DUNN Crystal

General
RACIAL STEREOTYPES
She says she has tried to expand her style of play throughout her career in an attempt to combat racial stereotyping. "As a black woman I always felt growing up I had to do above and beyond stuff to be noticed, to feel like I could hang with everybody else. I tried to implement so many different things in my game so that I'm not just known for my speed. It's a stereotype that black players are just really fast, but at the end of day I want to be skilled, I want to be technical, I want to have vision and that's what I've always tried to promote in my game, not relying on one thing but just being able to outwork players in so many different ways." (theguardian.com, 08 Jun 2019)

SWITCH TO DEFENCE
Despite playing as a forward for her club team, she is used as a wide defender for the US national team. She was called into that position early in her international career but says it was a move that she embraced. "I was like, 'All righty then'. I got a phone call [from then US coach Jill Ellis] saying, 'Hey, you know, tomorrow's game, I want you to step in and be an outside back. I'm trusting that you can do that and I know that you can'. And you know, that's all really that I needed. I really just needed a coach to really say, you're valuable. I'm trusting you. And I think from there it was all about growing and investing in myself." (forbes.com, 28 Jun 2019)

WORLD CUP MOTIVATION
She says she used her omission from the national squad for the 2015 World Cup in Canada as motivation for that year's National Women's Soccer League [NWSL] season. She went on to win the 2015 NWSL Golden Boot and Most Valuable Player awards that season. "Not making that World Cup roster was soul crushing. I don't even know how to explain it. I just went back to training in a slump, I was sad. Then there was something in me that clicked. [then Washington coach] Mark Parsons was like, 'Crys, put that behind you, we've got a season to prepare for'. He played me as a nine [striker] and it turned out to be one of the most incredible seasons I've experienced. The lesson I've learned is that you've just got to trust yourself." (U.S. Soccer YouTube Channel, 07 Nov 2018)

At age 23 she became the youngest player to receive the National Women's Soccer League [NWSL] Golden Boot and Most Valuable Player awards, following her nominations at the 2015 NWSL awards ceremony. (soccertoday.com, 08 Sep 2015; soccerwire.com, 23 Sep 2015)

In 2010 she became the first Freshman to receive the Atlantic Coast Conference [ACC] Defensive Player of the Year award. (goheels.com, 01 Jan 2012)