The NWSL became the first major team sports league to return to action on Saturday with the NWSL Challenge Cup, and beyond the games on the field, the restart was notable for the plethora of kneeling protests during the national anthem. Most notably, Chicago Red Stars teammates Casey Short and Julie Ertz shared an emotional moment while kneeling before their game, with Short breaking down in tears and Ertz consoling her while the anthem played.
A powerful, emotional moment between Red Stars teammates Julie Ertz and Casey Short during National Anthem to open their #NWSLChallengeCup @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/KqjHGossDL
— Krista Ruch (@KristaCBS2) June 28, 2020
Players took the field for the anthem wearing Black Lives Matter t-shirts, and though not every player kneeled — as is their right — the protests against racial inequality and police brutality served as a powerful statement of unity, one echoed by the teams themselves. The Washington Spirit, who played the Red Stars on Saturday, released their own statement about the actions, ending with “Black Lives Matter”:
— Washington Spirit (@WashSpirit) June 28, 2020
Ertz was previously part of a roundtable about racism on The Athletic earlier this month, wherein she spoke about racism as a real thing that white people have to take responsibility for in order to help overcome it:
Julie Ertz was one of seven USWNT players to take part in our roundtable on racism in America. You can read that piece here, unlocked and free for all. https://t.co/PAx4LaKU2L pic.twitter.com/N6UeK91CE8
— The Athletic Soccer (@TheAthleticSCCR) June 28, 2020
The NWSL Challenge Cup sees eight of the league’s nine teams playing in Utah in a tournament format; the Orlando Pride are the lone exception, as they pulled out due to a bevy of positive coronavirus test results.
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