Spirit Goalkeeper to Take Leave of Absence
Stephanie Labbe at center. | File photo
The goalkeeper for the Washington Spirit is taking a medical leave of absence, according to a tweet she posted Wednesday.
“It is with great difficulty that the Spirit and I have decided that I will take a medical leave of absence for the remainder of the season,” Stephanie Labbe said.
The National Women’s Soccer League team plays its games at the Maryland Soccerplex in Boyds.
“The decision was not an easy one, but after much deliberation we have concluded this is what’s best for me at this time. I am truly grateful for the support and love I’ve received and would like to thank the entire Spirit organization for supporting me during this challenging time,” she wrote.
Labbe, a 30-year-old from Edmonton, Canada, also plays for the Canadian Women’s National Team. She helped the team win a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
On the Spirit’s website, head coach and general manager Jim Gabarra issued this statement:
“Steph has been an important part of our team the past two seasons and has grown and developed as a player and person. We have had discussions over the last couple of weeks and believe she needs some additional time away. We support and will continue to support Steph throughout this process.”
Here’s the tweet she posted Wednesday:
Here's my personal statement regarding my departure from the Spirit: pic.twitter.com/zNwNL5dYfy
— Stephanie Labbé (@stephlabbe1) September 6, 2017
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