I had just curled up on my futon and started scrolling through Netflix when my phone rang. Choosing which movie to watch is one of the weightier decisions we typically face during the off season.



When the phone started to ring, I was startled to see my head coach’s name pop up on the screen. The previous season wasn’t all I had hoped it would be, but I had left the exit meeting in October feeling positive and hopeful for the next one. Now, on a Tuesday night in December, I was not expecting to hear from her, and I could feel the the butterflies fluttering in my stomach as I answered.



“Hi, NWSL Confidential,” said the coach. “How is everything going?”



“It’s going well,” I said. “Just enjoying some time at home.”



I was still pretty new to the league. Maybe coaches call their players to check up during the offseason. I was about to ask how things were going when she beat me to it:...