When Savannah DeMelo fell on the ground during the match between Racing Louisville and the Seattle Reign FC last Sunday, fans immediately stiffened up. The incident brought back memories from May when Angel City’s Savy King underwent a similar situation. However, the way the authorities were prompted into action following DeMelo’s collapse made things stand in polar opposite to how things unfolded months ago at the BMO Stadium. And now, it seems like, thanks to the quick response, the Louisville midfielder is already en route to getting back to her feet.

An X post by the Racing Louisville FC handle from September 19 provided the fans with a much-awaited update on the NWSL star’s health. “We’re pleased to report Savannah DeMelo has been discharged from the hospital and is resting back in Louisville with her family,” the social media update would undoubtedly bring smiles all across the country and beyond.

During this last week, the soccer community has stood fast beside DeMelo and Louisville. While the 27-year-old’s return to her full health is obviously getting incredible help from her treating doctors, the silent support of the peers still isn’t something that can be ignored. When the decision to postpone the remainder of the match between Louisville and Seattle was taken following Savannah’s collapse, the fans lauded the call, instead of wailing over the missed on-pitch action.

Along with the fans, the NWSLPA also made it clear that prioritizing the players sits on top of its list. “Incidents of this severity must prioritize our collective humanity and should automatically trigger suspension of the match. The Players Association is committed to making this the standard in NWSL,” the league’s player association said following the whole fiasco. That meant a lot to the team. “We appreciate the continued support and well wishes for Savannah,” wrote the X post, as a response to all the kind and encouraging words that have poured in over the past few days.

While Savannah was decommissioned from the action, the Louisville Racing took on the Utah Royals. Now, the Royals were also exposed to a nerve-wrecking situation themselves. Savy King’s on-pitch health scare happened in the match against Jimmy Coenraets’ girls in May. However, that match wasn’t postponed like the Louisville-Seattle game, and action resumed as soon as the Utah defender was taken away for medical treatment.

Naturally, the Royals now know how troubling such things can be. In light of the realization, ahead of their match against Racing, the Royals’ captain issued a statement, noting how the entire franchise and its stakeholders had DeMelo on their minds. In response, Louisville also thanked its NWSL peers for their support from afar.

However, the series of events has once again opened the floodgates on the debate of player safety, despite Savannah getting back to full health.

Savannah DeMelo’s woes could be an important learning experience for the NWSL

After Sunday’s incident, fans can’t help but wonder how the NWSL is prepared to handle such situations in the future. And it looks like the top brass is taking notes as well. Just days ago, the NWSL commissioner, Jessica Berman, while addressing reporters amidst rumors of her future with the league, talked about the issue. “Just to state the obvious, the decision to not continue the game was a no-brainer and did not require contemplation. We at least now know how to manage those situations and are confident that, hopefully, we will never have to do them again,” she said. She went on to mention that the two back-to-back incidents with King and DeMelo have helped the NWSL learn from its mistakes.

“Because we’ve had to now, a couple of times in the same season, we’re at a set position to be prepared,” Berman assured the community that such issues in the future will be handled with greater proficiency. However, it is important to note that DeMelo’s troubles were probably caused by factors more complicated than King’s. It recently came to light that Savannah was diagnosed with Graves’ disease and hyperthyroidism. Both of these accelerate body functions that result in things like a heightened heart rate. Goes without saying that her collapse wasn’t just a stroke of bad luck.

In the meantime, Louisville skipper Janine Sonis is doing her best to keep morale high. And yet, we would suspect that DeMelo’s accounts from last Sunday would be unnerving. “Playing a 90-minute game felt unbearable. I would get to maybe 25th minute, and I felt like my heart was just, like, beating so fast, like out of my chest. I felt so out of breath, so out of shape,” the midfielder told ESPN.

Scary? You bet! We solemnly hope that Savannah and her kin come out of the woods and she gets to lace up ASAP!