HOUSTON — Yazmeen Ryan has a clear understanding of what constitutes a winning culture. Over her four-year career in the National Women’s Soccer League, this adaptable forward has achieved two NWSL Championships, along with an NWSL Shield and a Challenge Cup.
Her league victories were secured in consecutive years with different franchises — specifically, the Portland Thorns and NJ/NY Gotham FC. However, both teams shared a similar competitive spirit, focusing on training and a collective eagerness to develop and excel.
Currently, after a significant trade motivated by her request, Ryan has joined the Houston Dash for preseason training. Once again, she finds herself with a team that finished last in the previous season and has yet to secure a victory in the NWSL playoffs.
“I really wanted to push myself in that next step,” Ryan stated to The Equalizer after a recent practice session at Houston Sports Park. “It felt somewhat similar to when I transitioned away from Portland. It’s not that the team doesn’t require my skills; rather, these teams weren’t already loaded with top talent. It represented a greater challenge for me to join a squad that is still in the building phase. I genuinely thrive in such situations.”
The Dash have substantial development ahead. Last season highlighted a culmination of a decade of disappointing results in the league. The club brought in Fran Alonso, who implemented a strategy that was completely incompatible with his roster. He then unexpectedly took a leave of absence on June 22. The team struggled at the bottom of the standings, overshadowed by uncertainty. Alonso officially departed the organization on October 1 without ever returning to Houston.
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Image Source: Yazmeen Ryan @ Instagram
