Los Angeles Sol of WPS to fold

Sol-Long. We hardly knew ya. After attending most of the home games at the Home Depot Center, and watching some great soccer, it is with huge sadness we learn that the Los Angeles Sol folded today.   The notice comes after one season, despite the star power of FIFA world player of the year Marta and a successful campaign that ended in the championship game.

Women’s Professional Soccer  announced the termination of the franchise  and the dispersal of the team’s 19 players via a draft Thursday to other teams. This is going to have have a big impact in the league, as top players such as  Marta, Aya Miyama, Shannon Boxx and Karina LeBlanc will be scattered throughout the league.  The team participated in the recent WPS draft – picking up Casey Nogueira and Nikke Washington – and was lining up some European stars to play for the franchise, although national team veteran Aly Wagner recently announced her retirement.

The dispersal draft will have expansion franchises Atlanta and Philadelphia holding the first two selections. Both teams will begin play in April, giving the league eight teams and a balanced schedule.

The league operated the Sol for the last couple of months after one of its two original ownership groups pulled out in mid-year, leaving Galaxy owners Anschutz Entertainment Group in charge  until the end of last season when they, too, pulled out. The Sol lost as much as $2 million last year, despite leading the league in attendance, WPS officials said.

The Sol had suspended season ticket sales while it was operated by the league.

Coach Abner Rogers was fired via e-mail two days before Christmas and General Manager Charlie Naimo took over in that post.

Apparently, the league had attempted to sell the team, but those negotiations  fell through.

“We’ve been in several weeks of negotiations with an ownership group and unfortunately it fell through at the last minute,” league commissioner Tonya Antonucci told The Associated Press. “In terms of the viability of Los Angeles as a WPS market, we don’t think that’s in question. Suspending operations doesn’t mean we won’t be trying to find new ownership for 2011.”

The Sol drew a crowd of 14,832 to their opener last season, and ended up averaging more than 6,200 fans for home games at Home Depot Center. They finished the regular season 12-3-5, the best record in the league, before losing 1-0 to Sky Blue FC in the championship game.

What does this mean for the WPS?  Does the Sol’s demise mean the end of the league? Do we hear echos of the now defunct WUSA?

Though the profitability of one team shouldn’t affect the profitability of any other, it’s never good to have a team shut down.  Apparently every team in the league lost money last season, some more than others. Everyone knew that  starting a league in the midst of a major economic downturn was going to be tough. The upcoming season will be pivotal for the league.

League officials note that this season will see two new expansion teams (the Philadelphia Independence and Atlanta Beat), a longer regular season with more home games for each team, increased sponsorship and a reformatted All-Star Game that will take place in mid-season rather than at the end of it.

Still, the end of a franchise in one of the nation’s two largest markets is a bummer – especially since it was my home team.  Were there things the Sol could have done better out of the gate?  For sure. But they consistently delivered great soccer to appreciative fans and their base was growing. It’s too bad the corporate powers gave up on the them before they really had a chance to prove themselves.

Condolences to LA fans. Let’s hope there are some exhibition games that will be played in LA this year and a chance to see more of  our fave players.

Soccer player Yael Averbuch delivers inspiring speech

Last week at the National Soccer Coach’s Association of American (NSCAA) convention  in Philadelphia there were lots of speeches and lectures, along with the WPS Draft, but one of the most inspiring addresses came early Saturday morning at the women’s soccer breakfast. The speaker? A midfielder from the first WPS championship team, Sky Blue FC, and North Carolina alum Yael Averbuch.

Averbuch’s speech focused on her soccer career, but it could apply to any sport as well as academics or life in general. She reminds everyone to “love the process”, and that happiness isn’t just found in the final step, but in all the steps it took to get there.

The official transcript of Averbuch’s speech is below. It’s a must-read for coaches, for players, for parents, for athletes in general, and anyone who needs that little reminder to always love what you do.

———————-

Good morning everyone. I’d like to start by thanking the women’s committee for inviting me here today, and to congratulate Louise Waxler on the Award of Excellence. I’d also like to acknowledge someone who unfortunately is not here today…Charlotte Moran. Charlotte was my mom away from home at countless Regional events, and never ceased to make me laugh, even during the most stressful moments of the ODP process.

When I was first asked to speak in front of this group, I have to be honest, I was slightly overwhelmed. Many of you in this room are the ones to whom I look for wisdom, and who have provided life-changing guidance to me over the years.

As I started to jot down some ideas, I realized that the person I am today is the result of so many different elements—elements I’ve picked up from some of the very people who I am standing in front of right now. These elements form the essence of what has become my passion.

Ever since I was a 9-year-old, attempting to get 10 thigh juggles on my front lawn, it has been my dream to be a professional soccer player. As a little girl, in my Mia Hamm jersey, I had no concept of exactly what that meant. There was no way I could have imagined what lay ahead, what it would take, or how I would get there.

But I knew what I wanted, and my goals have never wavered. Roughly a year ago, my childhood dream became reality when I signed my first professional contract with Sky Blue FC.

As a 23-year-old professional player, and current member of the Women’s National Team, I still see my journey as far from complete. Some people may look at my resume and think I’ve “arrived,” but I see my career as just beginning. It’s a strange feeling to finally accomplish a goal for which you have sweat, bled, and cried for nearly 15 years to achieve. I would have expected to feel overjoyed—even just simply content.

But while I am very proud of what I have achieved to this point, none of those emotions are fitting. As I embarked on my first professional season, at times I almost felt a sense of disappointment. I found myself thinking, “Is this really IT?” It was in uncovering the answer to this question that I came to truly realize why I do what I do.

Since the summer of 2000, when I was 12 years old and away from home at the UNC summer camp, I’ve kept a journal. I wrote down every single thing we did at camp, so that I could go home and perfect it—all for the day that I would play for UNC.

My journal, which has since then expanded into five written books, as well as a computer document, is filled with my thoughts, worries, goals, disappointments, and successes. There are quotes from books, movies, coaches I’ve had…there are song lyrics…even a couple of pages where I practiced my autograph (those are in the earlier journals, of course!).

It’s really enlightening to look back through my journal, because it’s an account of my journey, step by step, stripped of any of the perspective I have gained more recently. There is profanity, important things written in capital letters—even a list of players who I planned to overtake, and have crossed off as I felt that I had surpassed them.

There is an entry from December of 1999 in which I recorded parts of a conversation I had with my first real mentor, and coach at the time, Ashley Hammond. Under his name, I have the following quote: “People in the world need and love experts. In soccer, you must be an expert in many skills.” I was 13 when I wrote that down.

May 5, 2003 (when I was 16): “Daddy gave me this article on being a master, and I’m gunna (spelled G-U-N-N-A) read it and become a soccer master!”

My journal is sometimes comprised of longer written segments, sometimes just tidbits or bullet points, but the combination has helped me to piece together why I do what I do.

Every month, I like to set myself 4 or 5 personal goals or ideas to keep in mind. I start off by choosing a quote or motto as a theme for the month, and then I pick a few simple goals to aim for. For example, in April,  as we started the first WPS season, my monthly phrase was, “go with the flow.” May’s was, “play without a conscience.”

The reason I’m sharing this with you is because I think that my December 2009 phrase captures what I have finally come to realize is most important in my quest for greatness in soccer. December’s motto was: “love the process.”

This concept has come to mean something very important to me. I am an extremely driven person—some might say I am focused to the point of obsession. But now that soccer is my profession, I have found that I need to put it in greater perspective within my life. The best way I have come to define my drive is this: I work TOWARDS a goal, but I do not work FOR it.

Let me distinguish. Anyone who looks at my training schedule would either A. consider me an extremely hard worker, or B. think I’m crazy. I don’t define myself as the latter (although my family might argue that in many ways I’m not sane). I truly and whole-heartedly love what I do. And I would love what I do even if I never got the opportunity to play for a professional team, win a national championship, or represent my country.

A friend of mine recently said to me: “You’re the luckiest person in the world. Your hobby is your job.” And he couldn’t have been more right. One of my goals has always been never to “work” a day in my life. I don’t consider what I do as work, because every day that I train and compete, I find even greater joy in the process.

I believe that finding this joy, and loving the process itself, is essential. To truly be the best at what you do, the path will never be easy. The love of what we do is what provides the inspiration to see us through.

My path to where I am today hasn’t always been smooth. I’ve spent so many evenings slamming a ball angrily against the kickback in my backyard or the schoolyard wall up the block from my house—tears streaming down my face, wondering why so-and-so was invited to whatever event, or is starting instead of me.

And every time that I think I’ve reached smooth sailing, I am soon humbled. I was very confident going into this past WPS season. I was a first-round draft pick, felt well-prepared after my college career at UNC, and had done everything that I could to be ready for pre-season. I was sure that I could play at the next level and be successful.

Before our home opener against the LA Sol, I was shocked when we got the starting line-up and I wasn’t in it. My relatives had flown in from California and Arizona to see my first pro game, and all of my former coaches from New Jersey were there. Basically, everyone I know was at the game to see me play.

I assumed I’d play the second half, considering that I thought I was going to start, but wasn’t in the lineup. However, as the clock ticked away in the second half, and then as the final whistle blew, I was still sitting on the bench—not even asked to warm up. I was honestly shocked, and devastated. There will never be another inaugural season Sky Blue FC home opener, and I hadn’t even gotten the opportunity to step onto the field in front of my home crowd.

It’s interesting to contemplate how our lives build to these special, pivotal moments—the moments we dream of, work towards, and emphasize so heavily. But, in truth, the bulk of our life is in the in-between time, the waiting. The “off moments,” so to speak.

The special moments are only minor reference points along the way. After an extremely angry and disappointed drive home from that Sky Blue FC opener, that is what I came to realize. I don’t play this sport for the moment of glory.

And I think the people who DO are missing out. Yes, I love roar of the crowd, the championship game, and the thrill of performing when it really matters—but I love the preparation—the process—equally as much.

I didn’t always love the game the way I do now. I learned that love, just as I’ve learned numerous other skills. I feel very fortunate to have had great coaches and mentors along the way. As I mentioned earlier, I’m a big quote person. When I read or hear something that feels true to me, I’m always sure to write it down.

In the book Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller, it says, “Sometimes you have to watch somebody love something before you can love it yourself. It is as if they are showing you the way.”

I believe that my club coach of many years, Kazbek Tambi, showed me how to love the game. Recently, I got a call from Kaz (as we call him) to come play on New Year’s day. Here’s a guy who is long past his prime, but opens up his indoor facility on every holiday just to hang out and watch (and occasionally jump in with) any players who he can get to show up.

There’s always techno music playing over the loud speakers, and the guys get together and just play small-sided. On New Year’s, it was a group of about 40 guys, most of whom work for Kaz, or are current or former college players and pros. The majority of them aren’t training for anything in particular, though (and I should probably add that most of them don’t speak English as their first language).

They certainly don’t have to wake up early on New Year’s day and trek out in the cold and snow to show up. But they love to play, watch, and be around the game. And this is the environment that Kaz creates. Through watching Kaz’s love for soccer, and being thrown into this atmosphere, I came to understand firsthand why soccer is referred to as “the beautiful game.” And I came to love it as something beyond my goals and aspirations.

I remember once, a lot of the girls on my U-18 club team were burned out and wanted a break. When they expressed this to Kaz, he was incredibly confused.

He sat the group down and in all seriousness, gave us a talk that went something like this: “If you love something, why would you ever want to take a break from it? It’s like, if you love ice cream and you eat it every day, you would never one day suddenly want to take a break from eating ice cream. Why isn’t soccer the same way?” It may seem silly, but it made perfect sense to me.

I’m not trying to claim that I am always happy, smiling, and joyous when it comes to soccer. I take my goals and my career extremely seriously, and at times, it is very stressful, because I care SO much. I’m sure it’s the same for most of you in this room. Sometimes, my entire life seems to revolve around soccer and my training.

And if you think I’m exaggerating, my pin number for my debit card is my juggling record (Hopefully none of you know my record!) So, in the tough times, when I don’t feel like I’m finding success, it’s easy to question why I put so much time and effort (both mental and physical) into something that seems not to be paying off.

During the past WPS season, I read the book, Way of the Peaceful Warrior, by Dan Millman. A major premise of the book is this line: “It’s not about dedicating your life to training, but about dedicating your training to your life.”

This was an interesting new perspective for me. Yes, I dedicate an astounding number of my waking hours to soccer. Whether I’m training, watching soccer, or even just thinking about it, my life is consumed by the game.

But what does this all mean in the bigger picture? I find that for what I put INTO the game (which is obviously a great deal of myself), I get back tenfold. In addition to the personal relationships I’ve created, the discipline I’ve learned, the places I’ve traveled—I realize now that soccer is about something far more for me.

My training gives back to me in ways deeper than just success on the field. There is a sense of freedom, of peace, that I feel when I have a soccer ball at my feet. I believe that some people play, some teach, some write, some dance—all simply to attain those few moments of personal freedom. We’ve all experienced it—the perfectly pure, uncompromised joy of being here, now.

It is the moment of peace when all else fades away, and you are left fearless and energized. Fully present in the process of your activity, performance is effortless and results are insignificant. It’s often described as “flow” or being “in the zone,” but whatever you call it, we are all familiar with that sensation–when you’re doing something enjoyable, and it just comes so easily.

This feeling for me doesn’t necessarily come in a moment of glory, in the last five minutes of a game, or in a winning play. It’s born from the passion of what I do when it “doesn’t matter,” when no one is watching, when nothing is at stake.

I find this feeling in the process, more often than I do in the result. I was reminded of this the night my college soccer career ended. We had just won the 2008 National Championship, and I sat in my room in Chapel Hill, actually feeling depressed, rather than satisfied. The team was out celebrating, and all I could seem to think about was the fact that it was finished. That was it.

All those Tuesdays of doing fitness, all the excruciating pre-game meetings, the effort, nerves, preparation to win a national championship, and it was over. Just like that. I felt like I would have given back my national championship to spend just one more week with the team. The more I thought about it, the more it dawned on me. It was the PROCESS of winning that I loved, not so much the actual win.

And when I think back on my life since I began playing soccer, the seemingly unimportant moments are the ones that come to mind first. It’s the videos I watched with my dad to learn about the game, and all our ridiculously naïve ideas on how things should be done. I remember trying to dribble in circles around a tree stump near my house to practice using the outside of my feet.

It’s the times playing on my own in the racquetball court, lost in the music of my ipod, when management would actually turn out the lights on me when my time was up. I would have to search for my phone and car keys in the dark.

It’s the time spent in parking garages, and basements of hotels, practicing tricks I had seen…or making up silly ways of training in the house when it was snowing outside.

It’s the time in elementary school when I was juggling at the bus stop and our Southern neighbor drove by and yelled, “Y’all can’t be playing soccer every dayyyy.” I knew I could prove him wrong!

It’s the time I was in Florida to watch my sister play a tournament, and I went to kick the ball around at some field that was more dirt than grass. I was struggling to curl the ball into the goal from behind the goal line, so actually from behind the goal.

It was taking a lot of tries, and I was getting frustrated, until I looked up and saw a group of guys who had been playing on the other half of the field. They had stopped, and were watching my efforts. They had clearly come straight from work to play…I’m pretty sure one or two of them were actually wearing cargo pants, and there were a variety of languages floating across the field.

I still remember their cheers and celebration when I finally bent the ball in. It honestly felt just as good as any goal I’ve ever scored.

It’s these moments that comprise the process, and that are most special to me.

As I learned the night of the 2008 national championship, if everything that you do, day in and day out, is solely building for a single moment—what becomes of it all when that moment has passed? It is this perspective that I have gained during the past year, and which I hope to carry with me throughout my life: Ideally, what we do in each moment should have value in and of itself. We should train just for the sake of training, play just for the sake of playing, and live just for the sake of living.

Winning is a process. Success is a process. Happiness is a process. And this point in my career is only one sliver of time within my process.

I have always believed that there is no limit to the rate of my improvement as an athlete, soccer player, and person. I pride myself on the fact that I seek to improve every day, every month, and every year. As Anson put it, “We should all strive to live on a never-ending path of ascension.” It is the PATH that Anson talks about and emphasizes, not the destination.

I used to look around and see players who were ahead of me, and envy what they had or where they were. I think we all do that. We see the success of others, and we are jealous of them, or focus on our own shortcomings in comparison. However, today I can honestly say that I wouldn’t trade places with any one of those players—not for a second. To me, professionalism is about realizing my own personal worth, and bringing that to the table—or the field—every day.

I got to put this into practice often this past fall, when I trained a lot with Heather O’Reilly. Heather and I probably couldn’t be more opposite types of players. Her strengths are areas in which I could most improve, and vice versa.

But this fall, we both embraced this fact, and it was some of the most fun I’ve ever had training. Heather pushed me to be quicker, more athletic, and more intense. Yet, I distinctly recall one day when we had done a series of sprints, and she was visibly feeling very confident and good about herself.

So, of course I knew I had to quickly put an end to that! “Hey Heath,” I shouted over to her, still out of breath from the fitness. “Wanna have a juggling competition?” I had to bring her back down to earth! That’s one reason soccer is so special, and training with Heather has helped me to believe in myself, and never to take my strengths and unique qualities for granted.

Yes, I’m still extremely competitive with my teammates. Yes, I still strive to improve my weaknesses, and constantly analyze every aspect of my game. But I don’t let that take away from the core of who I am as a player and a person, which is something that I have crafted over time, and I am very proud of.

I’ve learned that we all have something to share. It’s often the little things that make me aware of this. It’s the impact I can have on younger players, those little girls who are where I once was. A couple of weeks ago, I was making an appearance for Sky Blue FC, and I was asked to take a picture with a young girl.

This kind of thing has become routine for WPS players, but as I put my arm around her, I realized that she was trembling. I was really moved to know that I could have this kind of effect on someone—that I could perhaps be an important part of her journey, someone she might remember for something I said or did.

I have a tremendous amount of respect for everyone in this room, because you have the platform to shape players’ journeys. You might never know the little things you do that will change a person’s life. Maybe it’s as simple as a smile at the right time, or a silly speech about ice cream.

Even on the days when you feel like your athletes or co-workers couldn’t care less, and that no one is listening, there’s that one player in the group whose eyes light up when you speak, who is hanging on your every word, who will quote you in her journal. Coach for that player.

Anson writes each senior a personal note before they’re finished playing for him. I know my letter talks about soccer, national championships, and player of the year awards, but the following passage from the letter is what I have recorded in my journal, and what means more to me than anything else he could have said. Anson wrote:

“But of all your wonderful achievements, what I cherish most is the lasting effect you have had on our culture here. You made sure everything was fun. Sometimes, in the fight for athletic success, many of us lose sight of what this is all about, and you never let us.”

So, when I reflect back on the 15 years I’ve spent so far involved in this game, and the lifetime ahead I plan to, I hope to have an impressive list of accomplishments. I want to defend the WPS Championship, win a World Cup, and an Olympic gold medal. But when all is said and done, it is not only those accolades that I will cherish.

I will always smile when I think about the time at UNC when we were about to start our first of 10 cones (a dreaded fitness drill) and, as Anson yelled “GO!” we all fell to the ground as a joke.

I will always look forward to being home in New Jersey, where I can go kick the ball around at the local schoolyard with my sister.

I will always feel sentimental when I think about playing pickup on Fetzer Field (our UNC game field) in Chapel Hill at midnight, under the single light that’s left on.

I will always laugh when I reminisce on the absurdity and turbulence of Sky Blue FC’s first season, when, it seems, we had more coaches than are currently sitting in this room.

And my eyes will always light up when I see a ragtag group of guys playing soccer in some random park on the side of the road.

These are the things that I love most about this game, because for me it’s about the journey, not the destination.

Copyright © 2010 by Yael Averbuch/Sky Blue FC. Inquiries or permission to reprint, contact John Archibald at jarchibald@skybluesoccer.com

Check back soon for an exclusive Q&A with Yael which we’re sure will be equally inspiring!

PUMA unveils new WPS match ball

The official 2010 PUMA WPS ball has been bouncing through Philadelphia all week and was finally unveiled tonight at the NSCAA Soccer Convention.

Those following the ball’s  journey through Philly found it first on the famed stairs that Rocky ascended in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. On Day Two of the  ball’s journey through the City of Brotherly Love, it made a pit stop at the Italian Market where it found company amongst the spaghetti squash and rutabaga. The new WPS game ball next bounced over to Pat’s King of Steaks on Day Three for a quick snack and to weigh in on the argument Philadelphians have been having for centuries (who serves the best cheese steak).

The mysterious sphere then made it’s way over to the Philadelphia Convention tonight just in time for its big moment. And it was at the NSCAA Convention, where WPS Commissioner Tonya Antonucci unveiled the new WPS Official Match Ball as PUMA athlete and Los Angeles Sol goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc made her “first save” on the new ball, snaring a practice shot on one of the clinic fields at the Convention Center.

After securing the ball’s “first save”, Leblanc walked over and presented PUMA’s WPS PWR-C 1.10, the Official Match Ball of the 2010 WPS Season, to Commissioner Antonucci.

The WPS PWR-C 1.10 features a unique 20-panel construction developed with the aim of improving both shooting speed and flight distance. The ball is abrasion-resistant and water-repellent and, for the first time in PUMA’s history, high-frequency molded instead of hand-stitched, providing improved stability of form and less water uptake.

PUMA’s new ball comes with a two-year shape guarantee and features an innovative take on the jasmine green colorway first seen in the WPS Official Match Ball developed for the league’s inaugural year. The WPS PWR-C 1.10 will be showcased on-field throughout the 2010 WPS season and will be used for the first time in a regular season game when the Washington Freedom kick off against the Boston Breakers on Saturday, April 10 at the Maryland SoccerPlex.

Play on…

OAKES in the Offseason

What an amazing experience being part of the inaugural Women’s Professional Soccer season has been! I’m a part of history. I’m a PRO athlete. But now it’s the offseason, and so what next?

The difficulty as a player within this first-year league is that there is very little to count on once the season ends. And with mostly year-to-year contracts, players at this point have not yet re-signed with their teams; they don’t get paid in the offseason either.

We all anticipate returning to play in the league next season, but that’s not for sure. We anticipate returning to the same city and team, but that’s not for sure either. And we seek a means to make a living for the time being, but are limited in job choices due to the fact that we’ll hopefully be leaving to begin the next WPS season within six months.

Even as we returned home in mid-August, many players still did not have clear plans for themselves. I, personally, shared the same unsettling feelings of uncertainty concerning my offseason game plan, or lack thereof. I didn’t know exactly what I was going to do, or where I was going to live, or how I was going to continue my training. I just believed that I’d be able to figure it out.

It’s been almost two months since my last game with the Chicago Red Stars and this is what I’ve figured out so far:

#1:  I’ve moved into a great apartment in my hometown of LA that I’ll be subletting through February. I get my own bedroom, private bathroom, and walk-in closet, all at a reduced rate. I live with an adorable Japanese student that’s been in the US for only two years. Her accent and modest demeanor are absolutely endearing. Optimistically, I don’t foresee any roommate conflicts.

#2:  I’ve begun an incredible 6-week yoga teacher certification training program at the InFocus Wellness Institute in Santa Monica , CA . In just two weeks, I, already, have experienced revelational moments and predict this to be a transformational and life-changing experience. (More on this Yoga Naga teacher training to come!)

#3: I’ve begun running private soccer lessons and have begun working soccer clinics for the Malibu AYSO league. I love working with kids, particularly girls, whom I can also mentor and inspire as a role model. In fact, I’ve begun discussions of possible collaborations with charities to put on free soccer clinics in LA, while also taking steps to put on my own specialty camps/clinics in the future. So be on the look-out for that!

I’m feeling awesome so far!! I have been able to fit in time at the gym to maintain a strength/rehab regiment as well as a few ballwork/skills sessions per week. I am determined to not lose sight of my top priority, which is to be ready to perform next season.

I’m a firm believer in nurturing your body and allowing yourself time to rest. So my current training schedule will intensify as the next season nears. Meanwhile, I’m committed to making a difference in the lives of others through education, empowerment and compassion, so I hope to also develop a network that will allow me to utilize my knowledge and experience in order to make that difference an ongoing reality.

I’d love to hear your ideas on what the soccer community needs and/or how we, as pro soccer players, could contribute to your community in any way.  Have any ideas?

~Jill Oakes

A WPS Whirlwind Adventure 2009

(Editors Note: We profiled Jill Oakes shortly before the start of the WPS season. A high school and college soccer standout, Jill just wrapped her first season as a pro and will be a regular contributor to Pretty Tough as she, and the league, gear up for a second season).

As I reflect on the roller-coaster ride I like to call the inaugural WPS season, my own personal journey reads with the same dramatic exclamations of a thrilling 1920’s newspaper headline. “Fame! Discovery! Tragedy! Struggle! Defeat! Opportunity! Triumph!” Or perhaps I’ve just watched the movie “Chicago” way too many times, which is after all one of my top five all-time favorite movies, and ok, maybe I secretly envision myself dancing those legendary Bob Fosse moves on the broadway stage. As it happens, I ended up with my own CHICAGO story, playing for the Chicago Red Stars.

Oct 6, 2008: Fame!

Going in to the WPS Draft, I was the #2 Overall pick. After the National Team player allocation and International Player draft, I was the Bay Area FC Gold Pride’s FIRST choice! My face was splashed all over the soccer presses, right in between #1 Sarah Huffman and #3 Becky Sauerbrunn.  It was pretty dang cool I must say. Before that moment, I’d been feeling myself fall from the soccer world’s radar, then this bumped me right back in there.

Jan 2009: Discovery!

I get the invitation to attend training camp with the US Women’s National Team. Woo hoo! This was what I’d been hoping for, another shot at the pinnacle of American women’s soccer. I’d been in the player pool in past years, but like I said, I’d fallen off the radar, especially after the new head coach, Pia Sundhage, was named. She didn’t know me as a player. And I wasn’t in college anymore, able to be scouted easily. I’d been in soccer limbo, playing on various domestic and international teams, waiting for the elusive new pro league to begin since my senior season ended with UCLA in 2005. Now, I was going to be discovered again!

Jan 2009: Tragedy!

I’m forced to take myself off the training camp roster…. Even now, my throat gets a little choked thinking about it. But it was the right choice for my body, for my ailing knee specifically. ***Must keep reminding myself of that*** My less than perfect right knee that had undergone less-than-routine PCL reconstruction surgery in 2002, acted up in a way I’d never experienced before. As I turned up my training intensity, I expected my usual knee aches and post-workout swelling, but instead experienced actual pain during my workouts. It was pain that gave me what felt like an overly exaggerated limp. I don’t know if my friend Dave, who’d kindly agreed to oversee my camp preparation training, noticed, but the internal pain was definitely there. Something was wrong. And I didn’t have medical insurance! After a mad week of medical favors that allowed my knee to get an MRI and multiple doctors’ opinions, results were that wear & tear had created a case of osteoarthritis. Though the case wasn’t deemed ‘severe,’ it was unanimously agreed upon that I not go into camp and rehab, rehab, rehab. I did as they said, found a family with the Core Performance gym in Santa Monica, and turned my focus to getting ready for the WPS season.

March 2009: Struggle!

FC Gold Pride Preseason. Double-day practices, a rain-soaked turf field, and few easily available rehab/treatment options, nor a nearby training room for optimal pre- or post-practice body attention… Things weren’t looking promising for me and my knee. While getting my playing legs back underneath me on the first day, I had a pretty good performance. Day 2 came and that was it. My body wasn’t having it. Yes the knee was sore, but what also affected me was an excruciatingly painful big toe issue. My toenail was jamming into the front of my cleat every time I stopped or changed directions. I’d never felt so debilitated. I forced myself to remain in practice the rest of the week because on our arrival day, it was clearly explained that “anyone” can get cut, this meant, even their top draft pick (me). I remember being told that I looked like I was just “getting by” in practice, not standing out. I was just getting by; I couldn’t move much or very quickly without pain. Finally, enough was enough and I sat myself out completely and didn’t re-join practice until a week later when my body had finally ‘returned to equilibrium.’ When I realized that all I needed was rest, I knew that it really was just a matter of doing too much too fast, not easing or progressing back thoughtfully.

March 22: Defeat!

After one team practice, I unfortunately was rusty and not up to game-speed to perform well in our scrimmage versus the LA Sol. And although I did awesome the following weekend in a scrimmage versus the College All-Stars, I was cut the next day. On a funny note, I was at the acupuncturist office when I got the news that I was being released. Just picture…. me, lying alone on the treatment table in the tranquil room with acupuncture needles sticking out of my knee, the sound of my loud “Bad to the Bone” ringtone going off, and me, awkwardly paralyzing myself stiff and resisting the urge to fidget while I’m basically being told that I’m fired over the phone. Of course they didn’t use the words, “You’re fired,” but that’s what it is when you are forced to leave a job without any say in the matter, isn’t it? I was fired!? That’s when I realized that these are the pros now. Not college. Nothing’s guaranteed. Anything can happen.

April: Opportunity!

Will another team pick me up? Will I be out of the league for good? What would I do next? And so marked the beginning of a spiritual journey, having faith in whatever it was that was meant for me. I was surprisingly very calm and confident that something else would turn up. I didn’t know what. But, I just felt it would. Emma Hayes and Denise Reddy, coaches for the Chicago Red Stars, showed up with that opportunity. Before I knew it, I arrived in Chicago, surprising most of the girls on the team, whom were apparently not informed of my arrival. It was uncomfortable for me; I was the girl coming in to take someone’s spot. I didn’t wanna be the “bad” guy. Then, I accepted, “It’s business.” Someone inevitably took my spot on the Bay Area team. It’s nothing personal. And after about a week of my ‘trial period’, I signed a developmental player contract. I was on the team. I could check that off my list. Good for me, right? But I had a few more goals on my list that I wanted to check off too. #1: Get a contract. And I mean a real, fully paid, top-18 player contract. Ok, so compared to our male counterparts, the pay is modest, but certainly above and beyond the meager developmental player contract. #2: Be a starter. I wanted to be taking my position on the field after the team cheer, be on the field when that opening whistle blew, and be a leading force in the flow and success of our team play.

May: Triumph!

I triumphantly went on to get signed to the full 18-player roster. Then, on May 23rd, our National team players left  for a couple friendly matches versus Canada, causing them to miss our game versus St Louis. I got to start! I started at defensive midfield, the position I’d been competing for all the while I’d been in Chicago up to that point. But during the second half, I played center back.  I felt great.   I played great. And from that moment on, I was the starting center back for the Chicago Red Stars where I played for the rest of the season! I had done it, checked off both of my remaining personal goals. Wow.

Although my goals for the team and season were not fully fulfilled (we didn’t make playoffs), although I didn’t always reach my own personal performance standards at every moment on the field and although frustrations with my healing-thirsty knee remained a constant concern, I’m awfully proud of what I accomplished this season. And I’m so appreciative, humbled, and motivated to keep working and create what’s next. A great source of motivation and inspiration for me this season has been from one of our strength & conditioning coaches and friend, T. Scott. One of the things he told me was: “GREATNESS is the relentless pursuit of excellence.” To me, that means that you won’t always be perfect; you won’t always win. But, when you work persistently to master what you do, to have integrity, to be sharp, and to continually accomplish more everyday, then you will be great. Greatness is in your control. So, be great!

What’s in the near future for me? I focus on rehab and strengthening my knee; I wait on the WPS expansion draft, commencing tomorrow, Tues. September 15th, to see what team I end up on next year; I organize some soccer clinics in the LA Area; and I complete a 6-week Yoga Naga teacher training course.

Follow along on my journey – on and off the field – as I forge ahead with my athletic career.

WPS Championship Game Photo Journal

Sky Blue FC wins first WPS crown after stormy season

We were at the first game of the WPS season as well as the last (and many inbetween). And what a season’ it’s been.

Sky Blue FC completed its storybook rise from bottomfeeder to league champion with a dramatic, 1-0 victory over a valiant, 10-woman Los Angeles Sol side, whose remarkable season ended in bitter disappointment at their home park.

Heather O’Relly earned MVP honors by scoring the match’s only goal in the 16th minute and later contributing a dazzling slide tackle to dispossess Aya Miyama during a dangerous sequence early in the second half of the inaugural WPS Championship Match.

“It’s a special team we have here with Sky Blue,” said Christie Rampone, who began the season as team captain and ended it as the interim player/coach. “It was a great run for us just battling back to get into the playoffs.”

In ideal conditions at The Home Depot Center, the match began evenly with neither side producing much in the way of dangerous possession through the first quarter hour. Sky Blue FC earned a deep throw-in in the 17th minute and Keeley Dowling began the season’s most important series of passes by floating a well-meant cross into the box aimed at Natasha Kai. Back in the starting lineup after coming off the bench for playoff victories in Washington and St. Louis, Kai flicked the ball to the back post where Heather O’Reilly had shed Sol right back Manya Makoski and the U.S. National Team star did not miss her mark, beating Karina LeBlanc to put the underdog visitors on top.

For LeBlanc, who had posted a dozen clean sheets in 19 starts, the goal against was the product of a rare miscue from her backline which lost track of O’Reilly.

“It came pretty quickly,” LeBlanc said. “I was just trying to get something on it. The coaching staff said that it was pretty point blank. It came pretty hard.”

The Sol then set their sites on the equalizer, and nearly had a chance in the 24th minute but Jen Buczkowski, who has started throughout the playoffs for the Euro-bound Anita Asante, swooped in to tackle the ball away from Shannon Boxx.

Three minutes later, controversy ensued when Natasha Kai made a long run on the ball and was fouled from behind by Allison Falk. Referee Kari Seitz reached for her pocket and pulled out a red card on the basis that Falk was the last defender back to deny Kai an opportunity to score.

“I didn’t feel it was a red card. I thought it was a poor decision,” Sol coach Abner Rogers said. “Stephanie Cox was a recovering player so (Falk) wasn’t the last defender. And it wasn’t a blatant tackle.”

The loss of manpower was rarely evident. The Sol spent almost the entire second half assaulting the Sky Blue FC goal, but continued to fall just short of finding the equalizer. O’Reilly’s moment of defensive magic came in the 51st minute when Marta held the ball and laid it off for Aya Miyama on the right side of the penalty area. O’Reilly charged in to win enough of the ball to force a corner kick. The crowd—7,218 strong—gasped in anticipation of the equalizing red card, but there was no such call.

“I did get the ball, but that’s a scary play especially with what happened early in the game,” O’Reilly said. “She’s a sneaky player and she slipped right behind me. I know that as an outside midfielder, that’s my mark.”

Moments later, Marta ran on to a ball in space and Buczkowski, Dowling, and Meghan Schnur all made outstanding defensive plays over the next two minutes to keep the Sol at bay.

“They did a great job,” Rampone said of her defense, of which she is the fourth member. “They did a good job of being mindful of where (Marta) was and dropping when they needed to and stepping when we needed to. Just trying to play that game with her instead of man marking her, basically trying to frustrate her.”

The Sol never let up. They had two great chances in the 61st minute, the first a backheel by Han Duan that did not have enough on it, and the second a twisting ball by Miyama that Jenni Branam went up high to corral.

Shannon Boxx ripped off a shot in the 72nd minute that Branam spilled for a corner kick, but the corner went to Cox who sent a chip harmlessly over everyone.

The last dangerous moments of the season for the Sol commenced six minutes from time when Branam had to make a tough touch on a Marta cross intended for Miyama. The ensuing corner kick went to Boxx who slipped a pass in to substitute Lyndsey Patterson near the top of the six-yard box. Branam fell on it at the last moment.

“Amazing,” Rampone said of Branam, who has battled injuries and illness and thrived with a frenetic, high-risk style that has given Sky Blue FC fans many anxious moments during the season. “Jenni was a huge part of our success. She allows the backline to hold a higher line at times because she comes off her line. She basically won a lot of these games for us. She does get hit and she goes down, but I know nothing is going to keep her off the field.”

Sol players remained on the field after the match while Sky Blue FC celebrated, and LeBlanc addressed the fans, who helped the Sol lead not only the standings but the attendance table. Still it was a tough pill to swallow for a team that raced to the head of the pack in April and never looked back.

“When the season started, we had a lot of goals. And we accomplished all of them but one,” said Boxx, the team captain. “I’m not disappointed in our whole season. I think we played very well all year. Does this one hurt? Yeah, it hurts a lot.”

“I thought it showed a lot of character to play the way the second half that we played with ten players,” Rogers said.

The inaugural WPS season concludes on Sunday, Aug. 30 with the WPS All-Star Game presented by the Coast Guard. The match will pit the WPS All-Stars against Swedish Champions Umeå IK and will be played at The Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park, Saint Louis Athletica’s home field, in Fenton, Mo.

Marta throws out first pitch at Dodgers game

Los Angeles Sol striker Marta plays with the baseball as if it were a soccer ball before throwing out a ceremonial first pitch in Dodger Stadium at the MLB National League baseball game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Los Angeles Dodgers in Los Angeles, California, August 17, 2009.

Women’s Professional Soccer announces first team for All-Star Game

Women’s Professional Soccer on Tuesday announced the selection of the league’s First XI and the WPS All-Star Team Head Coach in preparation for its 2009 WPS All-Star Game. Each of the players selected are invited to the 2009 WPS All-Star Game. The players were selected based on votes by fans (25%), media (25%), coaches (25%) and players (25%).

Listed by position, club team and national team:

2009 WPS All-Stars – First XI
Karina LeBlanc     GK        Los Angeles Sol         Canada
Tina Ellertson           D       Saint Louis Athletica   United States
Amy LePeilbet         D        Boston Breakers        United States
Alex Scott              D        Boston Breakers         England
Camille Abily          M        Los Angeles Sol         France
Sonia Bompastor     M       Washington Freedom  France
Shannon Boxx        M        Los Angeles Sol          United States
Lori Chalupny        M        Saint Louis Athletica    United States
Kelly Smith            M       Boston Breakers          England
Eniola Aluko           F       Saint Louis Athletica     England
Marta                    F        Los Angeles Sol            Brazil

Not surprisingly, Los Angeles Sol’s Marta was the highest overall vote-getter, selected by 94% of all media ballots, along with all eligible coach’s ballots (teams can’t vote for their own players), second in the player vote and finished fourth overall in the fan vote.  Hope Solo, who didn’t make the final roster,  was the top pick by fans.

More than 25,000 ballots were cast online by fans and all players on WPS rosters voted, including their choice for the WPS All-Star Team Head Coach. The players selected Los Angeles Sol head coach, Abner Rogers to lead the 2009 WPS All-Stars.

With several players expected to be unavailable due to national team commitments at the 2009 European Championships, the First XI players who cannot play will be replaced by the next-highest vote-getters at that position announced later this week. A total of 18 WPS players will be part of the WPS All-Star Team with the WPS Commissioner and the All-Star Game Head Coach selecting the other seven WPS All-Star Team members.

The 2009 WPS All-Star Game features the WPS All-Stars against Swedish league champions Umeå IK at The Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park in Fenton, MO, on Sunday, August 30th with kick-off scheduled for 5:30pm ET/4:30pm CT.

The game will be televised live nationally on Fox Soccer Channel and regionally on select Fox Sports Net affiliates (check local listings) with coverage starting at 5:00 p.m. ET with a half-hour pre-game show prior to kick-off.

For information or to reserve tickets for the 2009 WPS All Star Game call 1-888-STL-GOAL or visit www.SaintLouisAthletica.com. Group and individual tickets are now on sale.

2009 WPS All-Star voting begins online

With the WNBA All-Star team picked, it’s now time to vote for your fave soccer players.

Voting for the 2009 WPS All-Star Team begins today on the Women’s Professional Soccer website: http://www.womensprosoccer.com/AllStars.

The 2009 WPS All-Star Game will feature the WPS All-Stars against Swedish league champions Umea IK  (Marta’s former team).   Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park in Fenton, MO,  home of the Athletica,  will host the match on Sunday, August 30th with kick-off scheduled for 4:30pm CT.

The game will be televised live nationally on Fox Soccer Channel and regionally on select Fox Sports Net affiliates (check local listings) with a half-hour pre-game show prior to kick-off.

A total of 18 WPS players will take part in the WPS All-Star Game with the Starting XI players selected through voting and the other seven chosen by the WPS Commissioner and the All-Star Game Head Coach. Players voted on to the Starting XI who are not available to play in the WPS All-Star Game will be replaced by the next-highest vote-getters at that position.

In order to be on the All-Star Game Ballot, players need to have played at least 50% of their team’s total minutes this season through June 22. Write-in votes are also accepted.

In a unique twist for the first year of the WPS All-Star Game, the head coach will be voted on collectively by the players.

If you’re voting for the All-Star players, you can select up to one goalkeeper, three defenders, five midfielders and two forwards. By voting you are also automatically entered to win one of three Puma match balls autographed by all 18 players who represent WPS at the WPS All-Star Game in St. Louis.

Voting ends at 8pm ET on July 31 and the WPS All-Star team will be announced the week of August 3rd.

So who will be checked on your ballot?

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