The Portland Thorns have become accustomed to dealing with off-field distractions, but the last month has been extra difficult.
The release of the Yates report reopened some old wounds for the Thorns, while creating a few new ones as well. Already under fire before the report was released, Thorns leadership has been pilloried by fans, players and league observers alike.
Two executives have already been fired while owner Merritt Paulson has seemingly reduced his role with the club by stepping down as CEO.
Each Thorns player has their own way of dealing with the challenging environment they inhabit. For newly crowned league MVP Sophia Smith, there is only one way to deal with the firestorm around her: playing.
“Everyone has different ways of coping with things, [some] people need time off. People like me need to be out on the field and playing because for me, that is a distraction. That’s a time where I can just step away from everything and focus on what I love to do,” Smith told Pro Soccer Wire on Thursday.
“So I think it’s just a balance. We have to have these discussions, we have to address the issues. At the same time, our job is to play soccer.”
The Thorns have been doing that job rather well. After finishing second in the league table, Portland beat the San Diego Wave last weekend to advance to Saturday’s NWSL championship game against the Kansas City Current.
As the Thorns seek their first title since 2017, Smith has said the key for her teammates to cope on and off the field has been their ability to lift each other up.
“It’s a process because everyone’s on their own timeline,” Smith said. “But I think our team is really good about allowing everyone to do what they need to do. When someone’s at a low, someone who’s on a high picks them up and brings them with them and vice versa. So it’s been a process and it’s just a matter of supporting each other.”
Jason Anderson contributed reporting to this story
[lawrence-related id=8894,8847,8738]