I’m an agnostic women’s soccer fan. As of 48 hours ago I was a big fan of two specific “Christian” women’s soccer players simply because they were good at SOCCER. Now, I’m a fan of only one. Below are clear examples of why.
As a DIII Collegiate Soccer Player who loves the sport of soccer dearly, Bethany Balcer is so important and so, so wonderful. She makes women who didn’t take the traditional path (MOST GIRLS AND WOMEN WHO PLAYED/PLAY SOCCER) believe in their potential and tune into the league. Additionally, she has taken that role of “flagbearer” for the non-traditional route to the NWSL and truly made the most of it. She’s incredible at soccer. She’s incredible at life. She’s a Christian. I’m not. We agree on most things.
Another “Christian” soccer player with ties to the USWNT is in the news today. Sadly, it’s for reasons that make me sick to my stomach and truly confused beyond measure. This same “Christian” soccer player earns a liveable wage solely because of the work of A LOT OF GAYS who put in years and years of hard work and struggle. She reaps the rewards of those efforts but sees them as less than/weaker than/demonic. If you don’t believe in that “lifestyle” maybe the USWNT “lifestyle” isn’t for you? Just a thought.
The beautiful part of being a USWNT fan is knowing that even if you’re not 100% sure of who you are, you belong in women’s soccer. But something I know for sure is that if you are 100% bigot then you don’t belong on the sidelines of a USWNT game… let alone on the field. This is the beautiful game and ugliness is not allowed here.
“My beliefs” is a cop-out. There have been many, many Christian players on the USWNT from 1 cap to 100 caps. Thank you Bethany Balcer. Thank you Lauren Holiday. Thank you Tobin Heath. Thank you to many many more. You can be “Christian” and you can choose good. You can be “Christian” and you can choose bad. This has nothing to do with what you believe, it has everything to do with HATE.
A generic “I apologize” response won’t do. Be better.
Love Tobin and Christen! But the more I’m watching and learning about them, a few things are becoming clearer;
Tobin is pretty emotionally immature but also mature - it’s unreal to me that she would have someone like Christen by her side and be “non committal”. It almost seems like she has issues being vulnerable to be “with someone forever” even though she can probably acknowledge she is definitely fighting above the league with Christen as her partner.
Christen is mature and exquisite. Her weakness seems to be Tobin - who she wants “innately”. She probably loves Tobin so much given that Tobin and her carefree self makes her feel free herself. Her love shows through when she acknowledges that she is “okay” with Tobins non comittal stance at the moment - this is clearly not what Christen wants!
Tobin seems to love just talking about soccer - but in alot Of ways she appears to have some narcissistic traits….why does she think that she can only talk on her re inc platform and that too only with Christen. she just loves to hear herself I would think and makes most things about her own perspective or opinion. Notice how she does NOT get invited to talk about her views - she was an excellent player but not the best. Christen seems to give her most attention yet often Tobins insights take specific digs at Christens soccer experience (point in case during last recap show).
Christen is truly overall marketable and in demand. She will thrive on her own anywhere — but she seems to still have some insecurities. What she doesn’t realize that people like Tobin (slightly immature and definitely on the spectrum) definitely need her to get their so called “brilliant” ideas out to the world.
I truly pray and hope that Christen comes back and did not hamper her career due to the break she wanted to be with Tobin.