Sam Kerr: Etching her name in history

Adam Davy/AP

If you've ever followed women's soccer, you've probably heard the name Sam Kerr. From her debut on Australia's U17 team, to her backflip celebrations at Chelsea, Sam has become known as one of the greatest footballers in the world. Her list of records and achievements is extensive, there is no doubt about that. This Women's World Cup was meant to be "her" tournament. Captain of the Matildas, playing in a home World Cup, everyone expected greatness from Sam. She was slated to be the player of the tournament, with many predicting she'd win the Golden Boot Award Life has a funny way of working out though, with Sam injuring her calf just a day before the first kickoff. Kerr ended up missing the first two group stage matches, and was available for the third, but did not play. Sam wasn't afraid to joke about the injury, in a pre-match conference she joked "It's hilarious, I have the biggest calves in the world, I'm not sure why they decided to play up the day before the World Cup." The irony of the timing was certainly not lost on her. Australia put up two very successful performances without her, defeating the Republic of Ireland (1-0) and Canada (4-0). They also lost to Nigeria, in a close 2-3 match, but their performance certainly was not poor.

Kerr's first tournament appearance came in the 80th minute of their Round of 16 match vs. Denmark. Stadium Australia was instantly electric. Sitting in my apartment, all the way in the United States, I felt the energy shift. She has been on the senior team since 2009, and has captained them since 2019. There is no question about the way her presence on the pitch changes things. When she was playing, Australia looked so much more confident, organized, and together. Now, her entrance wasn't seamless, but it didn't take long for the necessary adjustments to be made. Sam's role in this World Cup certainly looked different than any before. Sam was viewed less as their exclusive goalscorer, but more as a distributer, creating chances for her teammates just as often as they created them for her.

So what kinds of records does Sam hold?

NWSL:

- NWSL Leading Scorer (77)

- Only player to win NWSL MVP twice

- Sky Blue FC leading goal scorer (28), Chicago Red Stars leading goal scorer (35)

FA Women's Super League:

- Most goals in full season debut (21)

- Most goals in a calendar year (23)

- Most goals across all competitions in a season (32)

Australia:

- All time leading international scorer (63)

- First Australian to score a hat-trick at a World Cup

- Most consecutive games scored in (7)

The list goes on and on... and you can check out this link for all of the records she holds or has ever held.

There was never a question of Sam’s talent or her place on these teams. She’s always been confident, but not arrogant, proud, but still humble. If you listen to her in interviews, she’s down-to-earth, and realistic, with a good sense of humor. She accepts praise, but doesn’t gloat. Most importantly, she’s always been a team player. Most women’s soccer fans who dislike her, dislike her because she doesn’t play for their team. That doesn’t mean Kerr is without critics.

People on social media feel quite entitled to say whatever they want about athletes, and Kerr is certainly no exception. People hate her simply for being good. These critics are everywhere, especially in women's sports. the unfortunate truth is, Sam will never be good enough, because no female athlete will ever be good enough. I've even seen women's soccer super fans hating on Sam Kerr, again simply because she's good. The irony is... they'd probably love her if she played for their favorite team. That's unfortunately a part of being a professional athlete, but Sam has always handled it will grace and a professional attitude.

But, Sam Kerr the soccer player is only one part of who she is. There’s also Sam Kerr the author, the daughter, the sister, the aunt, the girlfriend.

Sam has written five children’s books, as well as a memoir on her journey to the World Cup. She also just announced the establishment of a football school in Australia for girls and boys.

(images courtesy of Simon & Schuster AU)

Sam has always been close to her family. Her parents and siblings have always been her biggest fans. Even her nieces/nephews always cheer her on. One of her brothers and father were both professional athletes. Most of her family isn't in the spotlight, which she respects, so you may not see them on her social media feeds, but the family is still very close. Sam often spends her off-seasons in Australia, visiting them.

Sam is also dating fellow soccer player, and USWNT star, Kristie Mewis. The two went public with their relationship following the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Kristie was seen comforting Sam after the US defeated Australia in the bronze medal match. The two made it Instagram official shortly after.

The picture was praised by those unfamiliar with the pair as “great sportsmanship,” and has since become a running joke of sorts among soccer fans, with the joke re-surfacing when Kristie was pictured at Sam’s World Cup matches. The pair have remained active on social media, frequently sharing adorable couple's photos. (Image courtesy of Getty/Zhizhao Wu)

(Images courtesy of Kristie Mewis and Sam Kerr's Instagrams)

So, what does all this really mean for soccer, and the world? Sam is a queer, person of color, who happens to be one of the greatest athletes ever. She's got a platform that no Australian athlete has ever had before. She's become an international star. It's not easy to put into words, exactly the impact Sam has had. Just watching Sam do wha no other female athlete has done before, is inspiring. Writing this has proven so much harder than I thought it would, because I'm trying to explain things, I've never had to word before. Whenever people ask me "why do you love Sam Kerr," I've never really been able to say anything other than, "she's really good at soccer and is fun to watch."

Explaining the impact a professional athlete has on you isn't always easy. With musicians you can talk about their music or with actors, their performances, so it's more straightforward. If you're not an athlete yourself, it's hard to explain how athletes are inspiring. And I'm certainly not an athlete. It's something about the way she's so unapologetically herself. She doesn't dull her sparkle for the misogynists in her comment section or for the soccer fans who expect perfection. She is just Sam.

Sam during a Chelsea match

Sam while at the NWSL

Sam playing for Australia

Harriett Lander/Getty, Daniella Porcelli/The Equalizer, Getty Images