Trinity Rodman’s back injury kept her off the USWNT roster for eight months and was wheeled off the field during a Washington Spirit match last September. Since the fall match, her name on NWSL and USWNT rosters has stirred up pleasantly surprised and questioning reactions. The short-lived summer-long emergence of “Triple Espresso”, the goal-scoring trio of Mallory Swanson, Trinity Rodman, and Sophia Wilson (formerly Smith), left fans in anticipation of their reappearance but with Mallory Swanson and Sophia Wilson out for individual reasons, Rodman carried “Triple Espresso” as a “Single Shot” of espresso alone. But carrying the weight of a trio, the United States women’s national team and the NWSL could add up. Trinity Rodman’s latest news says so.
Stepping Away
News broke this week that Rodman would be “stepping away” from her NWSL team, the Washington Spirit, to focus on recovery from her back injury. Despite her return to the US national team after an eight-month absence and a goal scored against Brazil earlier this month, Rodman will take time off from play. The period of rest is a long time coming. Rodman’s back injury issues date back to her 2021 rookie year, and the problem has since been aggravated by consistent play.
Rodman told news outlets that she didn’t think her back would “ever be the way it was [her] rookie year.”
Early in her career, Rodman established a level of playing that the world of women’s soccer, coaches, fans and teammates, garnered expectations from. Audiences expect confidence, quick-paced smartness, smooth through passes, and goals. However, with two teams to answer to and years of battling an injury, the 22-year-old appears to have a lot on her plate. However, in the grand scheme of things, rest and recovery are paramount.
Players, amid a wave of injuries internationally and on United States pitches, may face a difficult decision about when to step away. For a player like Trinity Rodman, who is a driver of NWSL and American women’s soccer tides, the choice–though necessary–is a tough one to make.
After her mid-match departure last September, she returned to the Washington Spirit for the NWSL Championships three matches later. Rodman has stated that full recovery from her back injury is not an option, only management. Short turnarounds in her return to play could be the issue.
Recent Comeback Form
Trinity Rodman is responsible for electrifying the field and US women’s soccer culture with her contagious bravado. Her influence balances backlines and awards deftness to the frontline. In early April, when Rodman returned to the national team after months away, she scored five minutes into the first rematch against Brazil. The goal assist came from Alyssa Thompson and highlighted why so many players and fans alike have confidence in Rodman’s abilities.
For a brief moment, the goal foreshadowed what could come in the USWNT’s future. But amid news of Rodman’s injuries, the goal reflectively highlights how Emma Hayes’ player pool widening is a pressing need. Trinity Rodman and “Triple Espresso” can’t always be tasked with carrying the USWNT or NWSL (as much as audiences love to see it). But with the trio stepping away for a time, other dynamics have emerged and been given space to perform, from Alyssa Thompson to Cat Maccario to Lindsey Heaps (formerly Horan) and more.
The weight of a club and a national name has to be lightened periodically. With Trinity Rodman out indefinitely, a heightened focus on balancing talent could be introduced to NWSL and USWNT teams.
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