Natalie Means on Her First NWSL Start, Marta, and Denver Summit FC's Playoff Push

Kate: Huge shout out to Natalie Means. Thank you so much for joining me on the show again. If this is your first time here, well, welcome to the 5280 Pitch. New episodes come out every Tuesday. Head over to 5280Pitch.com to sign up for the newsletter where you get special merch discounts and fresh new merch drops where you can get cool sweatshirts, hats, you name it. And there's also a blog. All the things are there. So 5280pitch.com. Be sure to like, rate, Welcome back to the 5280 Pitch Women's Soccer at Altitude. I'm Kate Hanson and today we have another special rookie joining us on the show today. wants more Natalie means in their life, so she's coming on the show today to give us more of what y'all want. ⁓ So Natalie has had a great start to the season. Last Natalie was on, we talked a lot about what it was like. subscribe, review all the things when it comes to the podcast here because when you do that, helps more people find the show and makes more people aware of the Denver Summit and what an amazing team we have here in Denver. ⁓ thank you again for joining me. We'll see you in the next episode. I'm Kate Hanson. This has been the 5280 Pitch Women's Soccer at Altitude. In college and really stepping into that leadership role from the bench and how she was approaching every single practice to make her teammates better. ⁓ she's starting some games. So I'm excited to have Natalie on the show today to talk a little bit about what she's from these first 11 games at the professional level ⁓ and what can look for in the second half of well, I guess this ⁓ the second second and third trimester of the season. So, Natalie, thank you

Natalie Means: Yeah.

Kate: much for joining me on the 50 to 80 pitch today.

Natalie Means: Thank you so much for having me. I'm happy to be back.

Kate: Yeah, well and you know, it's like I said, y everyone was really interested in your episode, so I'm really glad that you had the time during the break here before you get some much needed downtime. ⁓ because the first eleven games have been really insane. You guys have been on a plane basically every week. So I'm sure you guys are excited to just have some rest and relaxation. Hopefully get to venture out and see some of the beautiful Mile High City here. But Something big happened during the May May 16th. Something big happened during the season. ⁓ we talked a little bit about it ⁓ before ⁓ your last episode, but now it's official. ⁓ have graduated from Georgetown. ⁓ and May 16th was the day that you're supposed to ⁓ with your with your degree because ⁓ but ⁓ you're here. So so congratulations on getting your degree. ⁓

Natalie Means: Thank you. Yeah, it was of course bittersweet to not be able to attend my gr college graduation ceremony. And truthfully maybe I could have, and I honestly didn't talk much with my coaches about it because I knew that it would be hard for me, just personally knowing myself, missing a game. So I just accepted that that was how our schedule fell. And ⁓ I was so excited that it was a home game and It also was against Orlando Pride, where one of my best friends and college teammates from Georgetown is also a rookie on their team. So the two of us got to spend the day together and the weekend together. So despite missing the official ceremony at Georgetown, we kind of made our own graduation weekend here in Denver and her family came and my family was here and we made the best of it. And I was just so happy we won that day and Got to celebrate with my best friend and she was in town. So it's it was the best weekend it could have been, other than being at graduation. Yeah.

Kate: For sure. Well and so just for everyone that's curious, what did you get your degree in?

Natalie Means: Political science and a minor in sociology.

Kate: mean the most people your age are you know playing ⁓ aren't playing they're finishing college. ⁓ And you did both at the same time. I mean, you said that it was a little bittersweet because you weren't able to be there for the official ceremony, but you did have your best friend here. What what did it look like for you when you saw so many of your friends that were at the college graduation? ⁓

Natalie Means: It was definitely more of the the latter. I mean, I'm living out my dream. And of course I worked so hard academically to get a Georgetown degree, but I also worked so hard athletically to become a professional soccer player. So I feel like I'm right where I'm supposed to be. I'm trying to be where my feet are. And seeing my friends have their graduation weekends, of course, as I said, I was disappointed I couldn't be there, but so grateful to be having a home game in front of our awesome fans. But I was just so proud of my friends, to all of us who worked so hard to get our degrees while being student athletes. And I just can't believe how quickly college goes. So if anyone's listening that's going into college or younger, just savor college while you're there 'cause it's so much fun. But no, I'm so happy to be where I am and it was just a bittersweet weekend, but ⁓ was so proud of myself and my my best friends who we all graduated together.

Kate: Well in the last time we talked, you know, you were you were a sub, which you were totally fine with. And your exact words were I'm fine if I'm not touching the field once if it's helping my ch my team get better. And then you went and started three straight games. ⁓ so ⁓ let's talk about all the positions that you have played so far for the Denver Summit, and then ⁓ I want to talk a little bit about taking the field as a s as a starter, but what are all the positions that you have played so far for the summit?

Natalie Means: Yeah, so I think I mentioned this briefly in the last time we talked, but I knew coming in that Nick wanted me to be a left fullback. because I was a wing duck in college and he wanted me to be an attack minded defender. So I had been training as a fullback since we got here in January. and still today, in a lot of practices, I'm find myself on the back line in small sided where if there's not a lot of defenders on the team, I'm always the one who will play on play defense because that's where I'd been training for the last however many months we've been here. ⁓ and then even though I would had been training as a fullback in most practices, I got subbed into games as a left winger most of the times. So when the opportunity arose for Nick to change our starting lineup and try something new, I think he was comfortable putting me in as a left winger knowingly that that's actually where I have more experience playing from college. Since in a four three three in college, I would go as a left winger. And since I had been subbed in as a left winger, he was comfortable enough to give me more minutes in that position. So I've been mainly on the left side, but moved up from being a defender to now trying to get more practices and minutes on the field as a winger, but I still find myself on defense in practice sometimes, which I'm totally happy with, and that's probably where I need to work on the most. So it's it's all for my own benefit.

Kate: Well and I I guess you're kinda that utility knife, which is great having somebody on the team that can you know, I'll just put Natalie in here and she'll she'll do a she'll do a great job. So it's kinda great to be that utility knife sort of player. What what happened? Yeah. Well and I was gonna say what happened with ⁓ with you starting? I mean did Nick

Natalie Means: Yeah, thank you.

Kate: Did Coach Cushing say something to you in practice or did you feel something shifting? take us into locker room as to what happened before you got that first start. ⁓

Natalie Means: well, truthfully, one of the things that I appreciate about Nick and the way that he runs his practices is that week to week he's constantly mixing up the teams and it's never ⁓ on Monday or Tuesday of a game week, you're not playing the starting eleven versus ⁓ It's ⁓ the groups are intermixed and for someone like me who's kind of on the bubble of getting minutes, some games, some days some games I didn't go on the field. It's always just kind of like, could I be starting? Like, I don't know. Like it's could be because the teams are mixed up in practice. So going into the Houston game, which was the first game I started, we had come off a loss from b against Boston, which was a tough loss for us. And it seems that after we lose, Nick likes to change things up somehow, just to give us a level of freshness. And if something's not working, he he's quick to just try new things and see what

Kate: Yeah.

Natalie Means: experiment and see what works for however many games. So after the Boston loss, we went about practice like we normally would and, you know, reflected on what went wrong in that game and what we needed to improve on. And then I I wanna say it was the day before we traveled to Houston that it kind of looked like he was putting the starting eleven together to do some ⁓ positional drills like practic like ball movement. and positional shaping, stuff like that. And I was with the starting eleven group or what looked to be the starting eleven. And so I was kind of just like, okay. I don't know if this is just a thing for today in practice or if I may might be in contention for starting. And then having film with one of our assistant coaches, he had kind of mentioned to me that I was in conversation for maybe starting at left winger against Houston. But again, I I didn't get my hopes up or overthink anything until we actually knew the starting eleven on match day minus one. So I try to just not think about it too much, whether it I am starting or I'm not starting, or yeah, how how many minutes I get or don't get, it's just go with the flow. Trust that Nick has plans behind everything he does. He's very intentional with the changes he makes or the subs he makes and all of and all of that. So But I was I was super excited. Once I found out that I was gonna get my first start, I was super excited.

Kate: So take me through what you were feeling ten minutes before kickoff.

Natalie Means: Well, in Houston we had a long rain delay. So we I was feeling pretty nervous, but honestly pretty confident and just knew that I'm surrounded by teammates that I've been practicing with for four or five months and they know how I like to play. I know what they want. So it was more so just knowing once I got my first touch on the ball or a first tackle, I'd be fine after that, and just getting that first moment of okay, I'm in the game.

Kate: I right.

Natalie Means: ⁓ I've played soccer my whole life. It's no different. It's just another game. But we had a rain delay, so the nerves kind of were a little interesting that game because we were in the locker room for I think an hour or so, like around an hour longer than we would have liked to be. So at first I got nervous that our game might not even happen. And I was just like, well, that of course that's my luck. But it, of course, we ended up kicking off, and As I said, once I got my first touch on the ball, it felt no different than when I sub in at the seventieth minute or so. Cause it's the same people on the field, it's the same people I've practiced with, the same coaches. It's just at minute zero versus minute seventy. So, which of course, that's different because the game is different at those minutes. But in terms of me feeling comfortable, it felt no different. So I felt very prepared and happy to get the opportunity.

Kate: So obviously that is gonna be a lasting memory for you, your very first ⁓ NWSL start the H Houston Dash. And you guys win four one. So I mean like which is a phenomenal game. ⁓ W is a game that really stands out to you ⁓ other than the mile game that really stands out to you as this is my favorite game of the season so far? ⁓

Natalie Means: Yeah. I would say individually, I thought that I created the most opportunities for myself against Utah. And I was bummed to not get on the scoreboard in that game because I had some good chances and moments in front of goal. And helped to have the two games before that that I had started and getting more comfortable and going over film and knowing I should be there to get myself in a better scoring position or I need to do this. ⁓ And just learning by having more time on the field helped me, I think, in Utah get myself into more dangerous positions. However, I didn't score, which I still will be thinking about for a while, and I can't wait to get my first goal. But I think that would be like individually my the game that I felt most comfortable in. I think collectively as a team. were home against ⁓ That was I would say that was probably my favorite game to be a part of so far. Again, that was my graduation day. So I had family in town and my best friend on Orlando. ⁓ we were coming off the Houston win and then getting to be in front of our fans again for only the third time this season was ⁓ and getting to start too in front of our fans was super exciting for me. So that was my favorite game to be part of. And it I think we just really showed in that game. a more consistent performance from carrying on the good things we did in Houston to pr putting it into another game, which has been something that we've wanted to work on because we've been maybe a little bit inconsistent week to week. So I think that as a whole team, that was a really good performance for us. And to win at home in front of our amazing fans and another sellout crowd was super awesome. And I can't wait for more home games in May because we're home a lot. Or sorry, July. I don't know why I was saying May. We just

Kate: Yeah, and I mean it I I it it's been a long well, it's been a long season already of hitting the road. I mean

Natalie Means: But July. I know I'm I'm like my brain, I can't remember who we've played and where and w yeah.

Kate: Well I guess and you get two more games over at Dick Sporting Gates Park before going over to Centennial Stadium. How what's the locker room feel like since you have so many ⁓ I mean, the majority of your road trips are kind of in the rear view mirror. You will have road trips obviously, but you're not gonna have long road trip stands like you have had at the beginning of the season. What's the locker room energy like for knowing that you're gonna have so many more home games this year?

Natalie Means: Mm-hmm. Is it? The energy is great. We're just so excited. We are moving into our new facilities on the seventeenth when we get back from our break. And that is huge for us because we've been training on grass that's a little thicker than we prefer and making the best of the facilities that we've been in. But we're we're about to be in brand new Denver Summit specifically built facilities that are gonna have everything and more than we could ask for. So in terms of that we're super excited and then in terms of just being at home with more home games is awesome for us and it makes us feel pretty good about where we're at going into the break with fifteen points, considering how much we were traveling this spring, knowing that we're going into the second half or s two thirds of the season left with so many home games and our new stadium and

Kate: Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Natalie Means: Two more games at Dicks is awesome because we can fit more fans and hopefully we sell those two games out. So we're feeling pretty good considering that we're sitting at fifteen points with the amount of travel that we had to do. So we're just I mean, every home game is such an advantage to us with our fans and the altitude. So it's a real fortress for teams to come into.

Kate: I love it and I think that you know you you put a perfectly with the fans and the altitude are you that those extra elements that you really can't I mean because you've been having sellout crowds, sixty three thousand, sixteen thousand, sixteen thousand. Come watch the Denver Summit cheering you guys on and it's a little different when you're on the road. It there's not quite as many people as ex that are as excited to watch, you know, the NWSL. Talk to us really about what it's like going into those matches on the road versus going in to your stadium.

Natalie Means: Well, going back to how awesome our fans are, we've had a decent amount of Denver Summit fans at away games. But ⁓ in Salt Lake City, I think we had like a hundred and sixty Summit fans that or I don't that number could be wrong, but I know that it was at least over a hundred. And seeing Summit fans in the airport in Salt Lake City, I took a picture with someone and I was just like so in awe of the commitment that our fans have. So of course away games aren't as ideal as being home, but we have great fans who travel and family that come to games and friends in different cities of of our players. So ⁓ away games just opportunities to get a point on the road, even if it's just one. Some away games are so hard and teams are hard to play against at their home fields the way that we're hard to play against when we're home. So it's nice to know that we ⁓ have a good away record and feel confident that when we go away it's not gonna hurt us too bad because we're we've we've gotten some good practice at playing away games this spring.

Kate: Yeah. and you mentioned too that the the grass is a little bit longer with where you guys have been training ⁓ it the first five, you know, months of the season. ⁓ what do you prefer? Do you prefer playing on grass or turf or what are what's your preference there? ⁓

Natalie Means: ⁓ yeah, always grass, without a doubt. It's easier on your body. It's just the ball moves differently. I can't even explain it. It's just and it hurts less if you are on the ground than than it does when you are on the turf. ⁓

Kate: with team far this season, you guys have had a l ⁓ a bit of roller coaster. However ⁓ I talk a lot about the stats on the show, and the stats don't lie. You guys are way better than your record. I'm just gonna tell ya straight up, you guys are way better than your record. And a lot of times you're it it's just a matter of inches, and it seems like a lot of games this season you've been on the wrong side of of the inch metric. ⁓ but except for that Houston game, you guys are on the right side, you had the the four goals. Take us through what it looks like when on the field, when this team is actually clicking, when when the expected

Natalie Means: Yeah.

Kate: goals are the actual goals that you guys are putting in the back of the net. When you guys are controlling the possession. Just take me through what that's like internally on the field and in the locker room.

Natalie Means: Yeah. Okay, well ⁓ great question. We have been looking at the data that James, our data analyst, provides us, even at halftime or at the end of games or the next next days. He has specifically showed us the expected goals for us and against us, what other teams are expected to gainst when we're playing them. And what we've seen over the last specifically like four or five games in May, is that our expected goals has Gone up substantially while the other teams expected goals. Teams have been barely getting one expected like 1.0 expected goals against. They've been below that, which basically means that our defense is not giving away easy chances. And if teams are getting a chance, it's a half chance or that ⁓ of course Abby Smith is amazing, but she's not having to make incredible saves. Because if if she was, then their expected goals would be higher. So that just goes to show that as a team, we've been better at our press, better at our recovery. One thing we've been focusing on is when when the ball is lost, how many bodies can we get behind the ball? Like everyone should be sprinting back from the front line all the way back. So as a team, as a collective, our expected goals against has been super minimal. And then four has been much higher, which has clearly helped us win. Four-one against Houston and three one against Orlando. And our game against Louisville, of course, we only won 1-0, but our expected goals, I don't remember what the number was, but it was I think higher than two. So close to three expected goals. Like w so the stats are showing that we statistically should be winning games. And I think even against Utah, statistically we should have won that game. But it doesn't always happen that way.

Kate: Two point two point eight six, I think. Yeah.

Natalie Means: And those are the types of games Utah and Seattle and Boston and San Diego, those games where we statistically had the numbers in our favor and couldn't get out with a point or three points, those are the games that we still look back on and hope that at the end of the season it's not the difference between us making playoffs or not, or us being a a three seed versus an eight seed. Like, I don't know. So going forward, I think we've learned a lot from those games that we should have won. That we should have won and didn't. And going forward I think that we'll just keep that in the back of our head and know learn learn what we could have done better in those games to prevent that from happening again so that we get as many points as we can, of course.

Kate: You've you you mentioned before you're getting the new stadium. You're you guys are playing phenomenally right now. There I mean a a lot of things that we've seen on the stat sheets show that you guys are better than your record. In fact, actually, I just saw a recent power ranking and it has the Denver Summit as eight in the power rankings, which We're an expansion team and I know, you know, Ava put shot that down in her prep she's We're not an expansion team anymore. We're over that narrative. So talk to us a little bit about what it's like inside the locker room. ⁓ you guys are again, you are an expansion team. You're eight in the power rankings. You're right now just on the window of looking looking out from the playoffs, but

Natalie Means: Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm.

Kate: How does it feel in the locker room? What's the energy like? What are what are the goals? And do playoffs, do you guys feel like you're better than your record?

Natalie Means: We definitely feel like we're better than our record. We feel like we should be sitting up at maybe fifth or more around like higher up in the rankings because of those games that I mentioned we should have gotten one point or three points and came with nothing or so and the narrative we've forgotten we we're an expansion team at this point. Like we know that we can play

Kate: Mm-hmm. Ha.

Natalie Means: really good soccer and perform against top teams in the league. And we want to make playoffs and go further than that. Like we that's our expectation. And we've because we've seen how good we can we can play, it's just finding the consistency and being able to do it for ninety minutes every single game day. That's the fine tuning stuff that we need to work on in our off off month in June. Because we want to be ending as one of the top teams in the league. And of course it'll be hard, but we have high expectations for ourselves because we've seen that we can do so.

Kate: Well in Yuzuki Yamamoto, she got her first start ⁓ in the final game before the break. You also have another person joining the ro the the the crew. I gotta ask about Lindsay Heaps. What's the locker room energy about her arrival?

Natalie Means: Yes. Everyone's so excited. I mean, I know the whole city is excited, and it's been a long awaited arrival for someone like her who's a Colorado native and has such an esteemed soccer career behind her and ahead of her. as a rookie who is in her first season, I just can't believe and I'm pinching myself that my first season gets to be played with someone like Lindsay Heaps And I think it'll be interesting to see how all the pieces fall into place when with her coming and you know, Yuzuki getting a first start. Like ⁓ it's that constant that Nick is welcoming of wanting girls to get opportunities and prove themselves ⁓ and not get comfortable with the starting 11 so that people feel like they're still in contention for playing time and

Kate: Yeah.

Natalie Means: keeping that competition ever going. So I think it's just gonna be a super competitive, intense, and exciting next two thirds of the season with bringing Lindsay Heapson and the rest of us wanting to make playoffs and a deep run in playoffs and I mean a championship.

Kate: Mm-hmm. Well and you were you were a captain in college, so ⁓ you all you had a lot of players, teammates looking up to you. What's one thing that you've seen a veteran on the team doing that you've started copying?

Natalie Means: I think that the way that the our veterans on the team take care of their bodies off the fields, whether it's getting treatment every day or prioritizing the massages that were offered or nutrition and learning what your body what works for your body before the game and I know. It I mean some people do. Some people just don't wanna fit it into their schedules. ⁓ but just

Kate: I can't imagine ever turning down a massage, Natalie.

Natalie Means: Really seeing the level of professionalism that the veterans on my team have and the seriousness that they take their bodies and the health and well being and mental, mental and physical health off the field to best perform on the field. That's something that in college, you know, of course we still do that or did that, but it's not to the same extent because the level is so much higher here. So just learning different Tips and tricks that people do and trying to see what works for me, that's been one thing that I think is a big difference from college.

Kate: Have you had a a ⁓ pinch me moment yet, s when you've been on the the pitch like, Holy cow, I'm playing against Marta right now or Holy Cow, I'm actually playing with, you know, this player right now. It have you had a pinch me moment yet?

Natalie Means: Yeah, I mean, I think I said this the first time we talked, but of course our home opener was the biggest pinch me moment ever. But I would say, I mean, I think you just said it. ⁓ against Orlando, I was playing left winger, and in the second half when we were lining up on the field for kickoff for the second half, Marta had bec been a sub for them at halftime. And so she was on the right side of the field and was kind of next to me. And I kinda had a moment where I was just like, Whoa. I'm Super proud of myself to be on the field at the same time as her. And then also to just be standing right next to her. And she has no idea who I am, which is totally fine. And I just am so grateful for the opportunity to be taking the field next to someone like her. So that was definitely a moment. And and then I would say my other one was my first start against Houston and just getting to walk out and with the team and hold hands with a little girl who I know that I had done that at at that age and getting to be starting and having that experience, those were all pretty recent pinch me moments. So yeah.

Kate: I and it's it's ⁓ the walking out, the I I don't I don't know why they call ⁓ mascots, but it's one of my pet peeps. But that's never gonna change. But the the mascot thing ⁓ think is such a wonderful core memory ⁓ you know, both for for the for the girls that get to or boys that get to walk out and do that. Like it's such a such a great opportunity. ⁓ as we wrap this up, I I wanna talk about ⁓

Natalie Means: Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Kate: Some things that you said in March. So in March you said that you sometimes forget that you're an expansion team. You said that that narrative is over. You guys are over it in the locker room. Has the reality set in that this team that you're Denver's women's professional first ever professional team? Have you guys really has that really sunk into like what it means for the state of Colorado with what you guys are doing?

Natalie Means: I think it has now, especially after the home opener in March. People who didn't know the Denver summit or fully know the excitement around us after that home opener, now it seems like every single person knows and understands the gravity of having the first professional women soccer team or first professional women's sports team in Denver. So I think the home opener really helped with that because it made some pretty good news. And I think Personally, I've had more time to digest the fact that I'm playing professional soccer and especially I've had those moments of kind of wow, I can't believe I'm here when I've played against my Georgetown teammates in Orlando and then my co-captain at Georgetown is at Louisville. And so I just got to see her and seeing those girls who I've played spent the last four years with and spent built so many memories with them, seeing them and Their jerseys, honestly, not even thinking about myself seeing them in their professional jerseys kind of made me be like, Wow, I can't believe we're here after four years together. We're seeing each other in these new cities playing professional soccer. So it's definitely sunk in a little more at this point.

Kate: I know, ⁓ you you guys have had five months together now, you've done your your team bonding. There I know that there's you guys are all on break. ⁓ What are you looking forward to most ⁓ on the break? ⁓ And who from the team are you going to miss most while you're while you guys are going your own directions and getting some fr breath of fresh air?

Natalie Means: I mean, I'll miss everyone. It's so funny when this happened in college too. When you spend every single day, other than maybe ⁓ or two off days a week, when you spend every day with the same people, you miss them pretty quickly because you're like, Well, who do I eat breakfast with now? I'm not in the ⁓ the breakfast meal room with the whole team. Like, where are my friends? So ⁓ course I'll miss everyone, but ⁓ especially Devin, who's my roommate. So it's always weird when again you go from having a roommate to being separate. And Meg Bodie is I'm super close with Meg and I'll miss Allie Brazier's sourdough that she makes for us and everyone else that brings their own individual

Kate: Ha ha

Natalie Means: skill or personality to the table. I mean, everyone has something that they bring. And so it'll just be weird to be away from people for a week, but I'm also very excited for the rest and relaxation. And get everyone on our team is gonna take some time away for soccer, from soccer so that when we come back we're ready to hit the ground running and kick off the second third of the season. The best we can. So it'll be a great break and then everyone can come back refreshed and we'll be in our new facility. So we're super excited.

Kate: Ha ha ha. Amazing. Yeah. New facility, a new teammates joining you and ⁓ you some

Natalie Means: Yes.

Kate: Rest and relaxation. So hopefully ⁓ it's gonna be a a really exciting final two thirds of the season ⁓ for the Denver Summit at Centennial Stadium and at Dicks. And it's been Like I said, when when I saw you got, your very first start, I was really excited for you, real happy for you. And ⁓ it's been really exciting to you kind of play that utility knife role for for the Denver Summit. And who knows where you'll be thrown into next, but always exciting to see you take the pitch. and get those shots on goal.

Natalie Means: Thanks so much. Yeah. I I hope to get on the scoreboard quickly and often in the rest of the season if I have the opportunities to. So, but thank you again for having me and I can't wait to see you and the rest of our fans at our home games in this summer.