After making history as the youngest soccer player on the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) Olympic roster this year, Jaedyn Shaw’s plans were quickly disrupted by a leg injury. She was forced to become a substitute at the Olympics, turning her energy towards recovering.
Even though she couldn’t play at the Olympics, Shaw returned in full force during the NWSL regular season on San Diego Wave FC. Watching her play against the Portland Thorns this past Saturday showed her resilience as a player, not letting the setback of her injury affect her in the game. Subbing in for Perle Morroni, Shaw made waves during the second half, helping the Wave secure a 2-0 victory and get one step closer to the playoffs.
Playing Through the Pain
During the summer Olympics, Shaw suffered from an injury during training the day before the match against Zambia. This was Shaw’s first time at the Olympics and she was going to be playing a crucial role in the success of the team. Unfortunately, she never saw the field. After suffering from the grade-two quad strain, Shaw was benched for the semifinal against Germany and the final against Brazil.
"I was cleared for basically a 'what-if' — like if you absolutely need a sub...I was basically cleared for [an] aerial presence. If it's absolutely needed, maybe I can use my head a little bit," Shaw said in an interview with Tobin Heath and Christen Press.
“I would go back in my room, I would cry and then I’d come back out and I’d be like let’s effing go like let’s go and I feel like that was a learning curve for me.”
While she wasn’t cleared to physically support her team on the field, Shaw provided support by being present and offering encouragement. She had full confidence in her teammates and believed that the best thing for her to do was to simply show up for her team.
This injury took a major toll on her mental health. Going from the excitement of playing on behalf of your country in the Olympics to having to sit out is hard. “I would go back in my room, I would cry and then I’d come back out and I’d be like let’s effing go like let’s go and I feel like that was a learning curve for me,” Shaw told Re-Inc.
Recovering from Injury
While Shaw recovered before the quarterfinals, she still was not fully ready to play. This led to Shaw suffering not just physically, but also mentally from this injury. After recovering physically, she had to invest just as much effort into her mental recovery.
After speaking with Wave Interim Head Coach Landon Donovan about Shaw’s recovery, he says he “gives her so much credit for mentally just staying focused.” “She has worked her way back, and now she’s feeling great, she’s playing great, and she’s just going to get better.”
Shaw is coming back stronger than ever, both physically and mentally. As the season progresses, she’s gaining momentum and working her way toward becoming the powerhouse that fans know her as. Her resilience to chasing fitness and moving forward after such a significant injury highlights the importance of staying determined and pushing through any adversity that comes your way.
