This is Part 3 of a three-part series sitting down with Dallas Trinity FC’s newest arrivals ahead of today’s match against Brooklyn FC at the Cotton Bowl (4 p.m. kickoff). [Read Part 1 on defender Lauren Flynn here.] [Read Part 2 on goalkeeper Tyler McCamey here.]
Heather Stainbrook rewrote every offensive record at Utah Valley University. Forty goals. One hundred five points. Fourteen game-winners. All school records. But the NWSL Draft passed her by anyway.
Washington Spirit invited her to preseason camp. On March 11, 2024, they signed her to a three-year contract, making her the first Utah Valley player to reach the NWSL. Two productive seasons followed with back-to-back championship appearances, but minutes were hard to find behind established midfielders.
Today at the Cotton Bowl, Stainbrook gets what young players need most: the chance to be a focal point, not a rotation piece.
The Record-Breaker Who Found Confidence
Heather Stainbrook remembers exactly when everything changed. Her coach at Utah Valley University instilled something in her that unlocked a different level. “I had a great coach who instilled this confidence in me that I think kind of helped me take it to a new level that I didn’t even know I could,” Stainbrook said. “So I think those were definitely shaping years for me, for the next decision in my career.”
Over five years at Utah Valley, she rewrote every offensive record in the program’s history: forty goals, one hundred five points, fourteen game-winners, three WAC regular season championships, and first-team All-WAC honors three times. But the NWSL Draft came and went without her name being called. The Washington Spirit invited her to preseason camp anyway. On March 11, 2024, they signed her to a three-year contract, making her the first Utah Valley player to reach the NWSL. “It was awesome. It was definitely a dream come true. I’ve pictured that from a young age, so for it to come true, it was kind of like, wow,” she said. “A full circle moment, but it was great. It was a super cool experience, and I’m grateful every day for it.”
Two productive seasons followed. She appeared in 31 matches, logged over 1,500 minutes, and helped Washington reach back-to-back championship appearances. She scored twice, including a crucial game-winner against Chicago late in the 2024 regular season. But the biggest adjustment from college to the pros wasn’t what she expected. “I mean, obviously, it’s physically more demanding, but I would also say mentally, I think, was the hardest part for me,” Stainbrook said. “Definitely just a lot more mentally demanding and you kind of have to know your limits and when you need to shut off when you’re not on the field and get that break and other hobbies, get your mind on other things and be able to separate.”
Learning to turn off the soccer brain became essential. She found her outlets. “When I was in Virginia, I got a kitten, so that took a lot of my time,” she said. “Just walking outside. I loved that there was a park where I lived, so I loved just walking around. I bought a nail kit to start doing my nails and practicing on that. Obviously, reading, TV series, but yeah.”
Her reading tastes run to romance. “I am a big fan of Colleen Hoover. So I like reading her books. I like romance,” she said. For TV, she’s got favorites. “The Office is my all-time favorite. I also, I’m a Grey’s Anatomy girl. I’m watching Suits right now, so yeah, kind of a different mix.” The team book club at Trinity fits right in. “We’re reading The Last Letter, I think is what it’s called,” she said. “Apparently it is really sad. So we’ll see how that goes. But yeah, kind of fun.”
The loan to Dallas offers what young players need most: consistent starting minutes. She’s the fourth Washington Spirit loanee to join Trinity in two seasons, following a well-worn path. Waniya Hudson came during the 2024-25 season. Deb Abiodun showed out before her loan was recalled in the fall. Tamara Bolt and Shadia Nankya just finished their loans, the former turning heads with standout performances.
Stainbrook is close with Abiodun from their time together at Spirit. “I’m super close with Deb,” she said. “We played together at Spirit for a little bit of crossover.” She’s watched what the loan pathway did for Bolt’s game, how those consistent minutes sharpened her.
“I just think, especially as a younger player, just getting minutes and playing time to continue to develop,” Stainbrook said. “So I think I’m really excited just to be able to do that. And I think the rest will kind of take care of itself as long as I’m staying true to myself and playing how I know how to play and just having fun with it.”
Nathan Thackeray‘s approach fits her game. “Nathan is incorporating a lot of very good tactical ideas that we’ve been putting into training,” she said. “But he also mentioned he wants to score goals. So I think just a lot of final third creativity, and different patterns, and moving the ball. Yeah, a lot of possession, which has been really fun.”
Trinity desperately needs goals. Compared to last season, offensive production is down. Stainbrook’s track record suggests she can help. At 5-foot-4, she doesn’t rely on physical presence. Her 40 collegiate goals came from reading the game, arriving late in the box, and relentless running. Her approach hasn’t changed.
“I think we have a lot of potential in those areas. I think, honestly, just playing free and not forcing it,” she said. “But just being creative and free in the final third, I think, is the best way, and I think those will come from that. I think when you force it, it tends to put strain on i,t and they don’t come as you would like, but that’s what I found in college. I think the more I focused on ‘I got to score, I got to score,’ it was a lot harder, but when I just focused on playing well and having fun, it just flowed.”
What drives her hasn’t changed since she was young. “I just love competing,” she said. “I’ve loved it from a young age, and I’ve loved that something is able to push me in ways that I’ve never felt other things really do. My competitive nature is the one thing that I’m just like, just keep going, I want more, I want more, I want more. And so I feel like that has been the biggest thing that has allowed me to keep going and keep wanting more.”
She’s already connecting with Wayny Balata in training. “I am pretty excited to play with Wayny. We’ve been playing together very well, and I think we connect really well. So we like playing together,” she said.
Dallas is treating her well so far. “I’ve tried some really good food,” she said. “I’m a foodie, so I love the tacos here, especially. They’re really good. I’m also just excited to go to the NFL games, the NBA games, the other sports games, and be involved in that. And I’ve always wanted to go to a rodeo, so we’ll have to make that happen while we’re in Texas.”
She’s got a message for the Dallas supporters, too. “I’m super excited to meet the fans. I think we always kind of talked about how they are our 12th player on the field,” she said. “They definitely give an extra advantage at home, and they make all the difference. So we could use all the support!”
Proving Ground
The Golden Girls sit fourth in the table after the fall campaign. Brooklyn FC arrives Saturday afternoon for the first match back from the winter break, and three new faces will be tested immediately. Thackeray’s possession-based system is taking shape in training, but Saturday is when it faces real opposition, when chemistry matters more than tactics on a whiteboard.
The conversations with Thackeray and General Manager Chris Petrucelli have been good for all three. “Conversations with Nathan and Chris have been good,” Flynn said. “It’s just been obviously a whirlwind first two weeks here, kind of getting my feet under me, but I think they have a good idea of where they want the club to be. And I think we have the pieces to do that.”
Flynn will likely partner with Hannah Davison or captain Amber Wisner at center back, tasked with building from the back and staying composed under pressure. McCamey is competing with Estrada for the starting goalkeeper spot. Stainbrook brings the creativity and goal-scoring threat Trinity’s midfield has lacked.
Flynn wants to feel like a champion again, to recapture what she felt at Florida State. McCamey wants to earn a championship the way she did at Princeton, through a full season of meaningful work. Stainbrook wants to prove she can be the focal point and bring that championship mentality from Washington to Dallas.
“I’m hoping to bring a lot to the table,” Stainbrook said. “I think just bringing leadership as well and kind of calmness to the game, but also that passion and that drive. I think we have a lot of talent on this team to go all the way. So I think just being able to bring out that next level in the players around me and just being the support that I need to be for them, I think, will help us. “
Trinity made the playoffs last year but lost in the first round. That’s not enough anymore. Saturday marks the beginning of something. The roads they took to Fair Park were different, but as the saying goes, all roads lead through here.
Dallas Trinity will host Brooklyn FC at 4PM on Saturday, January 31st at Cotton Bowl Stadium as The Gainbridge Super League returns from winter break. Trinity will be celebrating Black History Month. Tickets are still available, and all matches stream live on Peacock.