Trinity Rodman is opening up about her meteoric rise, speaking with ESPN’s Charlotte Gibson about her historic NWSL contract.
The 20-year-old signed a four-year deal that is reportedly worth more than $1.1 million with the Washington Spirit in February.
“I’m that person that broke the mold for that,” Rodman told Gibson of her contract extension. “I’m paving the path for younger players and showing older players that this is what they should have gotten in the first place.”
Trinity Rodman provided additional context to this quote Monday via Instagram, further reinforcing her thoughts on her place in the long line of game-changers in women’s soccer.
“I strongly acknowledge what ‘older players’ or veterans have done to earn what they’ve gotten, they’ve put blood, sweat and tears into paving the path for me and I feel so blessed, my goal right now is to pave the way for people younger than me and learn from those who did it before me.”
Washington Spirit coach Chris Ward also spoke with ESPN, telling Gibson that Rodman’s deal raises the bar for the league.
“She certainly deserves every piece of it, but it also creates a stepladder for everyone else,” Ward said.
Rodman credits her professional success to her mother, Michelle Rodman, who raised her and attends most of her Spirit matches.
“The field is my comfort zone, but there’s a different level of having somebody behind you in person, on the sidelines, and hearing that support. It brings me back,” Rodman said. “I love hearing her voice on the sidelines.”
The Spirit striker has also been open about her relationship with her father, NBA icon Dennis Rodman. Per Rodman, her father has not played an active role in life, so his presence at a November Washington Spirit game came as quite the surprise.
“I don’t even know if there was a thought,” Rodman told Gibson of the incident. “I had so many feelings, but also none.”
Rodman has not seen her dad since that game, revealing to ESPN that they have talked on the phone once. Following the game, Rodman posted to Instagram, clarifying to fans that her father doesn’t necessarily play an active role in her life.
“I didn’t want it to get misconstrued. I didn’t want people to think he was in my life when he wasn’t or vice versa. And I wanted people to know the full story,” Rodman revealed.
The reigning NWSL Rookie of the Year is now taking pride in making a name for herself, carving out her own path as a star athlete.
“People do know Trinity Rodman sometimes before Dennis Rodman now,” Trinity said to Gibson. “That’s a cool thing for me. I’m not trying to overcome what he accomplished, I just want to build my own story, and I think I’m doing a really good job.”
Rodman led the Spirit to an NWSL Championship, logging seven goals and seven assists during her 2021 campaign. In her six matches to kick off the 2022 season, Rodman has notched a goal and an assist.
