For fans and media who have watched the Houston Dash during the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup, the narrative seemed fairly straightforward: a perennial playoff outsider seeking to change its fortunes by making a tournament run.
For the players, coaches and staff inside the bubble, however, the focus was more on team culture and belief than simply wins and losses. Head coach James Clarkson has emphasized the importance of coming together for a larger goal from the beginning of the team’s preparation for the tournament, and his final message to the team ahead of the Challenge Cup Championship brought the point home.