Women put back in the corner

This week, I chatted briefly with the aunt of an Irish soccer international. As usual, the arm was the opener. “What did you do to the arm?”

This time, pride trumped concern. “Oh, my niece plays soccer for Ireland.” Irish women’s soccer international, to use the expected clarification.

Like the relatives of all soccer internationals, this woman’s clearest recollection of those formative years was of all the driving. To training, to matches, to international camps.