2019 Royals Player Profiles: Erika Tymrak

2019 was not Erika Tymrak’s best year. It wasn’t a bad year, necessarily, but her sparse playing time and infrequent appearances made it difficult for her to truly impact the team how we may have liked her to.

2018 was a similar season for Tymrak. She never really was able to find her way to consistent minutes. She was a regular sub, but oftentimes, only saw a handful of minutes to help close out a match. Tymrak does this well. Her veteran presence brings a calmness to this team, and she has helped Utah close out lots of games in the past. She just was not the offensive threat that we necessarily looked for in our midfield this season.

In the last two seasons, Tymrak has seen right around 500 minutes each season, and in 2018, she scored one goal, but in 2019, she just had one assist. She’s not exactly making headlines, but what she brings to the field is still valuable.

Tymrak, who is 28, has veteran status in the NWSL now. She knows what she has to do to hold a result, and that’s why she is so often used as a sub in this Royals roster.

Even in Tymrak’s 2016 season where she saw over 1,000 minutes, she still had just one goal and two assists. Tymrak is more of a defensive midfielder, which is a really competitive spot for Utah. With someone as strong and nicknamed appropriately as “The Destroyer” as Desiree Scott, it’s tough for Tymrak to see a ton of minutes. Tymrak has this role of someone who is a little more experienced who helps close out games, and she does that well.

Tymrak didn’t make headlines in 2019 for her insane goals or assists, but she quietly did what was asked of her, and kept Utah in matches.