2011 FIFA Women's World Cup logo image courtesy of Fifa.com

It seems like the big topic in conversations lately (and the subject of many Facebook statuses) has been the 2010 FIFA World Cup. It’s the biggest deal in soccer. My little brother almost had a hissy fit when he realized he’d be away at a leadership conference during the first week of the tournament and would probably miss most of the games including the U.S. versus England. In our country, soccer really doesn’t get much hype except during this tournament that occurs every four years (that and maybe when David Beckham went to play for the LA Galaxy).

For some reason, I started thinking one day about why there wasn’t a Women’s World Cup. I asked my resident expert of soccer (again, my little brother) about this. He told me there actually is, but nobody really cares. I was shocked. First, that there was a World Cup for women’s soccer, and I had never even heard about it. Second, my little brother was playing into the “girls’ sports don’t count” mentality. This personally bugs me to no end, especially when it comes from guys who don’t play professional sports and would probably get their butts handed to them by these female athletes.

These women work just as hard as their male counterparts but get half the glory. In the U.S. where soccer isn’t as popular as other sports, these women and their accomplishments are nearly invisible.

Society has constructed sports as a mainly male activity. This outlook has barred women from participating for a long time. Now that women’s sports have been established and those barriers have been broken down, the next barrier women face is being taken seriously. This trickles down to the beginning of women’s sports; high school.

My roommate, Alyssa, played high school varsity soccer. Her high school was in a suburb of Milwaukee so there was a large student population. However, the fans at her soccer games consisted of parents and hardly any student spectators.

“Well, people really didn’t watch a lot of soccer at my high school, but the stands at the girls’ games were pretty much empty,” she says. “It was basically our parents. My teammates and I went to the boys’ games in the fall, but they never really reciprocated that.”

Of course being an athlete isn’t all about the fanfare, but it’s nice to know that people support and respect what you’re doing. Who wants to have their accomplishments put down? This is what female athletes deal with in a male-centered sports world.

Let’s stop these attitudes about female sports. One way is to take an interest in the sporting events. The FIFA Women’s World Cup will be held next year in Germany. Stay tuned and show your support for female athletes.

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More than anything, it was a day of celebration, a day when the tenacity of hope had a tangible victory over defeat, a day that resounded the adage, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” It’s been five years since WUSA (Women’s United Soccer Association) fell into a crumble of debt and despair. And for a long while, we thought professional women’s soccer in the United States was gone for good. But today it returned. And, who better than a prodigal daughter in the form of Mia Hamm to hand the game ball to the officials? Afterall, it is her form that graces the WPS official logo.

14,832 people filed into the Home Depot Center, home of the Los Angeles Sol for the inaugural match of the WPS (Women’s Professional Soccer) where the Sol played the Washington Freedom. Before the match, the crowds arrived to enjoy a small area called “Sol City” where they could make signs for their favorite players or watch a dog play soccer.

It may have been Mia mania in WUSA but it’s Marta’s magic in WPS. The moment Marta Vieira da Silva, the Brazilian international three time FIFA Player of the Year Awards (at age 23), touched the ball, the stadium was entranced. They screamed (most were girls, after all), yelled, and clapped their hands in anticipation. She would not score but would have an assist and create plenty of excitement as she weaved in and out of opposing defenders – or just speed past them. And yet, it was an unexpected name who led the Los Angeles Sol to the first WPS victory. A name you, an iatg reader, may recognize: Allison Falk.

Falk (interviewed here last week) came up from central defender for a corner kick early in the match and headed the ball past Washington goalkeeper Briana Scurry in the 6th minute. Her hands shot up into the air in excitement and astonishment. She, Allison Falk, a sweet girl from Danville, CA had just written her name in the history books – and with her head no less. Falk would continue with a solid performance, holding Wambach in check with the help of fellow Sol defenders, and would go on to be named the official Woman of the Match.

Of the goal, Falk would say, “The goal was an amazing ball from Aya [Miyama]. I just went up for it, wasn’t sure I was going to get it but just went for it and I think it kind of hit the side of me and went in.”

When the game concluded, the final score read: Los Angeles Sol 2, Washington Freedom 0. Camille Abily scored the second goal with a brilliant chip of the ball in the 87th minute.  And an exquisite performance by Sol goalkeeper, Karina LeBlanc, kept the Freedom quiet. That’s how history will write it: Sol victory, 2-0. First match, over and done. But as a member of the crowd, you had to know there was much more to it.

It hadn’t worked with WUSA. But we’re trying again. We’re going for it. A successful women’s professional league in the country that dominates women’s international soccer. Surely it’s not a day of history; it’s only a beginning. And as Sol coach, Abner Rogers, said, “We came out with a good victory … it is only going to get better.”

Want to see more WPS pictures? Visit iatg on facebook.

photo by kenzie rochelle

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As bellists, we characterize ourselves as women who are working toward the same goal, who recognize that we may not be equal but our combined strengths and weaknesses make us a force to reckon with, and, once and for all, we are on the same team. What better place to see that mentality at work than literally on a team. A sports team, that is. And with the new Women’s Professional Soccer League kicking off this weekend, we have the perfect candidates: members of the Los Angeles team, Sol (Spanish for “sun”).

With a team full of national elite players (like Shannon Boxx of the U.S. and Marta of Brazil), very experienced players (like Camille Abily of France and Stephanie Cox of the U.S.), and, of course, the rookies (like Notre Dame grad Brittany Bock, Stanford grad Allison Falk, and UCLA grad Val Henderson), a brand new soccer team seems like the perfect place for egos to clash and cleats to tear…but they don’t.

We spoke with the rookies and got an overwhelming sense of team camaraderie despite the fact that season was yet to start. Each girl loved to speak about the team bonding that occurred, especially with the internationals. Brittany Bock said, “One day after practice we were having a French lesson in the locker room. Another day we were giving Han [Duan, of China] driving lessons. You know, red means stop.” Bock loves the give as well as the take of having so many cultures in such a small space and the ability to teach and to learn drives her interactions.

The same could be said of these players on the field. Surprisingly, none of the rookies we spoke to really felt like rookies. Val Henderson admitted to having a low confidence level going into preseason. But all that changed when she met her new teammates and started playing with them in an informal setting at the UCLA fields before entering into their official Sol team training. “As a result, I felt a lot more ready,” she said. “And I was really a lot more excited than anything.” Just being together, playing together, strengthens and encourages confidence in these women, these teammates.

Still, as the younger, less experienced players, they do have players they look up to on the field. Allison Falk mentioned what a joy it was to get to play with Kendall Fletcher and Stephanie Cox on the Sol defense (both of whom have played on the U.S. National squad). Falk added, “It’s great just to be able to learn from them and help me help the team.”

Bock, a midfielder, noted the influence of Shannon Boxx, who had only arrived to team training some 24 hours before we met with Brittany. Watching the Sol play in a scrimmage against FC Gold, we immediately noted the halftime chat Boxx initiated with Bock and the intensity on Bock’s face as she focused on the suggestions provided. One day in and Boxx was already making a point to help her teammates however she could

It’s a unique concept that exists on a soccer field or really amongst any team of athletes. They understand that their jobs are to work cohesively so as to exaggerate the others’ strengths, to provide support when it’s needed, encouragement constantly, and celebration whenever possible. And it’s a concept which, if we pay a little closer attention, wouldn’t be quite so unique. Hook up with your local bellists, and you can have it, too.

Follow the Sol in the inaugural match of the WPS on Sunday afternoon, 3pm PT, Fox Soccer Channel.  Or log onto womenssoccer.com to find out how to get tickets for your local team.

—————-

Allison Falk

Hometown:Danville, CA
College: Stanford
Position: Defender
My friends describe me as: tall, funny
My teammates describe me as: giant
My motto is: “Give it Your All”
My biggest challenge was: developing as a player at Stanford
If I could play any other sport, it would be: basketball
If I were not a professional athlete, I would be: a lawyer
A woman I really look up to is: Kristine Lilly
My favorite comfort food is: chocolate
Do you ever miss your mom? Yes, when things are going rough.
I feel most confident: on the soccer field when I make a great play or when I score a goal.
I feel most beautiful when: people tell me I am.

—————-

Brittany Bock

Hometown:Naperville, IL
College: Notre Dame
Position: Midfielder
My friends describe me as: goofy
My teammates describe me as: intense, determined
My motto is: “Always Believe”
My biggest challenge was: confidence
If I could play any other sport, it would be: basketball
If I were not a professional athlete, I would be: struggling
A woman I really look up to is: my grandma
My favorite comfort food is: cereal
Do you ever miss your mom? Yes. Always. She’s been there for me always. I thank her for that.
I feel most confident when: I have people who believe in me.
I feel most beautiful when: I’m happy.

—————-

Val Henderson

Hometown:Orinda, CA
College: UCLA
Position: Goalkeeper
My friends describe me as: crazy, loud, loyal, competitive, fun
My teammates describe me as: strong
My motto is: “Go Big or Go Home”
My greatest success is: yet to come
If I could play any other sport, it would be: football
If I were not a professional athlete, I would be: in another country
My favorite comfort food is: Diddy Riese
Do you ever miss your mom? Yeah, I do when I’m hungry. No, when I see something that reminds me of her or a situation that she would appreciate
I feel most confident when: my teammates are confident in me.
I feel most beautiful when: I’m smiling.

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I was shocked not to hear more about it really. It came and went without comment. No, I’m not talking about the league itself but the unique twist Puma put on the WPS uniforms which were released last week. And that’s a “wrap.” At least, that’s what the WPS is officially calling the piece of removable fabric on the uniforms of the Los Angeles Sol, Boston Breakers, FC Gold Pride and Sky Blue FC. The so-called wrap, when worn, makes the athletes’ shorts look more like skirts. <Insert jaw drop here followed by flashback to A League of Their Own.>

“The uniforms will have a cut more tailored to a woman’s body,” says commissioner Tanya Antonucci. I’m not quite sure how to take that in light of the wrap.

I’ve never thought of female athletes as the type of girls who’d be quick to show their femininity on their turf of choice: court, field or otherwise. Out on the town may be a different story but when it comes to sport it’s all toughness. That’s why we play with the boys and punch (not slap) them when they defend us with half their strength, or when they give us a bonus shot. We want to be taken seriously as competitiors, not sex symbols. Nothing less and nothing more.

Tracy Hamm, a defender with FC Gold Pride, was somewhat dumbfounded when she attempted to describe her first reaction to the idea of having a skirt associated with the soccer field. “I don’t want to say demeaning because it’s not the right word,” she said, “but I think it’s a little bit, I don’t know, ridiculous isn’t the word either. I definitely think it skews the image that professional female athletes are going for.”

The images from the modeling show in Manhattan on Tuesday, where players from each team adorned home and away jerseys, turned the girls in skirts into models rather than just professional soccer players. And though surely a girl can be both, she shouldn’t have to be.

The WPS will officially tell you that she doesn’t have to be; that’s why the additional piece is optional and removable; it won’t be worn in matches. But that misses the point. The skirt, excuse me, the wrap tells onlookers that these fierce women aren’t just here to entertain with their athletic talents but with their feminine looks because women, ultimately, are supposed to be looked at and admired for their physical attributes. The messages are dangerous and conflicting for the thousands of girls who will surely be fans of their local WPS team, who will idolize the WPS players.

The players themselves may find them demeaning, ridiculous or just comical. They may use them for joking around and end up ridiculing the idea of the wrap rather than being ridiculed themselves. And though the wraps may be cute in and of themselves, when they’re part of the official uniform of professional sports franchises, fun for jest and cute for leisure are no longer the issues. Now the issue has become why an optional piece, not to be used in matches, that arguably disparages the image of women in sports would ever be put in the line up to begin with. It should have been cut from the team during try-outs.

photo by howard c. smith / isiphotos.com

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No more tears, girls, because women’s professional soccer is back! A new league is coming in April of THIS year and the very first game is actually at the end of March in L.A. Female soccer players and fans have been without a professional league since 2003 when the Women’s United Soccer Association’s (WUSA) operations were suspended. Players and fans across the globe have been waiting for a new league to pick up where the WUSA left off. Well, the wait is almost over. Please welcome Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS).

Following the logos of the WNBA and NBA, the WPS created a logo that’s both symbolic and familiar. Mia Hamm’s silhouette (a pioneer of women’s soccer) lies within the logo, not only to honor her contribution to the sport, but as an inspiration to all female players.

As of now the league will feature seven teams including the Bay Area, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New Jersey/New York, Washington D.C. and St. Louis. Atlanta and Philadelphia plan to join the WPS in 2010.

America is finally catching up with the rest of the world when it comes to supporting professional soccer so the WPS feels hopeful for the future. Even the MLS has lent a helping hand to get WPS off and running. They’ve offered their expertise on how they have maintained the MLS franchises. So their guidance through this whole process has shown a support and eagerness to keep soccer alive for both men and women players. Thanks guys!

The WPS will be a premier league comprised of the highest level talent from all parts of the globe. Since the WUSA, there has not been any other professional platform for female soccer players in the U.S., which is considered a female soccer superpower. Having this league is much more than a women’s soccer franchise. It will also act as an emblematic representation of opportunity for women around the world.

The countdown begins now and April is just around the corner. The WPS has been drafting players nationally and internationally, as well as hosting try-outs. So keep playing girls, there is a future for women’s soccer.

Key Players by Franchise:
Bay Area FC Gold Pride – Formiga, Brandi Chastain, Leslie Osbourne, Christine Sinclair
Boston Breakers – Kristine Lily, Kelly Smith, Angela Hucles, Heather Mitts
Chicago Red Stars – Lindsay Tarpley, Carli Lloyd, Cristiane, Kate Markgraf
Los Angeles Sol – Marta, Shannon Boxx, Han Duan, Stephanie Cox
New Jersey/New York Sky Blue FC – Christie Rampone, Heather O’Reilly, Sarah Walsh, Natasha Kai
Washington Freedom – Abby Wambach, Kat Whitehill, Homare Sawa, Briana Scurry
St. Louis Athletica – Lori Chalupny, Hope Solo, Daniela, Enoila Aluko

Find more information on the new league, the teams and their players at the WPS homepage.

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Imagine this: you’re 21 years old, you’re about to graduate from college, and you’re a historical figure in women’s soccer.  That’s the reality for Amy Rodriguez, the number one pick in the first ever Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) draft. For you and me, that status may seem a bit daunting, but I’m not too worried about A-Rod; she’s had some previous successes (just an Olympic gold medal and NCAA National Championship within a year of one another).

This speedster of a striker was drafted by the Boston Breakers despite no paucity of powerful forwards (most notably Kristine Lily, and Kelly Smith, the English international). Rodriguez was the obvious choice as a stand-out player amongst stand-outs and was expected to go first regardless of who got to take her.

The new league begins games March 29th in Los Angeles and will attempt to make a success out of what the former WUSA could not.

(Read a post-olympic, IATG exlusive interview with Amy Rodriguez here.)

The First Round Picks:

1. Boston Breakers – Amy Rodriguez (USC)
2. Chicago Red Stars – Megan Rapinoe (Portland)
3. FC Gold Pride – Christina DiMartino (UCLA)
4. Sky Blue FC – Yael Averbuch (North Carolina)
5. Los Angeles Sol – Brittany Bock (Notre Dame)
6. Saint Louis Athletica – Kerri Hanks (Notre Dame)
7. Washington Freedom – Allie Long (Penn State)

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Good news for soccer fans all over the world but especially in the D.C. area.  I spotted Abby Wambach coming out of the 24 Hour Fitness in Hermosa Beach, CA this afternoon.  Abby has been missing from the U.S. National Team line-up since July when, in a pre-Olympic send-off match, she fractured her tibia and fibia. She had surgery just a couple of days later which included the insertion of a titanium rod into her left leg, and has yet to be seen in a match since.

I happened to be at the Home Depot Center in Carson, CA on December 13th for the USA vs. China, in hopes of seeing Abby return but she wasn’t in attendance.  A grand consolation was Kristine Lilly’s return to the team (after the birth of her first child in July).  I eagerly await the chance to have both Lilly and Wambach together again but the sight of Abby at the gym bodes well for the upcoming Women’s Professional Soccer league (WPS) which will begin this spring.  Wambach has signed with the Washington Freedom Soccer Club and it’s looking good for her to be there for the inaugural match at the Home Depot Center.  The Freedom will play the Los Angeles Sol on March 29.

For ticket information, please visit the WPS website.

Hang out with Abby in this segment from the Fox Soccer Channel.

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As a young girl, I always looked forward to the day when all my dreams would come true.  It was a very Disney-esque picture, singing and dancing as I landed my dream job, my dream guy, and all my enemies found themselves shoveling horse manure for the rest of their lives…and crying. A lot. And in every setting of the dreams-come-true world, everything happened all at once, days, weeks, or months in a sweep of happiness from a fairy godmother’s wand.  It hasn’t happened like that for me…not yet, anyway.  But zip-a-dee-doo-dah! It’s happened for someone else.  And we could all use a vision of cartoon fairy tales in reality.

A native of New Jersey, a girl called Tobin Heath was born just 3 days before me (and several years later).  She grew up playing a sport on the rise for young girls: soccer.  But let’s fast-forward many years later.  This year, in fact…when this 20-year-old soccer player often described to have a Brazilian quality in her skill set,made the final cut for the U.S. Women’s National team and headed off to China for the Beijing Olympics. Known to look up to players like Ronaldinho and Marta of the Brazilian men’s and women’s teams, Heath would soon be face-to-face on the field with the latter.

In winning the gold, Heath became a member of a team that had completed a feat no other team had: they won back-to-back gold medals.  And defeated rival Brazil in the final by one goal. That was August. Now to December, just a few months later when Heath, as one of only three active collegians (Amy Rodriguez of USC and Lauren Cheney of UCLA being the other two) chosen to the Olympic squad, had the opportunity to complete one dream of a year, adding a NCAA championship to her Olympic gold.

Heath plays for the UNC soccer team, the most dominant team in collegiate sports.  For those of you non-soccer freaks, permit me a moment on this one.  This is the school of Mia Hamm, of Kristine Lily.  More recently, players like Lindsay Tarpley and Heather O’Reilly have been Tar Heel products.  And this is just a slight pinch of the players out of UNC who have gone on to win gold medals and world cups and other serious soccer accolades. Want to see something freakishly awesome?  Check out this list of champions. 27 years, 19 titles. That’s 70%, statisticians. Former National Team coach Tony DiCicco has been quoted as saying, “[Girls] dream of two things: playing for North Carolina and playing for the U.S. national team.”

And this year, Heath was one of the stars at UNC.  A team ranked fourth of the four teams who made the College Cup but left as champions.  A team which came through the semi-finals beating an undefeated UCLA squad only to confront their rivals in the final (sound familiar to August?), another undefeated team in Notre Dame.  It came down to the final 4 minutes, when the score was still tied 1-1.  Then Tar Heel forward Casey Nogueira’s (remember that name for future world cups) shot from the left side of the penalty box deflected over the goal keeper’s outstretched arm and into the net.

Five months. Two major dreams.

The only downside of attaining so much so fast is the follow-up: what now?  That’s why those beloved Disney story’s end with the marriage and we have no clue what comes next for our fictitious friends.  But Tobin’s not a fictional character.  And she has another year of college soccer to look forward to, who knows how many potential Olympic medals or world cup championship, and a women’s professional soccer league starting up in another four months.  Um, Disney, I know it’s an unusual name for you to take on, but most of your names are slightly odd.  So consider this.  It’s time for a new princess, the princess of women’s soccer: Tobin Heath.

Need more Tobin? Check out this indulgent video from ussoccer.com.

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When Amy Rodriguez entered her collegiate soccer career at USC, the team had never made it past the second round of the season-ending NCAA National Championship tournament.  Now, entering her senior year, the Trojans are defending champs.  When Amy first appeared in a major tournament for the United States Women’s National Team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, it was with the lowest team expectations in history. Now, she and the rest of her teammates have gold medals.

“It’s just been the greatest year for me,” Rodriguez explains. “A national championship would have been fine but a gold medal just topped it all off.  For me, it’s been an unexpected and very eventful year but, at the same time, very awesome.”

Rodriguez, commonly called A-Rod by friends and fans alike, is a goal-scorer for whatever team she plays on.  She scored two goals in last season’s NCAA semi-finals to upset the rival UCLA squad and scored or assisted her teammates in scoring goals throughout the Olympic tournament.  Not a bad accomplishment for someone who was not even expected to start in Beijing.

“Going in, I was just happy to be there,” says Rodriguez.  But when injury after injury hit leading up to the tournament, culminating in a broken leg to the face of U.S. Women’s soccer, Abby Wambach, A-Rod was called upon. Looking back on the experience, she says, “I just wanted to make the biggest difference I could.”

With natural talent and heart-stopping quickness, A-Rod is a major threat to opposing defensive lines and definitely houses the potential of a difference-maker. Some have even called her a “clutch player.” Just when it doesn’t look possible, there’s Amy, somehow goal-side of her defender and with the ball at her feet.  Gifted as she is, her successes have not been attained without discipline and hard work.

“I really learned how much, how far hard work and dedication could get you,” she says.  “I just kept trying and kept working and improving.  I saw the difference and that’s why, when I got [to China], I actually got the call up to play.”

Part of this work ethic was inspired by Ali Khosroshahin, USC’s new coach who increased his team’s discipline in 2007. Amy and her teammates improved and became better-rounded, team-enhancing players.  After the success of the season, Amy took a semester off to train with the national team and prepare for the Olympics.

All work and no play?  Think again.  Known for being the team jokester, Amy has plenty of fun while she’s hard at work.  “She’s hilarious and loud—hilariously loud,” describes Darcy Couch, who works closely with the USC team in the school’s Department of Athletics.

Hard work and fun go hand in hand for this Olympian.  Returning to the Trojans for her final season she says, “I want to have a great senior year and be happy.”  She pauses for a moment and, with a smile on her face, continues, “And hopefully bring home another National Championship to USC.”

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