SANDY — Every player at any level of the newly professional setup of the National Women’s Soccer League is looking for more playing time, trying to break into consistent minutes or lock down a spot in one of the nine teams’ starting 11.

But for some players, years of hard work and preparation and grinding, semi-professional soccer are rewarded with a simple taste of dressing to fulfill a contract — earning a spot on the bench.

Such was the case last week, when Utah Royals FC hosted the league-leading North Carolina Courage.

Blink and you would’ve missed it, but the Royals — Utah's newest professional sports franchise that is fighting for a berth in the league’s four-team playoffs — looked a little bit different on that Friday afternoon.

Because of international callups for the U.S. Soccer-hosted Tournament of Nations, as well as an injury to starting goalkeeper Abby Smith, Utah coach Laura Harvey dipped into the league reserves to call up two players on short-term national team replacement contracts.

But those two week-long contracts were a dream fulfilled for former BYU midfielder Colette Smith and ex-Weber State goalkeeper Becca Ritchie. They were established practice-squad players for the newest NWSL franchise — and the chance to sit on the bench, to warm up with the team and to be officially recognized as members of the square (neither one of them played a single minute) was the dream of a lifetime of blood, sweat and grinding at the lowest divisions of sport in North America.

"It's awesome to even have the Royals here in Utah; that’s a huge step by itself for women’s soccer," said Smith, a Davis High alum who also played at BYU. "And for me personally, my family is here — so I’m not chasing those dreams around the world. But to be able to come back after an injury, after having a baby, but then to get a chance to play in the preseason — to finally dress was a lot of fun. It was very exciting."

Smith played three seasons with RSL Women, the semipro club in the lower-tier United Women’s Soccer League alongside other players like Ritchie and a host of former local college standouts. The team that has been coached by Salt Lake Community College coach Mark Davis for the past three seasons has sent players to the NWSL — former Alta High, BYU and RSL Women standout Michele Vasconcelos plays with the Chicago Red Stars, for example. But seeing them take the pitch at Rio Tinto Stadium — with or without playing time — was special.

Like the rest of the NWSL, the Royals could still have use of replacement players as they prepare to return to league play Sunday at the Houston Dash (6:30 p.m. MDT, KSL.com / KSL TV app).

The Utah replacements have been doing everything Utah coach Laura Harvey has asked of them as practice players, even at significant sacrifice to their personal lives. Neither received a salary for their practice services, and Smith played in just six games for the RSL Women in 2018, scoring three goals and trying to find a way to make a professional career work three years after graduating from BYU.

So when the coach was in a bind, needing players to fill out her roster and — if injury, illness or circumstances permit — potentially play as a substitute, Smith and Ritchie were wholly dependable in Harvey’s mind.

Called Up

Utah Royals sign former BYU, Weber State standouts to short-term contracts

Utah announced Thursday the signings of former BYU midfielder Collette Jepson Smith and Weber State goalkeeper Becca Ritchie as national team replacement players ahead of Friday night’s match against North Carolina.

"Becca's local, played with the RSL Women for a long time, and knows what it takes," Harvey said. "She’s very professional and knows what it would take to come in. Colette’s trained with us, and she deserved an opportunity after training every day."

The decision didn’t take long to consider, either. There was no haggling over contracts or negotiating over terms. When Harvey mentioned to Smith that she wanted her to dress for Friday’s match against North Carolina, the former BYU winger with nine goals and six assists in her three-year career immediately responded with a joyful “Absolutely!”

Ritchie’s situation was a little bit different, though she has still trained as a third goalkeeper with the squad regularly. When the Royals released draft pick EJ Proctor for personal reasons, they still needed a third goalkeeper to fill in for injuries and call-ups.

And when regular starter Abby Smith suffered a concussion in the Royals’ 2-1 loss to the Orlando Pride, Harvey knew she needed backup to goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart — just in case the former FC Kansas City standout also went down injured.

Ideally, she would’ve been able to temporarily bring up a college prospect — perhaps even a goalkeeper from the nearby University of Utah, BYU or Utah Valley. But the NCAA has strict rules of amateurism that prevent them from integrating with professional clubs, and so Harvey turned to the former Weber State net-minder with 100 collegiate saves.

In the end, neither national team replacement player was needed as the Royals collected a 0-0 draw against the Courage, becoming the only team in the NWSL to collect three results — one win and two draws — against a North Carolina team that is lapping the rest of the league with 46 points to second-place Seattle (8-4-6, 30 points).

But Smith knows that the taste of pro soccer she sipped on a Friday night in Sandy isn’t the end of her career path.

"It's a huge honor, but if you’re a true competitor, you want more," said Smith, who will also pair with veteran broadcaster Greg Wrubell during the 2018 BYU women’s soccer season. “You want to get better, in some way. It’s a huge blessing, and I’m grateful for it — but I want more."

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