NFL
As the Chicago Stars’ first full season in Evanston ticked away, a healthy crowd voiced enthusiasm at a crucial moment in a recent home match. After a Chicago foul, these fans whooped and hollered, imploring aging but still beloved keeper Alyssa Naeher to save the penalty kick.
There was just one itty-bitty problem: Chicago was already down 0-4. And no wonder, considering who wasn’t on the pitch! Chicago soccer GOAT Mallory Swanson again missed a match with a hip injury. With the American football (yawn) Bears perhaps leaving town and baseball unable to achieve lasting labor peace, 2027 offers the perfect time for Swanson’s passion to lift the NWSL into Chicago’s primary consciousness.
Swanson’s Recovery Resolve
Swanson, already a member of the iconic US Women’s National Team, seemed set to cruise into the 2023 World Cup. Tragedy struck when she tore a knee tendon, forcing her to miss the Cup. Even worse, an infection left Swanson in misery for over a month. When tough times occur? Turn to one’s family, of course. Swanson’s father-in-law, Cooter, once suggested: “‘Just keep on keeping on.’ It’s super simple.” Is this statement so terse it becomes meaningless? Her success argues otherwise. In January 2024, Chicago signed Swanson to a bank-breaking contract. As if this professional achievement were not enough, Swanson provided the final strike in the National Team’s Olympic triumph that year.
One “Cub” reporter thought Swanson offsides. But she didn’t, as she timed her dash perfectly. After incredible goalkeeping by Naeher kept Brazil off the board, Swanson had earned one of the world’s most coveted objects: a gold medal. What could top such joy? Only the expansion of an already thriving family.
Sun Sets Over Lake Michigan
Swanson and her husband, Dansby, welcomed their daughter Josie to Earth last November. The new mother missed the 2025 season due to her pregnancy and, of course, Chicago struggled. She gradually returned to football form this season, providing a vital impact for the Stars. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough to return Chicago to the playoffs. With the Stars turning through coaches and interim leaders faster than a Caleb Williams scramble, the NWSL side continues its struggle to find footing.
An astute reader may have noticed a trend. When Swanson is on the bench, her team struggles. When she plays, the result proves golden. Swanson’s keeping on through adversity will be vital to her franchise’s future. Yes, Chicago escaped an underwhelming home game at Bridgeview last season. However, with the MLS’s Fire building a new stadium, the Stars can no longer piggyback off their friend’s secondary venues.
On that recent September afternoon, Evanston’s energetic buzz dissipated when Naeher conceded the penalty. The day, like too many before it, belonged to a different club. Chicago already stars in community service and fan-friendly activities around the pitch. If Swanson can keep disregarding a fragile glass ceiling the Stars organization is already cracking, then perhaps professional women’s soccer can make the final pass toward respectability’s goal. The Sun has set over Lake Michigan this fall, only to rise again in the East on a better morning in American soccer.
