Pride resume group workouts
NWSL becomes 1st American sport to allow team training.
“I haven’t been back here for weeks, so it’s just nice being back with the team and obviously getting on the pitch.”
— Erin Greening, Pride defender
The Orlando Pride held their first small group training session on Monday, with players working together at the team’s facility in Sanford for the first time since March 13.
The session was the next step for the National Women’s Soccer League, after the league announced Monday all teams are now allowed to participate in small group training as long as they follow safety protocol.
“It’s so nice being back,” Pride defender Erin Greening said. “I haven’t been back here for weeks, so it’s just nice being back with the team and obviously getting on the pitch.”
The NWSL’s nine teams, including the Pride, will then be cleared to begin team training starting Saturday after completing five small group training sessions.
It is the second phase in the “Return to Play Phased Protocol” created by the NWSL medical task force. NWSL is the first American team sport to allow group workouts during the coronavirus pandemic.
“Following the advice and counsel of our medical advisors, the NWSL is pleased to be taking the next steps to safely return to competition,” NWSL commissioner Lisa Baird said in a statement released by the league.
The Pride are now working to bring back all out-of-market players to Orlando to begin participating in small group and full team training sessions.
Five Pride players currently remain out of the market. Defender Emily Sonnett stayed with family in Atlanta throughout the league suspension. Midfielders Emily van Egmond, Alanna Kennedy and Claire Emslie stayed out of the country following the conclusion of the Australian WLeague.
Additionally, midfielder Jade Moore will now begin her move to Orlando after signing with the team in April.
The shift from individual to group workouts will help prepare clubs to resume play during a tournament in Utah the league reportedly hopes to kick off in late June. NWSL is still working out protocol for the event and addressing a variety of player concerns. ESPN’s Julie Foudy reported some U.S. women’s national team players have safety questions about the tournament and are considering skipping it.
Phase 2 of the NWSL’s return-to-play plan could address some player concerns about the threat of injury during the Utah
tournament following a long break.
Players will be given access to weight, training and meeting rooms for the first time since March. Clubs can also broaden the list of people considered “essential staff” to include coaches, athletic trainers, sports scientists, team physicians and equipment managers, allowing for an almost complete return of all staff members.
Small group training sessions under Phase 2 must be limited to eight or fewer players. All players will continue to undergo temperature and symptom screening before entering club facilities for each session. Players and staff will be required to take an antigen polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test and an antibody (IgG) test.
On May 30, teams will be authorized to progress to the third phase of the league’s plan, resuming full team training once they have completed five days of small group training. Teams will still need to comply with federal, state and local coronavirus restrictions.
Many rules the league laid out during the first phase of the return to play will remain. Players will still need to wear masks upon arrival and departure to and from all training sessions. Teams will still enforce rules against sharing water bottles and will be required to thoroughly clean all facilities before and after workouts.