Bay area women’s soccer team is golden

November 20, 2008 – The San Francisco Bay area’s entry in the new Women’s Professional Soccer league will be named FC Gold Pride.

The franchise unveiled its name Wednesday along with its gold-and-black color scheme and a logo featuring a growling lioness in mid-stride.  Their tagline? Welcome to the jungle.

Owner Brian NeSmith  came up with the team’s name after many discussions at the family dinner table. It’s meant to evoke California, the Golden State, along with honoring the U.S. Olympic gold medal-winning women’s soccer team. The rest of the name, “that’s tying into a pride of lionesses,” NeSmith said, discussing how well lionesses work together.

NeSmith became involved in soccer through his daughters, Sarah (now at Northwestern) and Amanda, and both are considered part of the ownership group.

“Awesome, a major-league sports owner, you must be pretty popular at school,” Earthquakes goalie Joe Cannon told 16-year-old Amanda NeSmith during the news conference. Referring to her youth-league club, he added that it was a long way from the Pink and Purple People Eaters.”

FC Gold Pride will play their home games at Buck Shaw Stadium, the 10,000-seat stadium that also hosts the expansion San Jose Earthquakes of Major League Soccer.

Goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart, defender Rachel Buehler and forward Tracy Hamm are among those slated to play for head coach Albertin Montoya with the Pride.

Check back for our exclusive interview with former UCLA standout and Pride player Jill Oakes.