Few traits are more frequently discussed in the world of sports than leadership. Coaches, executives, team captains, club legends — all scrutinized or lauded for their ability to lead a group of people toward a common goal. Or even greatness.
Meghan Klingenberg embodies leadership for the Portland Thorns. The gritty, foul-mouthed, kind-hearted and philosophical fullback is an indispensable part of what makes the reigning NWSL champions great.
Since joining the Thorns in 2016, Klingenberg has won two championships (2017, 2022) and helped define Portland’s team culture. Her voice is ever present on and off the field, and whether in a pregame huddle or facing down a hurricane of off-field distractions for the team, she has been there to keep the ship steady.
“As I got older, I realized everybody has a role and has a place on the team that’s important,” Klingenberg said after Thorns training Wednesday. “No matter if you’re scoring all the goals or you’re sitting up in the stands because you haven’t made the roster. Every single person on the team has leadership qualities, you just have to make sure you’re on the lookout for them.”
Klingenberg’s first impression of what makes a good leader in sports came at University of North Carolina. Teammates Caroline Boneparth and Ali Hawkins left a lasting impact with their differing but complementary leadership styles, which Klingenberg said she’s tried to blend into her own approach.
“One of them played or started every match, and the other rarely ever played. And both were voted as leaders for every match,” Klingenberg said. “That changed the way I started looking at leadership, because they were very different people and very different leaders.
“The one who rarely ever touched the pitch was (Boneparth), but everyone respected her and her leadership so much, that for two out of the four years we were there, she was one of the captains. She was one of the most incredibly caring people you would ever meet. She would always be there to pick people up and make sure they got where they needed to go one time, checking in and connecting with people.
“Ali Hawkins really made you think. She asked questions, encouraged you, pushed you past points you didn’t think you could get past.”
Many would have forgiven the Thorns for collapsing under the weight of so much external pressure in 2022. The team overcame on-field adversity, to be sure, but it won a championship despite the club being embroiled in the fallout from the U.S. Soccer and NWSL/PA investigations, and the NWSL itself experiencing a cultural reckoning with Portland at the center.
The Thorns were able to persevere because of mutual respect, Klingenberg said. A collective decision to look after one another and play with joy. The latter is inscribed on the inside of Portland’s 2022 championship rings.
“The leaders that always stand out to me are the ones that are good people, and encourage others to be good people,” Klingenberg said. “They have the respect of the team because they gave the respect first. It’s the same with Becky (Sauerbrunn) and Sinc (Christine Sinclair). They always made sure that every person on the team knew they have just as much respect from them as anyone else on the team. That’s really important because talent isn’t the thing that deserves respect. It’s humanity that does.
“Just showing people that their humanity is being acknowledged is really important, and I think that’s one of the most important points of leadership. That’s like, the ground level. If you don’t have that foundation, you’re not going to be able to take a team anywhere.”
Klingenberg added that while you’re not going to like everybody on your team, you have to learn to connect with them. Luckily, she said, she actually does like everybody on this Thorns team. Many of them will be lifelong friends.
“Creating those bonds is really important, because leadership is a culture creator or a culture encourager,” Klingenberg said. “If we’re able to work with each other to create a culture where everybody feels safe, encouraged, and that we believe in them, and f—ing having fun, then I think the rest of it takes care of itself. There’s always bumps along the road, but to me, the most important aspect of being a leader is creating a culture where people want to be. We have that, and it’s not like that on every team.”
Portland finds itself in an uncertain stretch on the field, having started the season with expected dominance but faltering in recent weeks. Two consecutive 3-3 draws followed by the Thorns’ first loss of the season, 2-1 at Houston on Friday, has some on the outside questioning whether the supremely talented team can repeat as champions.
Klingenberg insists that recent results do not define who the Thorns are, and it’s important they continue to remind themselves of that. Part of building and maintaining a strong culture is remaining steadfast in the face of adversity, and Klingenberg is stepping up as a leader to help instill that value in teammates new and old.
“Right now is an interesting point in our journey, because I truly believe we have all the pieces to be the best team in this league every time we step on the field,” Klingenberg said. “But that doesn’t mean we’re going to win every match. This is just life.
“At the same time, these results aren’t emblematic of who we are. We’ve come to a point where we’re like, OK, it’s clear we’re not having fun. It’s clear we’re trying really hard, and the great paradox of soccer and life I think is that when you start trying harder and harder, the harder it becomes to achieve what you want to achieve. It’s not fun to be in these moments, but we still have to learn to appreciate these moments, because without the struggles you can’t experience the joy.”
— Ryan Clarke, rclarke@oregonian.com, Twitter: @RyanTClarke
