The Home Run Kicker

In a world of analytics and data that plays a role in everyday life now, its origins can most easily be seen in sports. Surely, advanced metrics have been used in high end financial decisions of mega corporations and the like that make our economy run. But in sports, the average person or fan can understand batting averages, shooting percentages, minutes per game, yards per run, some of the most basic statistics across a few different sports. Speaking of mega corporations and industries, insert fantasy sports and leagues and the widely legalized onset of online gambling monsters like DraftKings & FanDuel which is up to 38 states now, with a few more awaiting legislation and approval.

That brings us to the point of this article...what is important to teams these days? Major League Baseball once thrived on one of those epic Nike slogans and ads, "Chicks dig the long ball," which may not fly today...but certainly the big fly (homer) does. Certainly as much as Steph Curry changed the world of basketball with his 3pt ability, a strikeout in baseball isn't nearly the doom and gloom that it was for a 100 years. "Get your money's worth" is a phrase a casual patron might say, but one that hitters and analytics take to heart these days. Instant offense!

What else is instant offense? Ally Sentnor! NWSL expansion team the Utah Royals had the number one pick in the 2024 draft this past January. Who would they go with? A slew of talented midfielders, a generational type defender with plus speed like Savy King? Or a Home Run Kicker like Ally Senator? Well, we already know the results, and we've seen the results in action as the NWSL heads into the Summer Cup. As of today, Sentnor has scored 3 goals in the regular season and 1 in the Summer Cup. All in Sentnor fashion and a desperate need for her club. In the team's inaugural season, the club struggled and their record reflected as much, which ultimately cost rookie coach and legend Amy Rodriguez her job. 

However, in a game and league where goals are so hard to come by, the Utah Royals' record and team struggles were actually closer to success than one could imagine. The game with the featured photo above versus the NC Courage on May17th shown on Amazon Prime is a perfect example. The Royals struggled to connect multiple passes through out the game. The Courage, as is a popular theme in the game today, struggled to connect on excellent opportunities. The game easily could have been a 3-4-5-6 goal differential. But it wasn't. It was 1-0. The Courage were within inches of losing 3 points in a game in which they dominated.  And that is where Ally Sentnor thrives. When her team needs her and the trust and faith of her coaches and teammates is there to jump on her back and say get us a goal. Her presence on the field makes opposing defenders and midfielders nervous. One turnover at midfield, where is Sentnor is a tenacious defender, and she is off to the races. With the ball at her foot, she doesn't seem to lose a step but within a few strides of midfield, she is in range with a rocket leg from either foot. While technically a righty, her left is equally lethal and opposing goalkeepers struggle with her power, accuracy, and ability to shoot against her body. 

She is the Home Run Kicker, the instant offense. She is the number one pick, a stalwart on the US Youth National teams and perhaps the future offensive hope of our national teams to stay atop the world in the world's biggest sport. Oh, and she's equally an awesome person.