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Shea Groom: “It Would Mean Everything” for Houston to Go Home Challenge Cup Champs

BRYAN BYERLY/ISI PHOTOS

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.

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.

‘Sports Are Fun!’ Rates the NWSL with Gotham FC’s Ryan Campbell

Cover image for Sports Are Fun! with Kelley O'Hara featuring the Washington Spirit.
'Sports Are Fun!' talks NWSL in the latest episode. (JWS)

Welcome to another episode of Sports Are Fun! presented by TurboTax.

Every week on Sports Are Fun!, co-hosts soccer legend Kelley O'Hara, sports journalist Greydy Diaz, and JWS intern BJ serve up their hottest takes on the biggest women's sports headlines.

This week, Sports Are Fun! talks all things NWSL with Gotham FC goalkeeper — and O'Hara's fellow Stanford alum — Ryan Campbell.

"We're five games in at this point and now I feel like things are starting to take shape — we can talk about them," O'Hara opens, referencing the start to the 2025 NWSL season. "I'm excited... the settling's happened, now we can get into season."

"So we're going to talk about what happened this weekend," she continues. "First on the list: Gotham FC. Thankfully we have our very own Gotham FC player in the house."

"I feel like what you're saying is like totally correct — the first three games, I think we scored not very much — a bit of a drought," says Campbell. "But, I mean, I practice with these girls every day. I know Ella Stevens can hit it upper-90, I know Esther's chipping me at practice. I know we have scoring power."

"We all had the sentiment and didn't really get discouraged and I don't think the staff was discouraged at all," she adds. "The resounding sentiment was, 'The rain's going to fall, like it's going to drop for us.' And I think you saw that against Angel City."

In addition to this weekend's NWSL action, Sports Are Fun! also tackles the WNBA Draft's viewership, the NCAA Gymnastics Championship, and so much more.

'Sports Are Fun!' reflects on former USWNT coach Vlatko Andonovski

Then, Sports Are Fun turned to coaching. The headline? Angel City bringing on new manager Alexander Straus from Germany's Bayern Munich.

What makes a good coach? What do players look for in a coach? O'Hara knows one thing — playing under USWNT coach Vlatko Andonovski wasn't exactly a learning experience.

"Hollywood's got a new hitman you guys," Campbell quips about Straus. "He has piercing blue eyes. They rival Leo DiCaprio."

"But can he coach a soccer team to a championship?" asks O'Hara.

"I've always wondered this," says BJ. "You played at the college level. You play now professionally, you played for the national team — how are you listening to a coach?"

"I think a good coach is going to go in and take a player as experienced as Christen Press, Sydney Leroux, and say, 'This is what I see. This is what I think you can bring to the team. This is how I'm going to utilize you in the system that I want to play,'" O'Hara answers.

"What is funny is — this is going to sound bad. I feel like I shouldn't say this. I don't feel like I learned anything new from Vlatko," she says, subsequently referencing the former USWNT coach. "And, actually, post-having him as a coach, I was like, 'Wow, is that on me? Did I stop learning or did he not coach me?"

"I had conversations with other other players about it. They were like, 'No, no, no, that was on him.' Because I feel like I was always open. I was like, 'I want to be coached, tell me how I can.' Because as a player, yes, you become the type of player you are, but you're never perfect."

Sports Are Fun! graphic featuring soccer legend Kelley O'Hara.
'Sports Are Fun!' places Kelley O'Hara at the intersection of women's sports and fun. (Just Women's Sports)

About 'Sports Are Fun!' with Kelley O'Hara

'Sports Are Fun!' is a show that’ll remind you why you fell in love with women's sports in the first place.

Join World Cup champ, Olympic gold medalist, and aspiring barista Kelley O'Hara as she sits down with sports journalist Greydy Diaz and a revolving cast of co-hosts and friends. Together, they're talking the biggest, funnest, and most need-to-know stories in the world of women’s sports.

From on-court drama to off-field shenanigans, to candid (and silly) chats with the most important personalities in the space, this show screams "Sports Are Fun!"

Subscribe to Just Women's Sports on YouTube to never miss an episode.

WPSL to Launch First-Ever 2nd Division U.S. Pro Women’s Soccer League

The new WPSL Pro league logo on a red-to-blue ombre gradient background.
The new WPSL Pro league is set to launch in 2026. (WPSL Pro Soccer)

The Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) announced a plan to launch a Division II pro arm in 2026, providing a domestic stepping stone for players aspiring to top-flight leagues like the NWSL and USL Super League.

The same Cleveland ownership group that recently fell short of securing an NWSL expansion team is backing the venture, making good on their promise to bring professional women's soccer to Northeast Ohio.

The league will launch with a shortened season following the 2026 men's World Cup, before beginning its first full-fledged campaign in April 2027.

With 15 teams already confirmed, WPSL Pro intends to field clubs in an initial 16 to 20 markets.

Along with Cleveland, the inaugural WPSL Pro season will include teams in Austin, Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Fargo, Houston, Oklahoma City, Sioux Falls, Wichita, and the Bay Area, among others. Each franchise will pay a $1 million fee to enter the league.

The WPSL has a history of fostering high-level amateur competition, currently housing over 100 clubs and boasting a roster of former players that includes USWNT icons Brandi Chastain, Alex Morgan, and Rose Lavelle. WPSL Pro, however, will become the US soccer pyramid's first-ever second-tier league.

"WPSL Pro is the bridge that's been missing — not just for players, but for the communities, investors, and brands ready to be part of the next chapter in women's sports," league co-founder Sean Jones said in a statement.

Caitlin Clark Scores 2nd Best-Selling Jersey Across WNBA and NBA Sales

Fans clamor to buy Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark jerseys before a 2024 WNBA game.
Caitlin Clark sold the second-most basketball jerseys in the US in 2024. (Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

The No. 22 kit of Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark weighed in as last fall's second best-selling basketball jersey in the US according to sports outfitter Fanatics, with the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year trailing only NBA superstar Steph Curry on the top sales list.

Clark's merch dominance is nothing new, however. Her Indiana jersey sold out less than an hour after the Fever drafted her as the overall No. 1 pick in April 2024, making Clark the top seller of any draft night pick in the company's history.

Even more, Clark's merchandise led last season's record-shattering WNBA sales, with Fanatics reporting that 2024 sales of player-specific gear earned a jaw-dropping 1,000% year-over-year increase by last summer's All-Star break — in large part thanks to the 2024 WNBA rookie class.

Fellow 2024 WNBA debutants Chicago Sky standout Angel Reese and then-Las Vegas Aces guard Kate Martin — Clark's NCAA teammate at Iowa — trailed the Fever star with the league's second- and fourth-most merchandise sales, respectively.

This year, a new WNBA rookie could give Clark a run for her money, as the No. 5 Dallas Wings jersey for 2025's No. 1 draft pick, Paige Bueckers, is already doing numbers at retailers across the country.

Already a brand mogul in her own right, Bueckers topped the 2024 NIL list as college basketball’s biggest earner via endorsement deals and merchandise sales prior to going pro.

Kenyan Runner Sharon Lokedi Shatters Boston Marathon Record

Kenya's Sharon Lokedi raises her arms in triumph as she crosses the 2025 Boston Marathon finish line.
Kenya’s Sharon Lokedi beat the Boston Marathon course record by over two minutes. (Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Kenyan runner Sharon Lokedi shattered the women’s course record at the 2025 Boston Marathon on Monday, finishing the 129th edition of the race in 2:17:22 — more than two and a half minutes faster than the previous record set by Ethiopia's Buzunesh Deba in 2014.

The victory marked the 31-year-old runner's second major marathon championship following her 2022 New York City Marathon win.

After finishing second in the 2024 Boston Marathon behind fellow Kenyan Hellen Obiri, Lokedi avenged her runner-up status by overtaking the back-to-back defending champion in the final kilometer of Monday’s race.

"I'm always second to her and today I was like, 'There’s no way,'" Lokedi said of her rivalry with Obiri. "I just have to put it out there and fight 'til the end and see how it goes. I'm so glad I ran that fast and she was right behind me. We all fought and wanted this so bad."

All of this year’s top three finishers broke through the course record pace, with Obiri and Ethiopia's Yalemzerf Yehualaw joining Lokedi both at the finish line and in the Boston Marathon's record book.

Along with her $150,000 winner's check, Lokedi will pocket an additional $50,000 for claiming the fastest women's time in Boston Marathon history.

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