"People do call me Mom," Katie Naughton said on the first day of the 2022 NWSL preseason.
It's an apt (even if a bit tongue-in-cheek) description for the defender who has grown into an adopted position as a leader of the league at large through her advocacy work with the NWSL Players Association (NWSLPA)
“Coming into these roles as a (Player’s Association) rep and also as a member of the bargaining committee, I didn’t expect the amount of responsibility that it would lead to, but I’m really grateful for it,” she said on Tuesday at her first media availability since the NWSL Players Association agreed to its historic first-ever CBA.
“I like to be in the know and I think I do a pretty good job of telling the team what they need to know and maybe not letting them in on some things right away, but just kind of being a mediator between what’s going on and what the team needs to know and when. This last year ramped up in a lot of different ways.
“I definitely had to reevaluate my time management in some aspects, just making sure I’m still focusing on soccer and my mental health and all of that. Trying to make sure I continue to make those a priority but also still push the league forward and do the best that I can in those roles.”
Although not technically the captain of the Houston Dash, Naughton has consistently stepped into a leadership role for the Texas club. During the heartbreaking 2021 season, it was Naughton who faced the media after tough losses. When the NWSL fell into disrepute over abuse allegations and institutional betrayal, it was again Naughton who spoke on behalf of the Houston players to read a list of demands and statements.
Since arriving in Houston via a trade with the Chicago Red Stars in 2020, Naughton has achieved an extraordinary record of never having missed a single minute of soccer. But all 3,780 of those minutes representing Houston pale in comparison to the over 400 hours of meetings that the defender spent negotiating the historic CBA.
“It was such a relief to have the CBA ratified last night, and to have all the hard work that we've put in for the better part of a year and a half really come to fruition,” said Naughton.
“And it will only better the league, and the players obviously will have a ton of stuff to benefit from in it. It's going to really push us in the right direction, I think [it will] really make us one of the top leagues for a long time to come. It'll draw a lot of talent internationally and keep domestic players here. It's a really exciting time for women's soccer.”
The importance of Naughton and the NWSLPA’s grind over the past 18 months cannot be understated. What the CBA means for basic compensation, as well as overall player safety and treatment, is revolutionary for the NWSL.
Rumors had swirled in the build up to the 2022 NWSL preseason that the PA would go on strike if the league did not agree to the CBA before February 1. Naughton admitted there were moments of doubt that an agreement would not be reached between the league, its owners and the NWSLPA.
“There were times. I always thought it was going to get done. I just didn't know when. There were times where, you know, we would go back and forth on some pretty serious issues. And that needed to happen. We weren’t gonna back down on some things, and the league wasn't gonna back down on some things. But I think in those moments, that’s where the real growth really happened.”
Now the CBA is in the rearview mirror, it’s time to focus on the pitch. After finishing the 2021 season an agonizing one point off the NWSL playoffs, Naughton assured fans that the Dash has plenty of fuel heading into 2022.
“We didn't end up where we wanted to, at the end of last season,” said Naughton.
“We did talk about the end of season at our first meeting today, and how much that hurt because we were so close. We don't want to feel that again. That's kind of going to be our motivating factor.”
María Sánchez aside, the Dash’s offseason transfer business has provided more notable departures than high caliber arrivals. Defensively, the Dash took a notable hit when Naughton’s center back partner Megan Montefusco was traded to the Orlando Pride in exchange for Marisa Viggiano.
“I think it's a harsh reality. We are in a professional landscape. You're gonna see friends come and go, and some hurt more than others. But I'm wishing all of them the best. They're all not only great soccer players, but amazing humans as well,” said Naughton about the departing key players from the 2021 squad.
As things stand, Naughton’s exemplary defensive work will continue to be in high demand on a roster with just five contracted defenders. But the seventh-year NWSL veteran was quick to not dwell on the past. Naughton appeared confident that the new players can make a get the Dash to the playoffs in 2022.
“In terms of the new faces here on the Dash, I'm really hopeful," she said. "We have some really top class players coming in. It’s a really refreshing fresh group of people that we get to experience and learn about. I think that's always exciting when you get a new group of players coming in.”
It's that classic Kristie Mewis left foot service and iconic Katie Naughton header for us 😌🤌 pic.twitter.com/Fm7Y5UQvvz
— Houston Dash (@HoustonDash) June 7, 2021