The best players and teams from one of the world's top leagues are on display during the National Women's Soccer League playoffs. For the second year in a row, there is a lot of pressure on what would otherwise be a celebration. After reliving some of their most traumatic experiences, the NWSL players enter the playoffs.
The allegations of sexual harassment and coercion against former Portland Thorns head coach Paul Riley were first reported by The Athletic. The same week that Burke was fired, the report came out. At the end of the year, five of the 10 teams had fired a coach for cause.
The Yates report, which detailed not only what happened with Riley but also withRory Dames, formerly of the Chicago Red Stars, is still being felt. The blind eye turned by the team and US Soccer Federation executives was laid out in more detail.
Megan Rapinoe said last week that they are used to dealing with one thing or another. The players must find a way to absorb the Yates Report and keep pushing their teams to a championship. A balancing act is required.
Since the Yates report was released, players have asked for focus to remain on the field. They don't want to let what has happened define them. Alex Morgan said that the San Diego Wave had done as much as they could.
Morgan is one of San Diego's NWSL Players Association team representatives and last year played a key role in bringing to light the allegations of former teammates. Morgan said she has taken part in more NWSLPA calls over the past two weeks than she has all year, and that players are supporting each other in those NWSLPA channels.
The players want the world to see their best moments, not their worst ones, according to the NWSLPA. While our investigation continues, we're ready for the playoffs. Fans are being asked to pack the stands and be loud.
The hope is that the players who make the league special will be celebrated over the next few weeks.
The players of the NWSL are very supportive of each other. I don't know if you're going to see something before the game or something specific for the game. I don't think we want to put any more pressure on players to come up with something when we've all tried to process it just at the very least. It has been an interesting time, but we are hopeful.
Every player has their own way of handling the emotion of the moment. When the Yates report was released, the 35-year-old was in training camp with Canada and connected with her Kansas City teammates over text and zoom. She said the goal of the conversations was to help each other through the ups and downs.
Scott said it was a long season. There's some tired mental states coming in with the heavy news coming out of that report. We have a big road ahead of us. There's a mix of emotions from the group.
It's kind of exciting, but you're having to deal with it on a day-to-day basis. It's just about having patience with one another but also getting our work done on the pitch as well.
Alex Morgan spoke out against Paul Riley in a behind-the-scenes clip from E60: Truth Be Told, which is now available on Disney+.
There was a camp with Canada at that time. She said that the Yates report hit home for the group because they know that abuse goes beyond the league and its borders. The issue of sexual abuse in Canada has been dealt with by the country.
It's part of being professional and it's what we've done for a long time. You have to do the job at hand when you cross that line. We have to do that a lot in the NWSL. The players have done a great job. The next few weeks will be difficult.
The weeks to come will see a striking dichotomy. The Houston Dash will play in its first ever playoff game on Sunday against the Kansas City Royals. After last year's late-season collapse, the Dash organization felt like it might never happen.
The team's previous attendance record was shattered when 17,000 tickets were sold. For years, the franchise struggled to attract fans and faced questions about the viability of the market. San Diego wants to fill the stadium with more than 30,000 people.
The rest of the playoffs can't be seen in isolation. It has been a difficult year in Houston. The head coach of the NWSL was suspended on the eve of the regular season after a joint investigation by the NWSL and NWSLPA. Since the suspension was announced, there has been no update from the league.
Fans feel torn How can they support players while protesting? Portland is where the Thorns will host a semifinal on October 23. Portland's supporters' groups maintain that he should sell the team because of his role in allowing Riley to coach in the NWSL.
When Riley's contract was not renewed, the Thorns thanked him. The Athletic and Yates reports confirmed that Riley was terminated for breaching his contract after complaints were made by the woman. Riley was hired by a rival team who claimed they were unaware of what happened in Portland. Riley coached until 2021.
Sophia Smith called on fans to support the players in the stands on October 23, 2022. Smith said that Portland and the U.S. teammate called for the removal of executives who enabled abuse.
At this point in the season, fans have a dilemma on how to act.
"It's very difficult," the man said. I can't think of a way to be a fan. We're also grieving with them. It's going to take time to heal. The people who don't want to come support physically in stadiums are free to do that.
From the point of view of those who experienced it first-hand, see the powerful story of the women's professional soccer players who have been accused of sexual assault. E60 is available on-demand.
The Portland girls want you to be their fans. It hurts the players if you don't show up. I'm not sure. It's difficult and everyone needs to make a decision for themselves. We have to be okay with that.
The athletes will return to the field on Sunday. They were playing for their countries during the international break. The players are not doing well. We are angry and horrified.
The players are asked to do their job. They wanted to put together their best performances of the season and play for a title. It's what they've always wanted to do and to do safely. They hope to find something that has been taken away from them and buried in places that are hard to find. They are basking in a victory that takes them one step closer to their ultimate goal.
Being on the pitch is a happy place for a lot of us. We have those connections there. We love our jobs, we love being on that field, and I think that's our place of freedom where we can just enjoy the game and each other's company and get better. I think it's great to have our season continue on because it allows us to just enjoy the game and not worry about anything else.
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