Trinity Rodman Went Viral For Her Wimbledon Comments, But Should be Going Viral for This Groundbreaking Soccer Technology

You may be seeing Trinity Rodman’s name in the news for her recent viral interactions at Wimbledon.

The 23-year-old soccer star for the Washington Spirit and Team USA confirmed her relationship with rising American tennis star Ben Shelton in March, and fans fawned over her support of Shelton this past weekend at Wimbledon. Rodman also called out ESPN’s television commentators for referencing her Hall-of-Fame father, Dennis (with whom she is estranged), and getting her name wrong on the broadcast. 

However, Rodman should be getting more attention for her recent partnership with Adidas to improve cleat technology for girls and women’s soccer. 

Rodman and Adidas just released the F50-Sparkfusion, a shoe designed specifically for female athletes. In its largest footwear study of female soccer players, Adidas found that “female feet typically have a narrower heel, higher arches and more volume around the midfoot area.” The company developed the cleats with “improved fit in the heel, midfoot and forefoot for better lockdown, increased comfort and facilitation of quicker changes of direction.”  

As women’s sports grow, researchers are putting more emphasis on studying female athletes. One study found marked differences and risks in injury comparing male and female athletes. In particular, another study found that female athletes were eight times more likely to suffer an ACL tear than their male counterparts.

According to Harvard Medical School, while differences can be attributed to biology–such as women having higher estrogen levels and less muscle mass–female athletes are also more susceptible to injury because they land, move, and cut differently than male athletes on the field. 

With these differences in mind, Rodman and Adidas’ shoe, which was released in June, could be beneficial at all levels of the sport. The research and technology marks an important stride in helping women and girls as their sports participation continues to accelerate. 

In a statement with Adidas, Rodman said: 

“Developing tailored products for the women’s game is a huge win and it was incredible to be a part of the design and research journey for the F50 SPARKFUSION. I love how the cleat is built to support quick changes in direction – something very important to my game – and I can’t wait to get out onto the pitch with them on.” 

The cleats currently retail from $70 for youth cleats, all the way up to $270 for the most advanced model.