Well Played

EDITOR’S NOTE

Now that the sun sets before dinner, my motivation to leave the couch has taken a hit. Fortunately, women’s soccer has given me plenty of reasons to stay put. After I interviewed Gotham FC goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger (more on that below), I felt personally invested in the team’s quarterfinals match against Seattle Reign FC last weekend. Berger gave me plenty to cheer about with a ridiculous save that helped send the Bats to the semis. They'll host Kansas City on Sunday at 3 pm ET in a new venue due to pitch quality concerns. So much for home field advantage. Gotham wasn't the only team to put on a show, though. Washington Spirit star Trinity Rodman scored twice against Portland this past Sunday before she raced into the stands to wave a flag among fans. She and her team face Utah Royals FC, fresh off Salt Lake’s historic first playoff win, on Saturday at noon ET. Fingers crossed the Spirit’s lucky plastic coyote, José, will be there. Now let’s get to the rest of the sports news…

— Mallory Simon / Writer / New York, NY

Let's Discuss

Planting Their Flags

What's going on: Inspired by her older cousins, Lexie Hoobler took up tackle football in sixth grade. This fall, the Illinois high school sophomore made her mark with flags, not pads, and helped score 12 touchdowns in her first week. She's hardly alone. More than 102,000 girls played high school flag football last year, up nearly 49%. The catch? Opportunities to compete in college haven't kept pace. Most new varsity programs have emerged at lesser-known schools. But momentum is building. At UCLA, one student built a club team from scratch, and Nebraska plans to launch its first women's team next year. Last week, a league run by the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) and backed by the New York Jets announced plans to expand from 15 to 29 schools in 2027. At least another dozen colleges have expressed interest. Higher education may be late to the party, but the guest list is growing.

What it means: Flag football players could soon have more than one piece of hardware to chase. The sport will make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, and a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) title may soon be on the table, too. Earlier this year, the NCAA recognized women's flag football as an emerging sports program and later approved funds for a potential national championship. All three divisions are expected to vote in January on whether to make it official. If approved, the first playoffs could take place in spring 2028. By the time Hoobler is set to graduate in 2029, she and thousands of girls like her could have more college teams to play for, scholarships to pursue, a national title up for grabs — and maybe, someday, Olympic gold.

Pick Six

🍫 Forget the recovery shake. After her women’s second-place NYC Marathon finish, Jess McClain celebrated with a chocolate bar shaped like a yellow cab. Whatever fuels you.

🍿 Steph Curry was spotted at a San Francisco 49ers game with his daughter Riley, who grew up while we weren’t looking. We, however, haven’t aged a day.

⚽ Jude Bellingham knows his relationship green flags. The soccer star and self-identified passenger princess says good manners top the list. As for what he'd issue a red card for? Let's just say he's consistent.

🥪 Cooper Flagg has a new courtside ritual. The Dallas Mavericks star eats PB&J sandwiches during games to help pack on weight and muscle. His go-tos? Smooth peanut butter and grape jelly. No crusty opinions, please.

✨ Patrick and Brittany Mahomes are expecting baby No. 4. With Sterling, Bronze, and Golden already in the family, another precious metal may be on the way.

💌 After Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd’s split, the women’s sports community could use some good news. Enter rumors of a secret WNBA wedding.

In Our Rotation

Game day gear, but make it whimsical. This Hello Kitty x Homage collab is the stuff of our Y2K dreams.

A great day starts with a great night’s sleep. A great night’s sleep starts with these earplugs.

Keep scrolling...more recs below

Timeout...

Why could some of Team USA's biggest female soccer stars miss out on future Olympics?

Our Well Played co-hosts and friends of the show tackle listener Qs.

Last week, reports surfaced that FIFA wants to explore an under-23 option for women's Olympic soccer. The rule already exists for the men's side — only three players above the age cutoff per team are allowed. Soccer’s governing body reportedly cites crowded schedules and player workloads as reasons for the change. To put it in perspective, only five of the 18 players on Team USA's gold-medal roster in Paris would have met that requirement. If the change goes into effect, stars like Trinity Rodman, Sophia Wilson, and Mallory Swanson may eventually have to compete for those coveted overage spots. Fortunately, eligibility requirements for LA28 are already set, so any possible restrictions wouldn't take effect until the 2032 Brisbane Games at the earliest. Even though no formal proposal or decision date exists yet, the future of Olympic women's soccer could soon look very different.

Featured Expert

Jordan Galloway

Editor | Katonah, NY

On Our Calendar

Saturday, November 14

🐶 National Dog Show

We love any excuse for a competition — and this one couldn’t be cuter: About 2,000 dogs compete for Best in Show near Philadelphia this weekend, and you’ll see who wins on NBC on Thanksgiving. Until then, get your dopamine fix from these past winners.

⚽ NWSL semifinal game

After a major upset against San Diego last week, the Utah Royals will now go head-to-head against the Washington Spirit in DC. Catch the game at 12 pm ET on CBS and Paramount+.

Sunday, November 15

🏆 NWSL playoff game

Two of the best teams in women’s pro soccer face off today for a spot in the championship. Top-seeded Gotham, the defending champ, knocked Kansas City out of last year’s playoffs, and KC hasn’t forgotten. Watch at 3 pm ET on ABC.

Tuesday, November 17

🚶‍♀️ National Take a Hike Day

Consider this your sign to log some steps outside this weekend — especially if it’s about to be cold where you live. These bucket-list trails are worth the planning, even if you only make it to the first lookout.

Psst... See what else is happening this week so you never miss a moment.

One of the world's best goalkeepers has an Olympic medal, a trophy case worth bragging about, and an apple cake recipe that’s the envy of her teammates. The Gotham FC star credits her mom with a piece of money advice that's stuck with her throughout her career.

No Notes

In Our Rotation

If you’re looking for a weather-resistant ankle boot that feels like a sneaker, we’ve got you.

Don’t forget to stock up on your daily vitamins as cold and flu season approaches.

Psst…love our recs? Follow @skimmshopping on Instagram for more products, gifts, and services that are actually worth the hype (and the price tag).

Tell Us

Which women’s sports legend is getting her own postage stamp?

A. Martina Navratilova

B. Pat Summitt

C. Jackie Joyner-Kersee

Jude Bellingham, passenger princess