Sometimes, a rule’s official name is superseded by the player who seemingly inspired it. But sometimes, the origin story is a bit more nuanced.
Contrary to its initial prevailing narrative, the NWSL says it didn’t rush to create the High Impact Player rule (HIP) in reaction to the Washington Spirit’s efforts to sign Trinity Rodman. Stephanie Lee, the league’s vice-president of player affairs, said the NWSL began looking at how it could keep pace with the growing women’s soccer market in the summer of 2023.
