Mentality Drives Rodman’s Growth
Rodman credits her success this year to a shift in mindset. “Really successful players that are developing can get really stuck in themselves and only thinking about their performance, when I feel like it’s bigger than that,” she explained. “This year, I’ve really just put a huge focus on being a part of a team and learning and growing from the people around me. That’s what I did at the Olympics and that’s what I’ve been doing here at club.”
It’s not just her teammates who push her to be better. Rodman acknowledged that the influx of attacking talent in the NWSL has raised the bar for everyone. “Obviously, being an attacker for the U.S. women’s national team and for the NWSL, I want to strive to be the best and I want to be the best that I can be,” she said. “So, when there are people getting these titles and getting these trophies, you want to strive to get that. That alone I think pushes you when they’re getting awards that you want to get.”
Rodman’s 2024 Season by the Numbers
- Rodman finished the regular season with eight goals, tying her for sixth in the league.
- Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda, her opponent in Saturday’s final, scored 13 goals.
- Kansas City Current forward Temwa Chawinga won the Golden Boot with a record-breaking 20 goals.
“It shows where the sport is going and with players like that that push the game and push the players to be better, that’s just bringing in more people,” Rodman said of the league’s growing talent pool.
Overcoming Challenges
Rodman’s journey to the final hasn’t been without its challenges. She missed the last matchup between Washington and Orlando on Oct. 6 due to back spasms, an injury that was reaggravated during a Sept. 20 game against the Kansas City Current. That match, played at CPKC Stadium, saw the Spirit lose 3-0 while playing down a player.
Reflecting on that tough stretch, Rodman joked, “Things can only go up from the last time the Spirit were in town.” And go up they did. Washington bounced back to finish second in the league, setting a new NWSL record alongside Orlando with each team winning 18 games.
A New Era for the Spirit
Rodman’s rookie season in 2021 was marked by both triumph and turmoil, as the Spirit won the championship while players publicly called for the removal of former team owner Steve Baldwin. Now, under the leadership of owner Michele Kang and head coach Jonatan Giraldez, the team is thriving.
“I don’t want to say comfortable, but I’m a lot more confident in myself and in the team,” Rodman said. “There’s less bad nerves and more good nerves. We’ve created a good foundation and I think we’ve figured out what this team’s identity is and now it’s just about putting a nail in the coffin. We have nothing to add at this point, it’s just locking in for this last game. Everyone’s on the same page of that; everyone’s ready to step up to the spot.”
As the Spirit prepare to take the field on Saturday, one thing is clear: Trinity Rodman is ready to lead her team to glory and cap off what has already been a golden year.
Originally Written by: Jeff Carlisle
