Sam Coffey leading Thorns through playoff chaos
The Portland captain explains why she ignores the league schedule, leans on 'servant leadership' and credits the unsung stars behind the scenes.
What does it take to stay sane in the NWSL playoff race? For Portland Thorns captain Sam Coffey, the answer is simple: don’t check the schedule,
“It’s crazy out there,” she said on the Soccerish podcast this week. “We’re all tied. You lose one game, you’re in 12th.”
In other words, welcome to maybe the only league where every game is a playoff just to reach the playoffs.
Coffey sat down with Soccerish hosts Christina Unkel and Lori Lindsey to talk about the pressures of wearing the captain’s armband, her philosophy of “servant leadership” and what she’s learning about gratitude in the middle of a tight playoff chase.
“It’s about setting teammates up to succeed and using power to do something, not over someone,” Coffey said.
That approach, she suggested, shapes not only the Thorns’ culture but also the way Portland fans see their team, which plays at Gotham FC tonight.
Giving credit where it’s due
The midfielder made a point of spotlighting the people who rarely get credit — the equipment managers, trainers and communications staff who keep the operation running. She singled out Portland’s equipment manager Emily Willey and U.S. national team staffer Sophie Robinson, calling them “the most selfless people I’ve ever met.”
Coffey also described how new U.S. women’s national team coach Emma Hayes is setting a different tone: one that puts women’s health at the center and creates an environment where players feel seen “as humans as well as athletes.”
Embracing the Madness
The playoff picture remains a blur. With a league so tight, Coffey said the only way forward is to ignore the permutations.
“Win the day in front of you,” she said. “One bad night can drop you eight places in the standings.”
A barista’s perspective
Yes, Coffey once worked behind a coffee counter, and yes, the podcast went there. As she laughed, it reminded listeners that even professional athletes have lived the everyday Portland service-industry grind.
Coffey isn’t just a midfielder — she’s become the face of a franchise that defines Portland’s sports identity. In a season this chaotic, her steady voice may be the Thorns’ most valuable asset.
🎧 Full episode: Soccerish Ep 6 — “Ignore the Math”