KC Current enters its most critical offseason yet after appearance in title match
After the Kansas City Current’s 2-0 loss in the NWSL Championship Game, the players gathered near the stands at Audi Field to thank the group of Kansas City fans who’d traveled with them in support.
With the sour taste of defeat still fresh, Lo LaBonta sat down in front of a crowded media room and delivered another public thank-you.
“The best thing we did this year (was) get the support of the entire city behind us,” LaBonta said.
That support is precisely why the team is now entering such a critical offseason. Momentum is fleeting, and the pressure to get back, not just for the players on the field but with a new stadium looming, will be there.
Fans have indeed bought in, and they have done so quickly.
After pulling a club-record attendance figure in June, the Current never dropped below 7,000 after July 1. On Aug. 19, they broke 10,000 for the first time and they ended the NWSL regular season with the fourth-highest average attendance in the league, just north of 7,300.
The product on the field improved greatly as the Current embarked on a 13-game winning streak, and so did expectations. The Current officially took over first place in the league with four matches left, then fell to fifth, resuming the role of underdog through the playoffs.
But when the ball gets rolling for 2023, the Current will have transitioned from a team with all of the question marks to one with a target on its back.
“We put a marker down for what the KC Current is,” coach Matt Potter said. “We’ve come a long way in that journey, but now it’s about (if) we can refine things that got us to this point.
“Can we be a better version of ourselves individually? Can we collectively get on a more common page and make things seem more seamless than they were?”
The Current did many good things to play themselves into the season finale. But what will it take for the club to improve on that, and win a championship?
Start by analyzing how the roster can be improved. With success on the field, an environment players rave about, dedicated facilities and a stadium of their own on the way, the Current should be a destination for players seeking new environments.
The Current’s general manager, Cami Levin-Ashton said that the club’s goal is to become one of the best teams in the world.
“We took a really good step towards that with the facilities, the investment, the stadium coming, and then the success we had on the field this year. That’s exactly what we want,” Levin-Ashton said. “We want players to want to play here, and (we’re) looking forward to the offseason and having those conversations.”
The roster will naturally get stronger with the returns of Lynn Williams and hopefully Sam Mewis. Williams was training at a high level by the end of the season. The club is hopeful regarding Mewis’ rehab process from a knee injury, and it would be shocking if she’s not on the field come the preseason.
Desiree Scott, Kristen Edmonds, Kate Del Fava, Cece Kizer, Taylor Leach, Addie McCain and Jaycie Johnson are all out of contract. And Addisyn Merrick, Jenna Winebrenner, Izzy Rodriguez and Sydney Schneider each have options that need to be picked up.
The first real look at the Current’s future makeup arrives Tuesday, when roster decisions are due to the league and will then be made public.
This story was originally published November 13, 2022 at 6:00 AM.