Shea Groom is a forward for the Houston Dash of the NWSL. She spoke with Just Women’s Sports about the team’s semifinal victory over the Portland Thorns, and what they’ll need to do against Chicago in order to take home the Challenge Cup trophy this Sunday. 

The team came up huge against Portland. Can you walk me through your thoughts on the game? 

Portland’s an incredible team and they have shown that throughout their history in the league. Anytime you go against them, you’re going to expect good soccer and that you have to bring your best game. Walking into the game, we knew we had to be prepared, and that’s something that we’ve taken pride and responsibility in throughout this tournament. We were not doubting each other in our locker room at all. I felt like we came into that game fully believing that we were going to win it, and I don’t think we ever stopped believing. And then once we were able to get the goal, we just said, anything to win, defend for your life, and let’s get to the finals because that’s why we’re here. It was a fun win. And I’m really glad that I could do it alongside these players and for this club and organization

You won in the quarterfinals on PKs after a scoreless draw. For a while, it looked like the semis might also go to penalties. What did it mean to finally get that goal in regular time? 

I think we’ve had a weird tournament to begin with. I don’t think if you would have told anyone that we were going to come out and score three goals in the first game that they would have believed you. James [Clarkson, head coach] has given some crazy stats to us, like last year the team had zero or maybe a couple two goal games, but never a three-goal game. They didn’t score off the set piece once last year. So we are definitely a different team and a different look, and obviously it came with a little bit of pressure once we got later into the third and fourth game. But going into penalties, I think you never want to really leave it to that and get in that situation. Against Portland, I felt like we were on the front foot and we had enough chances in that game to have earned at least one goal. We were ready to push until the end to get a goal, and we kept our foot on the gas pedal.

Rachel Daly is from another planet ????

She gets her 3rd goal of the tournament for @HoustonDash. pic.twitter.com/Zo7UW9AxJd

— CBS Sports Soccer (@CBSSportsSoccer) July 22, 2020

We spoke with Rachel Daly earlier in the tournament and she defined the team’s mentality as “do or die.” What are your thoughts about that and your perspective on the team’s mentality up to this point?

For sure. It’s been fun to be a part of a side that has a clear identity and not something that was forced upon us. I think it happened organically. And someone said to me, I think it might’ve been Katie Naughton, she called us “the band of misfits,” just because I feel that a lot of us come from similar journeys or backgrounds, being tossed around teams or been on teams that weren’t necessarily competitive in the past or that found success. And we all came here and it kind of works. I think we have that “taking it personal” mentality. It reminds me a lot of what Michael Jordan said in The Last Dance. He always took things personally, even when people didn’t mean it that way.

And I know a lot of media and articles have come out saying we’ve finally earned our respect, and it’s funny because I think that no one’s thought that for a second. Even making it to the finals and rewriting a lot of the stigma that’s around the Dash, we still feel like there’s so much to do and that there’s always going to be people that think we just got here by happenstance. And it’s definitely been fun to be a part of that identity and to enter into every game like we have something big to prove. And I think for me personally, I relate to that so much, and feeling like I have a big chip on my shoulder, and wanting that respect, but also not needing it in the same breath. And I think James has done an incredible job creating that culture and bringing players in that fit, not just on the soccer field but off the field as well. It’s definitely been fun, and definitely I think something that will continue to be a part of this culture long past the Challenge Cup.

What does your preparation look like ahead of Sunday’s final? 

We’ve played a lot of games, so recovery is absolutely the most important thing. If we can get as many players as possible to go into the final game feeling good and healthy and well-rested, then I think we’ll have the best chance. There’ll be a lot of that, and then a lot of preparation. And while we’ll be preparing for Chicago and the weapons that they have, I think it’s also fine just tuning up what we have going on and making sure that it’s all ready to go and that we’re able to bring our best on Sunday. Hopefully we’re bringing home a championship.

Has there been any talk about a specific focus or game plan for Red Stars? 

Not yet but there will be. I definitely think that we really look into how other teams play and where we can exploit other teams with what we have. Obviously they’re an incredibly talented team and have a lot of players either with the national team or on the cusp of the national team, but I think we’ll match up well. And it’s been interesting being on the other side of it. Just the past couple of days, some of the girls have thought, “Oh, Portland and Chicago, we haven’t done well against these teams in the past.” And I’m over here like, “I’ve only been on teams that beat Portland or Chicago so why are you guys scared?” So it’s been fun to sort of mess with players like that and just saying this is a new team, and there’s nothing to be afraid of, and we have a good side. And I think as long as we believe that and we come out and compete, then we can take any team in this league.

What do you think it would mean for the team to win the Challenge Cup?

It would mean everything. People don’t even know the half of it. This team has been through everything. And I think a lot of people from the outside think, “Oh the bubble’s hard,” and everything. But we’ve had players lose their dad right before the tournament started. We had a player lose their grandfather a couple of days ago. Obviously some internal things going on with the team as well. And it seems like every other day we’re battling something hard off the field, and then we have to go play 90 minutes. And then watching our city suffer and be in the middle of some of the worst parts of this pandemic, it’s been really hard and dark sometimes, and we feel like we’ve been able to bring a little bit of light and a little bit of hope, and a little bit of healing through what we do, and hopefully that includes bringing a championship home. I think it would be incredible for our club and our city, and incredible for the players and all that we’ve dealt with. I want it so bad just for them.

For the first time in the NWSL's 12-year history, fans can now buy their own goalkeeper jerseys. And while replica goalkeeper jerseys representing all 14 NWSL teams hit the market on Wednesday, some didn't stick around for long. 

Fans across women's soccer have long vocalized their discontent over the position's lack of availability on social media, often comparing the shortcoming to the widespread availability of men’s goalkeeper jerseys. And as the NWSL has grown, so has demand — and not just from those in the stands. 

"To have goalkeeper kits available for fans in the women’s game as they have been for so long in the men’s game is not only a long-awaited move in the right direction, it’s just good business," said Washington Spirit goalie Aubrey Kingsbury in an team press release. "I can’t wait to see fans representing me, Barnie [Barnhart], and Lyza in the stands at Audi!"

just went looking at #nwsl goalkeeper kit stock out of curiosity — Alyssa Naeher's $145 kit already sold out S-XL (league announced GK jerseys on sale 3 hours ago)https://t.co/8bYA7tlwcx

— Meg Linehan (@itsmeglinehan) April 17, 2024

Business does, in fact, appear to be booming. Alyssa Naeher’s Chicago Red Stars kit sold out less than three hours after the league's announcement. Jerseys for other keepers like DiDi Haračić, Abby Smith, Michelle Betos, Katelyn Rowland, and Bella Bixby aren’t currently available via the Official NWSL Shop, though blank goalkeeper jerseys can be customized through some individual team sites. Jerseys start at $110 each.

"This should be the benchmark," said Spirit Chief Operations Officer Theresa McDonnell. "The expectation is that all players’ jerseys are available to fans. Keepers are inspiring leaders and mentors with their own unique fan base who want to represent them... I can’t wait to see them all over the city."

Decorated gymnast Simone Biles took to the popular Call Her Daddy podcast this week to open up about her experience at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, revealing she thought she was going to be "banned from America" for her performance.

After Biles botched her vault routine due to a bout of the "twisties," she withdrew from the team final as well as the all-around final in order to focus on her mental health. She later reentered the competition to win bronze in the individual balance beam final.

In her interview with podcast host Alex Cooper, Biles admitted to feeling like she let the entire country down by failing her vault attempt.

"As soon as I landed I was like 'Oh, America hates me. The world is going to hate me. I can only see what they’re saying on Twitter right now,'" she recalled thinking. "I was like, ‘Holy s---, what are they gonna say about me?'"

"I thought I was going to be banned from America," she continued. "That’s what they tell you: Don’t come back if not gold. Gold or bust. Don’t come back."

Widely regarded as the greatest gymnast of all time, Biles has hinted at a desire to join her third Olympic team in Paris, though her participation won't be confirmed until after the gymnastics trials in late June. She holds over 30 medals from the Olympic Games and World Artistic Gymnastics Championships combined, and if qualified, would be a sure favorite heading into this summer’s games.

Caitlin Clark is reportedly close to cementing a hefty endorsement deal with Nike.

The Athletic was the first to break the news Wednesday evening, commenting that the deal would be worth "eight figures" and include her own signature shoe. On Thursday afternoon, the publication tweeted that the deal would top $20 million, according to lead NBA Insider Shams Charania. Both Under Armour and Adidas are said to have also made sizable offers to the college phenom and expected future WNBA star.

The new agreement comes after Clark's previous Nike partnership ended with the conclusion of the college basketball season. She was one of five NCAA athletes to sign an NIL deal with the brand back in October, 2022. 

Considering Clark's overwhelming popularity and Nike's deep pockets, the signing's purported value doesn't exactly come as a shock. New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu’s deal with the brand is reportedly worth $24 million, while NBA rookie and No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama’s deal is rumored to weigh in at $100 million. And in 2003, LeBron James famously earned $90 million off his own Nike deal. 

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Clark’s star power continues to skyrocket, with the NCAA championship averaging 18.9 million viewers and the 2024 WNBA Draft more than doubling its previous viewership record. Following the draft, Fanatics stated that Clark's Indiana Fever jersey — which sold out within an hour — was the top seller for any draft night pick in the company’s history, with droves of unlucky fans now being forced to wait until August to get their hands on some official No. 22 gear.

In Wednesday's Indiana Fever introductory press conference, the unfailingly cool, calm, and collected Clark said that turning pro hasn’t made a huge impact on how she’s conducting her deals.

"If I’m being completely honest, I feel like it doesn’t change a ton from how I lived my life over the course of the last year," she said. "Sponsorships stay the same. The people around me, agents and whatnot, have been able to help me and guide me through the course of the last year. I don’t know if I would be in this moment if it wasn’t for a lot of them."

Former Oklahoma slugger Jocelyn Alo has signed on with Athletes Unlimited and will compete in the AU Pro Softball AUX this June.

The NCAA record holder in career home runs (122), total bases (761), and slugging percentage (.987), Alo was originally drafted by the league in 2022 but opted instead to join the newly debuted Women’s Professional Fastpitch. 

Alo currently plays for independent pro softball team Oklahoma City Spark, with team owner Tina Floyd reportedly on board with her recent AUX signing. AUX games are scheduled for June 10-25, while the Spark's season will kick off June 19th. Alo will play for both. 

Among those joining Alo on the AUX roster are former James Madison ace pitcher Odicci Alexander and former Wichita State standout middle infielder Sydney McKinney.

According to Alo, the decision to play in the Athletes Unlimited league was fueled by her desire to propel women's sports forward as well as provide more exposure to a sport that's given her "so many opportunities."

"Not only to challenge myself more, but just for the growth of the game," Alo said, explaining her reasoning to The Oklahoman. "I genuinely believe that professional softball can be a career for girls."

Joining AUX is also one more step in her plan toward representing Team USA at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

"I’m constantly thinking about how can I do these little things right in these four years to prepare me for the biggest stage of softball," she told The Oklahoman. "I definitely want to play in the Olympics, for sure."

Alo further expressed enthusiasm in the hope that the rise of other women’s sports, like women’s basketball and the NWSL, will push softball’s professional viability even higher.

"We’re seeing the NWSL (National Women’s Soccer League) get their stuff going, I see the WNBA starting to get hot," she continued. "I feel like the softball community is like, 'All right, it’s our turn and it’s our turn to just demand more.'"