Darian Jenkins is a forward for OL Reign of the NWSL. Below, she spoke with Just Women’s Sports about the ongoing protests against systemic racism, what allies can do to catalyze change, and her thoughts on the upcoming NWSL Challenge Cup. 

What are your reactions to all the events taking place in the last week?

This has been a really long time coming. Obviously, what’s happened to black people in this country has been terrible, and people are finally beginning to protest with us, and to see how wrong all of this is. And it’s not just the murders. People are starting to really reflect and realize that small and big injustices are committed against black Ameircans every day. They’re starting to understand the history of black people in this country. I think it’s great it’s happening, and I’m really proud that I can be part of it.

What should individuals do who want to make more of a difference? 

Every movement needs to have voices behind it, but really the biggest thing is people actually taking action. I know blackout Tuesday had 25 million black squares that were posted, but that’s the lowest, bare minimum of effort you could put into wanting change. Take whatever money you can and donate it to all of these great causes you can find on social media. That’s important. And vote, for your mayors and all the representatives and our president, most importantly.

What would be your message to white allies in America specifically? 

The biggest thing is that non people of color need to take time to educate themselves and those around them. A lot of people of color are very much over trying to explain things and feeling like they’re required to always share their story. There’s plenty of resources for people to go find out how they can help. There’s documentaries to watch and books to read, from Toni Morrison to James Baldwin. Interviews with a lot of people who can very eloquently spell it out and give you a good perspective. Ultimately, I just think everybody needs to really take initiative and put everything that they’re re-tweeting and posting into action.

How does the country move forward and what needs to change?

Well definitely police reform. I feel like that’s the biggest thing. Derek Chauvin had 17 misconduct complaints against him. It’s pretty sad that people are able to go on with their jobs after that. And there needs to be better education on when to use force. When is it ever necessary to knee on somebody’s neck while they’re handcuffed on the ground? Right now, a lot of conversations are opening up. And we need to be able to talk about these difficult things. I know it’s uncomfortable. Believe me, for the people that are the ones getting murdered, it’s extremely uncomfortable. But I think it’s important to ask yourself the tough questions and really reflect.

Shifting topics, what are your thoughts on the upcoming Challenge Cup?

We’re all excited. It’s been a long time coming and we’re happy to be able to get full games under our belt. Everybody’s really looking forward to it and there’s good energy. Everyone’s excited to be back in a team environment, even just to have somebody to pass the ball with. I know I can’t seem to find a cement wall where I won’t get yelled at.

There’s obviously been a lot of change. We’re all just focusing on the day by day and getting prepared, as it’s going to be a pretty heavy schedule once we all report to Utah. Games every three days, less than that for some teams even. The energy is good and everyone’s really looking forward to the tournament, but for now our focus is on the day by day and really just being as well prepared as we can.

Has your team moved into the next phase of group training at this point?

Yes, we have been playing 11 v 11. We are actually in Montana right now. We’re hosting pre-season here actually, because we were originally planning to go to Utah but they ended up changing it, just because we weren’t sure if housing was going to work out. We decided to go where it would be a little more calm and quiet and we could very much have our own space and time to go where we weren’t as restricted to go on the field.

How do you feel about playing without fans?

It’s a bummer, because it creates such a good atmosphere, but safety is first, and we want to protect not only ourselves and our staff, but everybody else that supports us. We’re really happy that CBS is streaming our games this year. It’s important to have a really good platform where games are easy to watch. I think streaming is huge for women’s sports in general. We never really get the media attention or any of that. So for us to be the first sport back when I know the world is hungry for sports and entertainment, I think it’s really going to be great for women’s sports. We’re all pretty happy about that.

What do you expect from players and from yourself too, after such a long layoff?

I think we’re all just really excited. Like I said before, I think all of the teams have really good energy and you can see that everybody’s really looking forward to getting back into team training. When we’re able to play in games, we know it’s going to move really quickly and have such a quick turnaround. I think everyone’s just stoked and preparing as well as they can. Because it’s such a short, condensed time, people are really going to bring their A game from the start. It’s going to be really good competition.

USWNT stalwart Alex Morgan will miss at least one week of NWSL action after suffering a left ankle knock in her last club appearance, Wave manager Casey Stoney said on Thursday.

Morgan was helped off the field after rolling her ankle in the later stages of the Wave’s 1-0 loss to the Orlando Pride last weekend, despite the San Diego side being out of available substitutes.

“She's got an ankle injury and she's out for this weekend, and then it'll be week by week from there,” Stoney said, confirming that Morgan’s been ruled out for Saturday’s showdown with NWSL newcomer Bay FC.

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Depending on its severity, Morgan’s ankle issue might have larger ramifications than missing a few weeks of NSWL play. Morgan was added to the team's Gold Cup roster after an ACL injury sidelined young striker Mia Fishel, and she's since made a number of USWNT starts in the team's Gold Cup and SheBelieves wins. A long-term injury could potentially derail the center forward’s Olympic plans.

With her return timeline uncertain, it's possible the injury could also impact Morgan's ability to participate in new head coach Emma Hayes' first U.S. friendlies in June and July.

Morgan's injury concerns aren't uncommon in the U.S. player pool, but add a sense of urgency as Hayes eyes the NWSL for top-performing players in the upcoming weeks. Gotham's Tierna Davidson and Rose Lavelle have also been dealing with injuries: Lavelle has yet to appear for Gotham, while Davidson exited last weekend's match early with a hamstring injury.

Gotham has yet to issue an update concerning Davidson's status.

This week, legendary Brazilian superstar Marta announced that she’ll retire from the national team at the end of 2024.

In an interview with CNN Esportes published Thursday, the iconic footballer confirmed that she would be hanging up her boots regardless of whether or not she ends up making Brazil's 18-player roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

“If I go to the Olympics, I will enjoy every moment, because regardless of whether I go to the Olympics or not, this is my last year with the national team,” she said. “There is no longer Marta in the national team as an athlete from 2025 onwards.”

Marta will retire as a giant of the women's game, having appeared in five Olympics and multiple World Cups. When discussing her retirement, she stressed confidence in the rising generation of Brazilian players, noting that she was, “very calm about this, because I see with great optimism this development that we are having in relation to young athletes." 

The statement echoes back to a plea she made during the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup after Brazil lost to France 2-1 in the Round of 16. “It's wanting more. It's training more. It's taking care of yourself more. It's being ready to play 90 plus 30 minutes. This is what I ask of the girls,” she said then, addressing the young players following in her footsteps. 

In 2023, she signaled a farewell to World Cup competition with the same sentiment, telling media, “We ask the new generation to continue where we left off.”

If selected for the 2024 Olympic team, Marta has a shot at extending her own consecutive-scoring record with the ability to score in an unbelievable sixth-straight Olympic Games. She currently stands as Brazil’s top goalscorer, racking up 116 career goals in 175 matches, as well as the leading goalscorer in any World Cup, women’s or men’s, with 17 to her name. 

Marta will continue to play for the NWSL’s Orlando Pride through at least the end of 2024. The longtime forward and club captain has already contributed to multiple goals this season.

U.S. Soccer announced Tuesday that the USWNT will play their last home game on July 16th in the lead-up to the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris.

The 2024 Send-Off Match against Costa Rica will take place at Washington, DC’s Audi Field — home to both the Washington Spirit and DC United — at 7:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, July 16th. The friendly rounds out a four-game Olympic run-up campaign under incoming head coach Emma Hayes’ side, with the last two set to feature the finalized 2024 U.S. Olympic Women’s Soccer Team roster.

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Hayes will appear on the USWNT sideline for the first time this June, helming the team as they embark on a two-game series against Korea Republic hosted by Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado on June 1st followed by Allianz Stadium in St. Paul, Minnesota on June 4th. 

The team is then scheduled to meet a talented Mexico squad on July 13th at Gotham FC’s Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey, where the Olympic-bound lineup will attempt to rewrite February’s shocking 2-0 loss to El Tri Femenil in the group stages of this year’s Concacaf W Gold Cup. And while clear roster favorites have emerged from both of this year’s Gold Cup and SheBelives Cup rosters, a spate of recent and recurring injuries means making it to the Olympics is still largely anyone’s game.

Broadcast and streaming channels for the USWNT's final July 16th friendly at Audi Field include TNT, truTV, Universo, Max, and Peacock.

The USA Basketball Women's National Team is still considering Caitlin Clark for a spot on the Paris Olympics squad, says selection committee chair Jennifer Rizzotti. 

On Monday, Rizzotti told the AP that the committee will be evaluating the college phenom’s Olympic prospects by keeping a close eye on her first few weeks of WNBA play with Indiana.

The move is somewhat unconventional. While Clark was invited to participate in the 14-player national team training camp held earlier this month — the last camp before Team USA’s roster drops — she was unable to attend due to it coinciding with Iowa’s trip to the NCAA Women’s Final Four.

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Judging by the immense talent spread throughout the league in what might be their most hyped season to date, competition for a piece of the Olympic pie could be fiercer than ever before.

"You always want to introduce new players into the pool whether it's for now or the future," said Rizzotti. "We stick to our principles of talent, obviously, positional fit, loyalty and experience. It's got to be a combination of an entire body of work. It's still not going to be fair to some people."

Of course, Clark isn’t the first rookie the committee has made exceptions for. Coming off an exceptional college season that saw her averaging 19.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 4 assists per game for UConn, Breanna Stewart was tapped to represent the U.S. at the 2016 Olympics in Brazil less than two weeks after being drafted No. 1 overall by the Seattle Storm. Eight years prior, fellow No. 1 pick Candace Parker punched her ticket to the 2008 Games in Beijing just two weeks after making her first appearance for the L.A. Sparks.

In the lead-up to Paris’ Opening Ceremony on July 26th, USA Basketball Women’s National Team is scheduled to play a pair of exhibition games. They'll first go up against the WNBA's finest at the July 20th WNBA All-Star Game in Phoenix before facing Germany in London on July 23rd.

While an official roster announcement date hasn’t yet been issued, players won’t find out if they’ve made this year’s Olympic cut until at least June 1st.