Imagine picking an injury in the training camp before your Olympics debut. That was the tragic reality the USWNT prodigy Jaedyn Shaw had to face when she went to the Paris Olympics. Shaw was in low spirits after the USWNT medical staff said she would miss Team USA’s three group games. Thankfully, she minimally regained her fitness before the US team’s knockout games at the Summer Games. Anyhow, coach Emma Hayes wasn’t ready to risk the injury-hit San Diego Wave star. Hayes had another plan for the teenager.

Jaedyn Shaw recently sat down with former USWNT stars Tobin Heath and Christen Press to recall her injury-hit Olympic run. After speaking about the horror of learning about the injury, Shaw lifted the lid on Emma Hayes’ plan regarding her knockout stint.

“I was cleared for like basically a what if like if you absolutely need a sub,” said Shaw during her appearance on the recent RE-INC podcast episode. She hesitated a bit to reveal what was her role if Hayes ever fielded her. But she went on anyway.

“I don’t know if I’m supposed to say this, but I was basically cleared for like aerial presence. If that’s absolutely needed, like maybe I could use my head a little bit. I guess I was a little bit on the taller side. I don’t know, I scored literally one header goal no two header goals in my whole pro career and they were like, ‘Girl you can head the ball I’m like as long as it’s a little lofty,'” Jaedyn Shaw added.

Like Shaw repeatedly said, her feature in the knockout was a big if. Hence, she had to sit out these high-octane games at the Paris Summer Games. But that did not stop the Wave striker from discovering another role.

Thanks to Hayes’ advice, Jaedyn Shaw could later unlock a leader’s role in the US team

Jaedyn Shaw, Tobin Heath, and Christen Press all said in unison that an entire team, including the ones on the bench, plays a vital role in winning a tournament such as the Olympics. Emma Hayes also believes in this thought. When Shaw was having the blues thinking about her injury, Hayes consoled her, saying she was of great ‘value’ to the team.

Thereafter, the 19-year-old wept her woes out and decided to give a shoulder to her teammates who needed support.

As per the SD Wave star, her only goal at the Olympics was to become a “good teammate” to fellow USWNT stars. Shaw has seldom been a vocal leader and always leads by example. So it was a considerably new experience for the injured US striker to cheer up her pals behind the scenes.

What are your thoughts on Shaw’s candid revelations about her Olympic run? Tell us in the comments.