Hoping to have secured a professional contract, Trinidad and Tobago’s Women’s Football Association 2014 Player of the Year, defender Arin King, was dealt with a blow after sustaining a torn meniscus injury and had to cut short her trial with NWSL team the Houston Dash.
It was reported that King strained her MCL in Trinidad & Tobago’s final World Cup qualifier against Ecuador last October and did a series of rehabilitation, but the injury turned out to have been a bit more severe than everyone had hoped.
A torn meniscus is one of the most common knee injuries. Treatment of a torn meniscus may include observation and physical therapy with muscle strengthening to stabilize the knee joint. When conservative measures are ineffective treatment may include surgery to repair or remove the damaged cartilage.
It's unsure wether the tough tackling defender will be back anytime soon or if she'll require surgery but one thing's for sure is that she'll have to wait a bit longer before she can get her professional career back on track.
King was born in Canada to a Canadian dad (Micheal King) and a Trinidadian mother (Angeli Marhue) who hails from Woodbrook. She was recently named the 2014 Trinidad and Tobago’s Women’s Football Association Player of Year and became the first foreign-born T&T international to hold such award. Last month King were also shortlisted for the 2014 First Citizens’ Sportswoman of the Year Awards Ceremony at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA).
She attended the University of Toronto and also had a stint with Switzerland’s Division One club FC Nuenkirch.
In 2010, King got her first senior cap under ex-Canadian national women's coach Even Pellerud. She made her first senior team appearance and anchored T&T's defence to a compelling 6-1 victory over St. Lucia.
Interestingly, because of injuries to the T&T side, King showed her versatility when she was moved into a striking role in only her second game for the twin-island republic this time, against Barbados and netted a hat-trick to help guide her country to a 5-0 win.
The Houston Dash meanwhile, are coached by none other than Randy Waldrum, the man who guided T&T Women's team within a point of qualifying for their first ever FIFA Women's World Cup. Last year a 1-0 loss to Ecuador on local soil denied the Women Soca Princesses a debut showing at the 2015 FIFA Women’s Football World Cup in Canada. It would have been the perfect homecoming for the rugged defender but it was not to be for the brave ladies who won the hearts of many T&T die-hards.
As for the Dash, they finished their 2014 inaugural season in 9th place and were hoping on strengthening its 2015 Roster as Managing Director Brian Ching and Head Coach Randy Waldrum have been focused on engineering a turnaround in order to make the Dash playoff contenders.
The extent of the Dash’s needs in defense and the large number of forwards Waldrum was hoping on bringing in the powerful T&T central defender to beef up his squad and will now have to look elsewhere.
As a result Meghan Lisenby, Carleigh Williams or Haiti's Shanna Hudson will now have the opportunity to fill the void and complete the 20th spot on final roster.
The Dash will take the pitch on April 10th to face the Washington Spirit in the home opener at the BBVA Compass Stadium.