After a whopping 237 days of absence, Trinity Rodman is finally back in the mix for the USWNT. The star forward makes a much-anticipated reunion with Emma Hayes, having last won gold at the Paris Olympics. But not everything is the same for the Washington Spirit star, as she returns to a different environment, particularly a roster filled with young faces and less experienced than hers. This automatically makes Trin a ‘leader‘ in the eyes of her nation’s veteran, McCall Zerboni.

Not to mention, the daughter of Dennis Rodman is solely representing the fierce Triple Espresso, with her fellow attacking partners, Sophia Wilson (formerly Smith) and Mallory Swanson out for their own reasons. With over 46 caps, she stands as the most experienced forward in this camp’s attacking pool — compared to Michelle Cooper (2), Ashley Hatch (22), Catarina Macario (21), Yazmeen Ryan (7), Ally Sentnor (5), and Alyssa Thompson (15).

This leaves Rodman with nothing but a choice to take up the leadership role and direct her teammates. “Now Trin becomes a leader,” began McCall Zerboni during a recent conversation on The Attacking Third. “She’s been on this team a lot more than the roster that’s coming in right now—a very young roster. So now people are looking to her. She’ll have to teach them the lay of the land while she’s struggling with this injury.”

Sure, the current attacking pool sees all of seven players have gained some sort of experience. But of course, not enough when compared to Rodman. This is exactly why Zerboni sees the 22-year-old as the perfect individual to help her fellow associates. “She still has so much to add; she’s that perfect blend; a hard nose; she fights and goes hard.”

“But she’s also fun and brings joy into the sport. That’s really important especially when you’re in major tournaments and you’re away from your family—all the things, all the time who needs a little bit of release, she brings that joy,” concluded Zerboni, hoping that Trin does the necessary of what’s expected of her.

Looks like Rodman is finally getting control of the helm. Despite herself having a lot on her plate, she is being looked upon to take charge and showcase what she’s truly got. Likewise, part of her responsibilities would also see her make necessary connections on the pitch with her new teammates.

Then again, what turns out more surprising is the fact that McCall Zerboni is the one backing Rodman for commanding roles, given she herself doesn’t see the Spirit forward as “90-minute ready.”

No need to panic over Trinity Rodman’s injury situation

Recently, the Newport Beach native vocally expressed concerns regarding her back injury, saying, “I don’t know if my back will ever be 100 percent.” This sparked concern among fans, with some questioning if her career was stalling at just 22. But McCall Zerboni stepped up to shut down the speculation. The 38-year-old urged fans not to blow things out of proportion, emphasizing that Rodman simply needs a bit more work — and, more importantly, patience.

“She’s still going to be on that field, she’s still going to be the player that she is. Don’t panic people,” assured the former Gotham FC midfielder. Even though Rodman is back in action with the Washington Spirit and included in Emma Hayes’ April camp, doubts remain about her form. Yet, McCall has also backed Rodman to learn the “new balance in her new body and her new life of what it’s going to take for her to be on that field.”

While Zerboni downplays the seriousness of Trin’s situation, the former NC Courage star admits she hasn’t seen Rodman playing at full capacity yet. “I don’t reckon she’s going to start; I don’t think she’s 90-minute ready. They’re just going to have to pace her into it and really manage her load,” added McCall.

How much Rodman plays is something that time will tell. In the meantime, let’s see how she takes charge of her fellow teammates.