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Sophia Smith comes full circle in first game at home with USWNT

(Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The last time Sophia Smith played in her home state of Colorado was during college in the fall of 2019 — a 4-0 win for Stanford over the Colorado Buffs.

In the short two and a half years since then, she won the national title, got drafted first overall to the Portland Thorns, earned her first cap with the U.S. women’s national team and quickly rose as one of their star forwards.

On Saturday, she returns for her first game in Colorado with the USWNT. The match at DSG Park in Commerce City is the first of a two-game series that will end in Utah on Tuesday, serving as preparation for the Concacaf World Cup Qualifying in July.

Playing at home is a dream come true because that’s where it all started almost 22 years ago.

‘That’s how I fell in love with it’

With two sporty sisters who were four and five years older, Sophia was already on the sidelines of soccer fields and basketball courts at just two days old in Windsor, Colo.

She jumped right into athletic shenanigans as soon as she could walk. Literally. Her little legs would leap off the sixth step of the staircase when someone walked by, just to see if they would catch her. By two years old, she was in the backyard running around with her sisters, Gabrielle and Savannah, trying to compete at their level. She’d jump off the trampoline to dunk balls into basketball nets to prove she could be like them.

Watching her sisters play soccer and trying to keep up with them in the backyard became her first memories of the sport as she got older.

“I think that’s how I fell in love with it, or how I was even made aware of it,” she told Just Women’s Sports.

‘I just want to play soccer’

Sophia’s soccer career started in kindergarten, the same year she met future USWNT teammate Jaelin Howell.

In a class of 18 boys and four girls, Sophia was excited when her teacher told the class a new girl was coming from Florida. But then, a couple days later when the new student arrived, she stole Sophia’s nap-time square. It was Howell.

In a video for the U.S. national team, Howell jokes that at the time Sophia leaned over and whispered in her ear, “I’m never going to be your friend.”

But of course, they became friends.

The tomboys bonded over their love for sports when they hung out with the boys at recess. They realized their similarities when Martha and Rob Martin, the parents of another girl in their kindergarten class, started a rec soccer team they both joined.

The coaches watched a series of kids’ tapes, put together by German soccer player Franz Beckenbauer, with what Beckenbauer referred to as “fast forward” skills. From there the Martins created a technique curriculum that consisted of 20 to 30 skills to teach the new team, the Timnath Twisters. Before long, the players were doing Maradona turns in their little swirly pink socks they tie-dyed themselves.

“[Rob and Martha] taught the girls so much,” said Smith’s mother, Mollie. “They were amazing.”

There was an activity every practice where kids could demonstrate new techniques they learned. Patches were the reward that they got to iron onto their red-and-white reversible jerseys. Howell was hungry for patches and never came to practice without a new skill. For Sophia, games were more important than practices at the time. But even during games, she’d be playing just like any other kid — until her dad showed up.

“Any time her dad showed up, she’d pick the pace up 10 fold and got really fast and started scoring a million goals,” Rob said. “It was kind of funny. Kenny, her dad, was obviously a big motivation for her. When she saw him she just lit up. … It wasn’t like, ‘Ooh, dad’s here, I better get to work.’ It was more like, ‘Ooh, dad’s here!’ — big smile on her face — and got to work.”

Family has always been important to Sophia. These days, when she’s lucky enough to get a small window of time at home, she spends every minute with her family — and also at her favorite restaurant, Jim’s Wings.

The Smiths are a basketball family. Just like Kenny who played basketball for the University of Wyoming, Sophia’s older sisters became invested in the sport as well. Sophia would still go on to play basketball in her freshman year of high school. She loved all sports. But for her, soccer became the priority.

“She just said, ‘I love soccer, I just want to play soccer,’” Mollie said.

“Oh, that must be so hard for Kenny!” people told Mollie.

“But it wasn’t really that hard because we saw how much she loved playing soccer,” Mollie said.

As Sophia neared her preteen years with the Timnath Twisters, the club decided the team became too supreme and had to split up. Despite Rob and Martha’s objections, Sophia was among those pulled into a different group. The team’s dominance wasn’t because the Martins encouraged them to be that way — they had never coached to win. They always told the parents to cheer for good passes and impressive technique instead of goals.

It was just that Sophia and Howell had become too good.

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The Portland Thorns' Sophia Smith celebrates a goal against the Chicago Red Stars at Providence Park on May 16, 2021, in Portland, Oregon. (Craig Mitchelldyer/ISI Photos via Getty Images)

‘I love it here’

Sophia and Howell played a couple of years locally for Arsenal Colorado before they heard about Real Colorado. A young teenager at this point, Sophia and her mom got the car and made the hour-and-a-half drive to south Denver to meet with President Lorne Donaldson and see how the club was run. It was everything Sophia wanted.

“Oh my gosh, I love it here,” Sophia told her mom. “I will do anything to make it happen.”

So, Mollie quit her job of over 20 years. She found a different one that allowed her to get off earlier so she could drive Sophia to soccer four to five times a week. She told Sophia that if she ever grumbled about the drive or the time, they would stop going.

Sophia didn’t complain once.

“She was so grateful, thankful,” said Mollie.

Those car rides became the most productive part of Sophia’s day. It was her only time to do homework, and she had a lot of it. When she was finished, she would eat, nap and get dressed.

“It was kind of crazy,” said Mollie. “Looking back, I’m not sure how we did that or what we were thinking … We just saw her determination and her love.”

‘The two most exciting players to watch’

Immediately after Sophia joined Real, her coach Neil introduced her to a player famous among the club community: Mallory Pugh.

Everyone would tell her, “You have to go watch Mal play.”

Sophia started reading about Pugh, who was two years older, and asking her parents if the three of them could stick around after her games to watch Pugh’s. She would sit on the sideline and drop her jaw in awe of how fast Pugh moved, her finishing, every little thing she did.

“In so many ways that has helped me get to where I am today because I had someone who was doing exactly what I hoped to do, right in front of me, and could just kind of learn from her and, in some ways, follow in her footsteps,” Sophia said.

They began training together, too. Pugh would sometimes train with Sophia’s team to get extra touches in, and Sophia was invited to join some of Pugh’s practices. On the weekends, Donaldson would gather players who wanted additional sessions, including Pugh and Sophia, and help take their skills to another level.

Donaldson was hard on Sophia at times — a lot of times — but that’s what she needed to be pushed to new heights. He knew what to say, when to say it and how to get her fired up.

“He is probably the most important person when it comes to who has helped me get to where I am today,” she said. “He believed in me and saw potential in me and knew exactly how to make me be better and reach my potential, so absolutely Lorne Donaldson is someone from Colorado who has changed my life and helped me become the person and player that I am.”

In March 2017, Sophia was just 16 years old when she got her first call-up to the senior national team, with none other than Jaelin Howell. The two were now classmates at Fossil Ridge High.

“It’s obviously nice to go into an environment like that with a familiar face because obviously every other face is not familiar,” Sophia said. “It’s a pretty intimidating environment, and so having Jaelin in that camp was kind of a breath of fresh air and just knowing that if anything, we have each other and we’re not in this alone and we can talk to each other about things.”

After heading to college and truly parting ways for the first time in their soccer career, with Howell going to Florida State, they got their first caps together in late 2020 during a friendly against the Netherlands.

“To come full circle and be able to play together with the national team is just a really cool moment I think,” Sophia said.

In that game, Smith also became the first player born in the 2000s to make an appearance with the national team.

During her early days with Real she had wanted to follow in Pugh’s footsteps, and now she was a young prodigy just like Pugh, who started setting records as a teenager in 2016. At the age of 17, Pugh became the youngest player to be named to the USWNT in 15 years.

Coming into Saturday’s game in Colorado, Smith and Pugh, who plays in the NWSL for the Chicago Red Stars, are partners on the USWNT starting forward line. Head coach Vlatko Andonovski has spent the last half year evaluating their chemistry, and now, as they near Concacaf World Cup Qualifying, they’re the leading stars on the squad.

In just 15 appearances, Smith already has four goals and three assists with the national team. She’s the second-leading scorer in the NWSL this season with eight goals, just two ahead of third-place Pugh.

“They’re probably the two most exciting players to watch right now in the [NWSL],” Andonovski said. “I don’t think it will be a surprise if I say that it will be extremely difficult for a new player to come in and take their starting spots right now. … I’m excited for the form they’re in, I’m excited for the way they play, I’m excited they’re going to contribute not just for their team but also for their country.”

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The United States' Sophia Smith (11) celebrates with Catarina Macario (20) and Mallory Pugh during a game between Uzbekistan and USWNT at Lower.com Field on April 9, 2022, in Columbus, Ohio. (Brad Smith/ISI Photos via Getty Images)

‘It’s super special’

Smith, Howell and Pugh have all been named to the roster for Saturday’s friendly in Commerce City, joining Lindsey Horan for a total of four Colorado natives on the team.

“It’s pretty great,” said Smith and Howell’s first coach, Martha. “We’re pretty proud of them and what they’ve accomplished.”

Smith’s home is about an hour drive from DSG Park. While a lot of her high school friends have moved away, most of her family will be there, including her niece and nephew and her grandparents, who have never seen her compete in a USWNT jersey.

“It’s super special to be able to play there because they’ll be able to come watch me play,” Smith said.

“We could not be more excited,” Mollie said.

Jessa Braun is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports covering the NWSL and USWNT. Follow her on Twitter @jessabraun.

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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