How motherhood has shaped USWNT’s Crystal Dunn on and off the soccer field

Crystal Dunn’s superpower is her versatility. The star USWNT player has won three National Women’s Soccer League championships, was a member of the U.S. Women’s National Team that won the World Cup in 2019, won the 2021 CONCACAF Player of the Year award and is a two-time Olympian – all while playing multiple positions on the soccer field.

So when it came to taking on the new role of motherhood, Dunn did what she has done her whole playing career: she embraced it.

Crystal and her husband, Pierre, welcomed their first child, Marcel Jean Soubrier, in May of 2022.

“Motherhood to me means this selfless decision of really putting someone else first,” Dunn said on NBC Sports’ “My New Favorite Futbolista” podcast. “I think as an elite athlete, we care so much about so many things, no matter how big or small. And I think this perspective that I’ve gained as just being a mom has allowed me to be like, life’s actually okay.”

Life as a mom has shifted Dunn’s priorities and shaped her perspective.

“Being a mother has allowed me to take on this new identity but do it authentic to who I am and do it in a way that allows me to be the best teammate, player and person I can be,” Dunn said.

Dunn is set to provide crucial veteran presence to the U.S. Women’s National Team as they head towards the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup this July. For the first time, she’ll do that as a mother.

RELATED: When is the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup taking place? When are the USWNT playing?

How motherhood has shifted Crystal Dunn’s perspective

Like many women preparing to have their first child, Dunn did not know what to expect. But maintaining her sense of self remained very important.

“When you become a parent, you put yourself second,” Dunn said. “But I set out to do it in a healthy way. Caring about something else doesn’t mean you’re not taking care of yourself, but it actually means that you are able to focus on things that matter most.”

Dunn said that despite anxieties in her career about things like a bad touch or inaccurate pass, she’s discovered that she is a pretty “chill” mom.

“I’m easygoing,” she said on the podcast. “The kid falls down. I’m like, ‘All right, you’re good. Stand up. You’re you, you got this.’ And I think it’s been this great joy of just being able to actually see myself as someone who doesn’t need to be anxious about a lot of things.”

The shift in perspective inspired by Marcel has made its way into Dunn’s play on the field.

“Being a mom, I feel like I can now prioritize,” Dunn said. “Like it’s okay to still be so career focused. I think that’s the greatest thing about moms now is you can have your job and still be able to be a world-class mom. And that, I think, has allowed me to be the best player that I can possibly be.”

Focusing on the care of her son also reminds Dunn of the importance of connecting with her teammates.

“I see myself differently as a player because I now know what it’s like to prioritize taking care of someone else,” Dunn said.

Just as being a mom has changed how Dunn sees the world, it has also shifted how she views herself.

“Before, I used to see myself as this soccer player here to win games,” Dunn said. “I’m here to do my job. And now, I’m this player that’s also a mom who gets to add all these new angles and perspectives on this game and put that on display.”

Crystal Dunn’s return to soccer

While being a mother to Marcel shifted Dunn’s mental mindset for the better, Dunn still had to conquer the daunting task of getting back into shape to play at an elite level.

“I feel like pregnancy is an interesting thing because you’re not treated as someone who’s injured,” Dunn said. “Nothing on my body is injured, but you have to almost treat it as such.”

As someone who has been relatively healthy throughout her career, Dunn had to adjust to the time away from the sport and accept that the road back would be challenging. She also had to face her fear that she might not be the same player when she returned.

“I knew I wanted to be a mom,” Dunn told the My New Favorite Futbolista team. “And I knew I wanted to be a mom while I was still playing the sport. There was doubt of, ‘Am I going to come back and be as strong as I was before, as fit as I was before?’ But I think I was one of those people that are like, I’ll cross that bridge when I get there. I think that at least throughout my pregnancy, I was positive in my mind. I was positive in my preparation.”

That mentality helped Dunn make her NWSL return to the Portland Thorns less than four months after giving birth.

For Dunn, the key to her return to play was having zero expectations.

“It was wild and crazy the first month,” Dunn said. “And I think I just received so much love and support from my teammates that it allowed me to be okay with where I am and not feel like I have to rush back to the training pitch. But I was so happy when I did step back into the stadium, and everyone got to meet the baby. And I think that’s when I was in good hands.

I can’t even remember the day but I know it happened where I remember, just pulling Pierre aside and saying, ‘I feel okay.’ And you celebrate those days because you’re just like ‘Wow, I never thought I’d see this ever again.'”

Dunn’s journey back to playing taught her to give herself grace – something that she encourages all mothers to do.

“I think that extends not only into motherhood, but just women in general,” Dunn said. “I think there is so much pressure on us to be perfect, to look a certain way, to act a certain way. And I think all of that really takes away from who you are in your most authentic self.

“I think my biggest advice is being authentic, showing up and being you, and also showing up and giving maybe the 100% of the 20% you may have that day.”

RELATED: 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup: Where is Women’s World Cup taking place?

Crystal Dunn’s legacy on and off the soccer field

As she prepares to play in her third career World Cup, Dunn feels lucky to consider her larger impact on the game.

“I think thinking about your legacy is actually a really cool feeling because it means that you have done enough in your career to shift your mindset into thinking that,” Dunn said.

Legacy, to Dunn, means leaving the game in a better place than she found it.

“One thing I’m super passionate about is always representing women of color in the sport,” Dunn said. “I want this game to look even better ten years down the road.

“I think for me, always preaching diversity in the sport and really trying to leave this game in a better way where there’s visibility, there’s representation, there’s a way for people to turn their TV on and see someone who looks like them.”

For Dunn, that higher purpose makes her the best player that she can be.

“When you’re playing for something bigger than yourself, you’re not going in there with the fear of failure,” Dunn said. “And that way, when the game is done, I’m never going to see it as a failure.”

Now, on and off the playing field, Dunn always has her superpower.

“Being versatile gives me this amazing perspective of appreciation of everyone’s job on the field and just the ability to execute I think is something that I take a lot of pride in,” Dunn said. “I think big a big part of my legacy is, when you’re thrown into a new role, being able to embrace it, but playing it to your most authentic self.”

My New Favorite Futbolista, hosted by World Cup champion Meghan Klingenberg and Mexico national team star Janelly Farias, will introduce you to more inspiring soccer players leading up to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Check out the podcast feed or watch the video version on the NBC Sports YouTube page.

More Women's Sports News

Christine Sinclair, soccer’s ‘silent superstar,’ opens up about... Women’s Golf Day founder Elisa Gaudet continues her mission to provide... Li Li Leung talks USA Gymnastics’ cultural transformation, challenges...

How motherhood has shaped USWNT’s Crystal Dunn on and off the soccer field originally appeared on NBCSports.com