Christie Rampone is a central figure on the United States Women’s National Team. She earned her first cap in 1997, over 18 years ago. She was a member of the venerated 99ers team that won the World Cup, and she is the only current member of the team to have won that venerated tournament. Rampone has played in every iteration of women’s professional soccer in the United States and currently plays for Sky Blue FC.
Given her experience, it is no surprise she has captained both the USWNT and Sky Blue FC. There has been a lot for senior leader Rampone to deal with this year as the USWNT went through a head coaching change and Sky Blue has struggled in the NWSL.
The challenges at each level are unique. At the club level, each team has a considerable number of rookies and less experienced players who are just beginning to understand the demands of being a professional athlete. At the national team level, the team is composed of ultra competitive players who are fighting to keep a spot on one of the best teams in the world.
Sky Blue FC got to a slow start losing their first four games. After grinding through the middle of the season near the bottom of the table, SBFC finally found their stride as they were joined by Danish striker Nadia Nadim whose arrival coincided with a five game winning streak, allowing SBFC to end their season on a high note.
Rampone attributed some of the early issues with the significant personnel changes prior to the season. “We have some new players, which means a new dynamic,” Rampone explained. “We’ve had continuous backline change, which is hard. It takes 6 months to get a backline going. It is all about trying to get it right at practice and get everybody motivated because it is tough when you are losing, but it just takes one game to change that rhythm.”
Just before SBFC’s June 8th game against the Houston Dash, Rampone said she held a meeting with her team to prepare her squad. Rampone told her team:
“The game of soccer is about the relationship in front of you and to the side of you. You need to be on that same page at all times and I think we are a little off there. I told them we are off beat and we need to get back on the same rhythm. We’re all stepping together, dropping together, shifting and it just takes one to be off and it affects the whole team.”
Another key to finding success for Sky Blue was finding the right mix of players to take the field. “It is emotional, but you have to take the emotions out of it at this level to look and find the best 11 that work together, not necessarily the best 11 soccer players,” she said.
The responsibility and role of the captain at the national team level is far different than at the club level.” Within the national team everybody is motivated within themselves, they are competitors,” Rampone explained. “It is more managing more the over competitiveness and everybody wants to playing when they are not, how they are dealing with it, how their body language is. It is more of just listening at that level and watching and seeing how everything is going off the field more so than on the field.”
To Rampone, communication is the key to any good performance. “Communication is the breakdown of all problems. It is easier said than done, but when you look into every situation or every breakdown on the field it is all communication.”
Given her immense amount of knowledge and long playing career, Rampone seems like the perfect player to transition from player to coach as she heads toward retirement. “Whether it is Sky Blue or college–someday I would love to get the coaching aspect in because I feel like I have learned so much through the years,” explained Rampone. “Especially being a defender, there aren’t too many coaches that were defenders that see the field from the back forward.”
She is a reflective leader who seeks feedback and input from her team on a regular basis. “I try to listen to my players to see how I am leading,” she noted. “I get advice from them. Whether it is you need to do more or less. You are going a good job, on the field and off the field. Get that feedback. Every situation is so different. I think leadership in general is about timing, approach, and listening and speaking less so it is heard.”
Rampone noted that the clearly defined roles within the national team, “I think what has always made us successful at the national team is that the roles are pretty defined.” She added, “You kind of know when you are on the bubble of getting released, starter, close to being a starter, etc. So that makes the training environment very successful.”
Rampone also spoke to her personal approach of fulfilling her role on the team.
“You always push. If I am pushing that player in front of me, making that person better, and if I don’t get in there, I respect that. Game days you give 100% to the players to help them succeed. At the end of the day it is about being successful and winning a World Cup. Whether I am on the field or off the field, I want to win a World Cup.”
As the USWNT heads toward the World Cup, Rampone will play an essential role whether it be on or off the field. She is a leader within a group of players composed of perhaps the most competitive athletes in the world. How that group gels together in the coming year could have a considerable impact on their performance in Canada.