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Claudia Longo on Living and Competing With Multiple Sclerosis

Claudia Longo is a redshirt sophomore at the University of Washington where she plays midfield for the women’s soccer team. Originally from Issaquah, Washington, Longo won two state championships with her high school team before being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis during her senior year. Below, she talks with JWS about her career in soccer thus far, her diagnosis, and how she continues to persevere through adversity. 

Since you are from the area, was University of Washington always where you knew you wanted to go to school?

Yeah, I mean, I grew up a U-Dub [UW] fan — it was everywhere in the neighborhood and U-Dub is literally in my backyard. So it was pretty cool to receive that offer. But in the beginning, I was looking to go explore other parts of the country. I was definitely looking to “get out,” but once I visited the campus, took the tour, and met the coaches and players, I was like, “Okay, this is it. This is where I want to be.”

Your high school was pretty competitive, too. I read that you guys won the state championship. How was that? 

It was, and still is, a great program and it has been pretty successful for years now. Tom Bunnell was our head coach — he is actually retired now but he was great. He won five state championships while he was there. And then actually, when I was there, we won two state championships. It could have been three, I still regret it, but that’s all right. But yeah, it was really fun to play for that squad, too. I actually ended up playing at U-Dub with some of my ex-squad teammates, which was super fun.

When did you start noticing your MS symptoms? 

I first started getting symptoms a couple of years prior to my senior year of high school, but I had no idea what was going on. During my junior year, I went completely numb and had tingling in my legs for a few weeks. I just thought, “Okay, maybe I’m over-training or whatever.” I remember it was mid-game. And I was like, “Okay, my cleats must be too small.” I literally went out, changed my cleats, wore somebody else’s bigger cleats, came back on and it wasn’t helping. My mom took me in to get some blood tests done. Nothing came back. So we were like, “Okay, let’s take a couple weeks off and see what happens.”

I ended up getting a bit better over the course of several months and I was even able to play my senior year. I felt good, but I was getting super tired after my games. I was used to playing the full 90 minutes, but it felt so different. I was throwing up after games, it was just weird. After we won the state championship, I took a couple of weeks off, but then I started training before and after school. I did that for a couple of months and then I started experiencing way more fatigue, a lot of numbness and tingling. I had this thing where when I looked down, I would get electric shocks running from my back to my legs. That was the sign to my parents that, “Okay. Something’s not right here.” We went and saw a neurologist and he ordered several MRIs. That’s when we found out that I had MS. I was diagnosed in March of my senior year. That was a month and a half before I was to graduate and move to U-Dub.

Were you able to finish out your senior spring of soccer or were symptoms too bad at that point to continue? 

Yeah, I was able to finish it out. I remember in the quarterfinal game, I just laid down on the bench for all of halftime and thought, “What is happening?” But I was able to kind of regather myself when that would happen. It mostly happened in the postseason so, obviously, there was a lot of adrenaline and other things playing into it. I was able to grind it out then, but a few months later it was to a point where I just couldn’t keep pushing through.

Once you were diagnosed, did the doctors tell you that you wouldn’t be able to play sports at all?

It was obviously a shock to the system. I really had no idea what was coming, but I was under the care of a great doctor. She told me it as it was, she said, “Yeah, you have MS. You have these symptoms.” But she was confident that I would be able to get back on the field one day. Obviously, it wasn’t going to be easy, but she said that we could make it happen. So that was really reassuring to hear.

Did you have a lot of appointments thereafter? 

Yeah, and I take medication. There is no cure for MS though. You take these medications to stop the progression, basically to stop getting these new lesions in your brain and your spine. Ultimately the goal is that, yes, I’m going to have these symptoms, but let’s prevent any other symptoms in the future from flaring up. So far, I’ve been stable. I’m on great medications that allow me to continue playing soccer, which is awesome.

You were diagnosed your senior year of high school and then you head off to college. What was going through your mind at that point?

I’ll be the first to say it was definitely tough. My initial response was to go on the most aggressive treatment and keep training and doing what I was used to. That was tough. I was doing infusions once a month that made me feel pretty sick. I was throwing up nearly every day and getting pretty bad migraines. But I was still training and pushing through because I wanted to move in for preseason and be on the field. Ultimately, I did move in for my freshman season and I tried to play a couple of weeks of the preseason, but at the end of the day, it wasn’t what my body needed. And so, after pushing through for about six months, I ended up taking a quarter off, moving back home and just taking care of my body.

Taking a quarter off to focus on your health must have been tough. How did you persevere during that time?

My coaches and my teammates were so incredible through all of it. When I first got diagnosed, I reached out to my coach, Lesle Gallimore. She got all of our staff together for a meeting and went over what it was going to look like for me and just made it clear that she was going to do whatever it took to keep me on the team. My teammates all rallied around me, too. So, it’s been really nice to have such a supportive team to help get me through it.

Did you take time off from classes too, or just training?

I actually ended up taking fall quarter completely off from school and soccer. I moved back home and took some time to really process what this new normal was going to look like. I changed my medication to something that was a little less aggressive and that ended up working out really well. I changed my diet. I found new forms of exercise that made me feel good and not like I had to throw up every second. It was tough to not be with the team and not be in college for my freshman year, but it was definitely a blessing in disguise.

When did you return back to school?

I went back for winter quarter, but I only went back for school. I wasn’t ready to play soccer yet. During spring quarter, I slowly started to add soccer back into the mix while I was practicing with the team. I practiced maybe two or three times a week and slowly worked my way back into what I was used to. Lesle coached us through that spring and then also last fall. This past winter is when our new coach, Nicole Van Dyke, came in and took over.

When you did return to soccer, how did it feel?

I still remember to this day, the first time that I trained by myself right before I went back spring quarter to start training with the team. I didn’t care about anything else. I was just so happy to be on the field and to be touching the ball and to have my cleats back on. That was a moment that I had been waiting for for over a year and it just felt so good. At my first practice with the team, I was just stoked to be there. I remember looking at my coach, Amy Griffin, and I just started tearing up. I had no idea what the next several months or years were going to look like, but I was so happy to finally be back with the team. Again, it wasn’t easy. I had a lot of adjusting to do and I was still not feeling great. I was off of the old medication, but I still had some MS symptoms that were getting in the way. It was tough, spring quarter was really tough. I had to learn to adapt to what the new normal was on the field, if that makes sense.

How do you think your experiences overcoming adversity at such a young age affected the athlete and person you are today?

It has really made me appreciate the sport. I’m standing here talking about my experience being a soccer player with MS. There are plenty of people out there with MS who aren’t as fortunate as me. I think each day is a blessing that I get to continue saying that I’m playing the sport. The adversity has really put, not even the sport, but life in perspective for me.

What are your personal goals both in soccer and outside of soccer?

Last year, I was able to play in a couple of games, which was super cool. I’ve had multiple conversations about this with my coaches. They know that I hold myself to almost too high of a standard, but I would definitely love to get back out on the field, see some more playing time and have a bigger impact on my team — both on and off the field, whatever form that looks like.

How would you describe yourself as a player?

I play midfield, so a big part of my game is vision. I like to see myself as a link player. And so one thing that was tough when I came back was I would get these balls in the midfield, but if I turned my shoulder too much or if my body got overheated, I started to have blurry vision and I would get dizzy. That was really tough because I felt like when the ball was at my feet, I had lost that innate vision that I felt like I had played with for so long. Now, I’m working on ways to play smarter. That doesn’t mean that I’m going out on the field and working on checking over my shoulder for an hour — that’s not going to help me. Maybe it’s watching more film instead, so that I’m relearning that vision without having to make my symptoms worse, if that makes sense. My new coach, Nicole, doesn’t treat me like I’m a kid with MS. She holds me to the same standards that she holds everyone else. And if I make a bad pass, she’s on me. She’s not going to ease off because I couldn’t check my shoulder. My coaches keep on pushing me and I think that’s huge.

USC’s McKenzie Forbes: From Gap Year to the NCAA Tournament

As part of our 1-v-1 video series, USC’s India Otto sat down to interview her teammate McKenzie Forbes. 

Here are five things to know from our conversation with the graduate transfer from Folsom, California.

#1 Inspired by USC’s Head Coach, Lindsay Gottlieb, McKenzie wants to be a basketball coach or work in the front office in the future.

When weighing in on what makes a good coach, McKenzie said x’s and o’s are important but “Coaching is a lot of relationship managing and people managing. I think you have to be a good people person and be able to build those relationships, but also in that same breath, you can’t be afraid to have people dislike you in moments. I think that’s a big part of leadership.”

#2 McKenzie says the trajectory of her career changed when she made the decision to transfer from Cal to Harvard.

 In order to transfer, she was forced to take a gap year and spend a lot of time in the gym. “I completely transformed my body and, going into the Harvard season, felt like I was a completely different player. Going to Harvard and playing in a more mid-major conference, I had the ball in my hands a lot more than I might have if I transferred to another Power 5. It really developed other parts of my game.”

#3 How does McKenzie think USC will do in the Women’s College Basketball Tournament?

“I’m not going to give a typical interview answer. I want a Final Four. We have that potential and capability. Like why not? Why not us? I think we have all the pieces.”

#4 Her older brother, Marcus, was her biggest mentor growing up.

“He was basically my trainer from Elementary school on until he went to college.”

#5 Fun facts about Forbes:

She can juggle and she was the quarterback of her Pop Warner football team. “I was slow but I could throw it!”

Watch the full conversation on the Just Women’s Sports YouTube channel.

Christen Press back training with Angel City FC

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 15: Christen Press #23 of Angel City FC waves to fans following a game between the Portland Thorns and Angel City FC at BMO Stadium on October 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images)

Christen Press continues to inch her way back to a return, having returned to training with her club team Angel City. 

Angel City FC coach Becki Tweed said on Wednesday that Press is back with the team full-time as she continues to make her way back from an ACL injury. While she’s still working on rehab, her being back with the team gives staff a better picture of her progress. 

"Christen [Press] is back with us full time which is amazing,” she said. “Having her in and around the team every day, continuing to work hard on rehab ... she's in a space where being in with the team is really important to her and her progression as well.”

The status update comes days after Press posted videos to social media that featured her doing lateral movement in cleats on grass. 

“Look out world she’s on the move !” Press captioned it. 

Press has been sidelined with an ACL injury since 2022, which caused her to miss the 2023 World Cup. She’s since had four separate surgeries to help repair her ACL.

Press told The Athletic a month ago that she’s been “relentless” in her optimism with her recovery despite it being a “slow process.”

“I have a bit of relentless optimism,” she told The Athletic. “I never, ever doubted that I would make it back on any of the timelines I’ve been on."

"Every single time I’ve heard, ‘You have to have surgery,’ I’m completely shocked,” she said. “When somebody asks me how it’s going, I’m like, ‘It’s going great. And it was going great every time. So I don’t know what to tell you anymore!’”

Sophia Smith re-signs with Portland on record deal

(Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports)

Sophia Smith is now the NWSL’s highest-paid player. 

The Portland Thorns announced on Wednesday that they have signed Smith to a new contract through the 2025 season, with an option for 2026. While the terms of the deal were not disclosed, the team did reveal that Smith is now the highest-paid player in the league on an annual basis.

It’s the latest in what has been a series of record-breaking contracts in the NWSL offseason. 

Chicago Red Stars forward Mallory Swanson, Bay FC forward Racheal Kundananji, and Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda all signed multi-year deals worth between $2 million and $2.5 million in total. While Smith’s contract is shorter and not worth as much over the long-term, the annual worth is higher. 

“We are over the moon to have Soph commit again to the Thorns. She is a proven, world-class talent and one that we are excited to have contribute to the team’s continued success,” said head coach Mike Norris in a statement. “We look forward to working with her in a Thorns jersey as she continues to shine as one of the top strikers in the world.”

In just four seasons in the NWSL, Smith has led the Thorns to five trophies – including the 2022 NWSL championship – while winning league and championship MVP in 2022. In 61 appearances with Portland, she has 34 goals – including a brace to start this season against Kansas City. 

She’s also a member of the USWNT, having scored 16 goals in 44 international appearances.  Set to become a free agent at the end of this season, she told ESPN she “thought of all the options” but ultimately Portland felt like the right decision.

"There is no place like Portland," Smith said in a small roundtable interview that included ESPN. "I don't believe there's an environment like Portland to play in and it's a city that's so special to me and a city that I feel like I've grown up in almost and become who I am."

She also told ESPN that the team’s new ownership “changes everything.” The club is now led by the Bhathal family, who bought the club after Merritt Paulson was forced to sell it following his part in the NWSL’s abuse scandal. 

"Since I've been here there has been a lot of things going on with this club -- a lot of not-great things going on with this club -- and I have just been waiting for some stability and some reassurance that this club is headed in the right direction, and the Bhathal family coming in is doing exactly that, if not more,” Smith said. 

"Their vision for this club is so exciting, and you can just tell how passionate they are about making this what it should be and continuing to push the standard in women's soccer globally.”

Caitlin Clark offered $5 million to compete in Ice Cube’s league

IOWA CITY, IOWA- MARCH 25: Guard Caitlin Clark #22 of the Iowa Hawkeyes celebrates as time runs out in the second half against the West Virginia Mountaineers during their second round match-up in the 2024 NCAA Division 1 Women's Basketball Championship at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on March 25, 2024 in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)

Caitlin Clark has been offered $5 million to play in Ice Cube's Big3 league, he confirmed on social media Wednesday after the offer leaked.

"We intended the offer to remain private while Caitlin Clark plays for the championship," Ice Cube wrote on social media. "But I won't deny what's now already out there: BIG3 made a historic offer to Caitlin Clark. Why wouldn't we? Caitlin is a generational athlete who can achieve tremendous success in the BIG3."

While there has yet to be a women's player in the league, both Nancy Lieberman and Lisa Leslie have been part of the league as coaches and won championships.

"The skeptics laughed when we made Nancy Lieberman the first female coach of a men's pro team, and she won the championship in her first year," Ice Cube continued. "Then Lisa Leslie won it all in year two. With our offer, Caitlin Clark can make history and break down even more barriers for women athletes."

Ice Cube, whose name is O’Shea Jackson, says that the offer was made with the intention that Clark be able to compete in the WNBA “offseason.” Clark is largely expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft in April. But it’s unclear how the scheduling of the two leagues would work. 

The 2024 Big3 season is set to tip off on June 15, with 10 games spanning through mid-August. The WNBA regular season, meanwhile, begins on May 14 and ends on Sept. 19.

On “The Pat McAfee Show” on Wednesday, Jackson said that the league has yet to hear back from Clark. 

“We just need an answer, as soon as they are ready to give it to us,” he said. “It’s always 50-50 till we get a no. At the end of the day, it’s a generous offer.”

The offer – as well as the confusion on Jackson’s part about the timing of the WNBA season – caused some current WNBA players to react. 

"It's funny cause I be seeing his son at W games.. they don't talk?" wrote former No. 1 pick Rhyne Howard

"So no other women's basketball player has came to mind in the last 7 years?" wrote Lexie Brown, adding that she'd support if Ice Cube wanted to build a women's iteration of the league. She later discussed it on the Gils Arena Show, noting that his reasoning of wanting to “uplift and support WNBA players and women athletes” is a “cop out.”

Kalani Brown, meanwhile, told Clark to "take that money" and start a women's Big3.

WNBA salaries has been a talking point in recent months as more collegiate stars declare for the league. WNBA stars have often made more money playing abroad than they have in the WNBA. Clark is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft on April 15, with a rookie salary of $76,535 for lottery draft picks (Nos. 1-4) that rises to $97,582 by her fourth season. But she also has an NIL valuation of almost $3.5 million.

Diana Taurasi famously skipped the 2015 WNBA season at the request of her Russian club, who paid her more to sit out than she would have made in the W. Her contract with the club was reportedly near $1.5 million per year.

Jackson also seemed to suggest that his league could be an alternative to going abroad

“America’s women athletes should not be forced to spend their off seasons playing in often dismal and dubious foreign countries just to make ends meet,” he wrote. Although it’s unclear whether or not the rapper intends to make offers to additional WNBA players. 

While the league does hold prioritization rules in its CBA, those typically apply only to players playing in overseas leagues. It’s unclear whether or not that would prevent Clark’s participation in the Big3 league.

WNBA players that don’t want to go overseas currently have the option of playing in Athletes Unlimited, which competes in the WNBA offseason.

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