“You want to show them like ‘Hey, you got us here. We’re going to take it all the way,'” remarked Hal Hershfelt last year on the We Need To Talk podcast, expressing her diligence to step up and cover for her fellow Washington Spirit teammates—including Trinity Rodman, Andi Sullivan, and Ouleymata Sarr—who were injured (and are unavailable even now). A class gesture, considering the midfielder even played in a variety of different positions to help her team—part of a double pivot, the lone number 6 or even higher up the pitch in a 4-1-4-1 formation. And it looks like she isn’t done pushing the envelope just yet.

Because now, Hershfelt has expressed that she wouldn’t mind transitioning from midfield to a different position. No, it’s not that she wants to score goals by playing up front in place of Trinity Rodman—well, it hasn’t come to that just yet. But actually, the 23-year-old wishes to play in the backline someday.

The revelation came from Hershfelt herself in her latest interview Morning Footy, where the box-to-box midfielder was asked which role she’d assume in a starting XI and even replace one of her teammates from their role. Interestingly, Hershfelt replied, “Oh gosh…I think anyone in the backline y’all. I love to defend…I really do.”

Well, technically, going from midfield or defense may see a change in position, but not in roles that come with it, especially the current rank that Hal Hershfelt holds in the Washington Spirit army as a holding midfielder. After all, the former Greenville Liberty star does all the work that a defender does, but with extra midfield work of passing and being a connecting link between the backline and the top half of the pitch.

Yet, Hershfelt won’t mind taking up similar roles as a defender, considering it’s in her nature. “I love to make a tackle, and I feel like I would just love to do that in the back line too,” she further elaborated on her love for defending. But what exact position at the back? Right, left, or either of the center-back roles?

“Maybe more of a center back since I’m already in the middle of the park, I think it will be an easier transition,” Hal concluded. So that would mean she is also open to taking the starting place of either one of her team’s fellow center backs’ roles. That includes Tara McKeown, Esme Morgan, and Rebeca Bernal, to name a few who currently play in that spot.

Then again, we don’t think this is something that Hershfelt would literally consider, and even for us, she looks good in the center half of the pitch, delivering key passes and making crucial interceptions of the opponent’s way before her fellow backline are compelled to get involved to keep the team dominant. Speaking of which, this is exactly what the Spirit is struggling with.

Washington Spirit needs to buckle up

The last season was quite a hit for the Washington Spirit, having lost the NWSL Shield by a difference of four points, and even the Championship final against Orlando Pride. Yet, that did see the DC-based club defeat Seb Hines and Co. win the Challenge Cup before the kick-off of the 2025 campaign. That initially made it clear that the Spirit was ready to become one of the strong contenders for silverware.

However, that hasn’t been going well so far. Currently, they occupy fifth place in the table with a tally of just 22 points, maintaining a difference of nine points off toppers KC Current. Ahead of them are also Orlando Pride, San Diego Wave, and Racing Louisville, in that order. Even though this is the start of the season, things could get more unstable.

To recall, head coach Jonatan Giraldez will be leaving the Spirt in July, just a year after arriving from FC Barcelona Femini to join OL Lyonness. Yes, the very French club owned by the Washington owner, Michele Kang. Replacing the 33-year-old Spaniard is his own assistant coach, Adrian Gonzales.

While it’s a positive that players won’t have to learn a completely new system under a new head coach—since Gonzales’ familiarity with the squad is a plus—it may still take some time for everyone to fully adjust. Either way, let’s hope that happens quickly because time won’t be stopping for the Washington Spirit.