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Ladies Man: Celebrating The League In Style
In the latest installment of the Ladies Man column, Goal.com's Giovanni Albanese Jr. discusses how Women's Professional Soccer knows how to show off its league with a highly-entertaining All-Star Game, on and off the field.
Jul 7, 2010 6:05:00 PM
By Giovanni Albanese Jr.
Celebrating the league in style
Women’s Professional Soccer is at the midway point of its second season, and it took the opportunity to celebrate the league with a vastly entertaining All-Star Game at the brand-new, soccer-specific KSU Soccer Stadium, home of the Atlanta Beat.
Marta XI, captained by FC Gold Pride striker Marta (by way of the second-most votes in the all-star balloting), prevailed over Abby Wambach’s (leading all-star vote getter) club Abby XI, 5-2.
Now granted, the game didn’t draw a sellout. In fact, the 8,300-seat facility didn’t draw much more than half its capacity -- just 4,610 fans came out to see the world’s best women soccer players in action, which was an increase of nearly 500 from last year’s all-star match in St. Louis.
“One of the challenges we had last year, it was back-to-back with our championship, so there wasn’t as much time to prepare for our fans, partners and even for the players,” WPS Commissioner Tonya Antonucci said in an interview conducted at halftime of the All-Star Game. “This is more of a traditional, midseason approach. But it’s nice because it can help build momentum towards the championship.”
There were a couple major differences from last year’s match, however. First, the WPS changed its time of the All-Star Game from just after the WPS Championship to midseason; and second, instead of 18 WPS stars taking on prominent Swedish club Umea IK, 36 WPS stars took on each other in a one-of-a-kind match.
Opting away from challenging a foreign club team -- like what people will see in the MLS All-Star Game this year, when they take on English Premier League club Manchester United -- as well as the East vs. West format of the NHL and NBA, the WPS played a playground pick-em style match, where top players Marta and Wambach selected its starting XI. So, the all-star festivities started on June 28 with the pick-em event held at STATS in downtown Atlanta.
Once both sides were picked, it was onto the game Wednesday night, which began with a rousing pre-game performance by the U.S. Coast Guard.
And after the lineups were introduced, there was a special “First Kick” that U.S. women’s soccer pioneer Michelle Akers took. It was a surprise to Wambach, who wasn’t aware Akers would be at the event.
“It was great to see her out there supporting WPS. For those close to the game, everyone knows that Michelle Akers was an incredible player, the heart and soul of the national team for so many years,” Wambach said. “She was the real hero of mine growing up and fantastic to see her come out before the game.”
A lot of the talk in Kennesaw, Ga., was of the impressive new stadium. Antonucci commented about the facility and how the WPS hopes to have a couple more like it in the future.
“It’s the first of its kind in our league: a women‘s soccer-specific stadium. It‘s ground breaking for the sport,” said Antonucci. “It’s a real testament of the quality of play … for them to have a stadium that fits what they bring.
“And I think for fans,” Antonucci continued, “it’s intimate; has great sight lines; it’s a wonderful field; and the quality is just fantastic.”
And that’s really just talking about the exterior of the stadium. Having taken a tour around the facility, and going into the “bomb shelter” as they call it, the below-ground area containing the coaches’ offices, locker rooms, bathrooms, lounge area and press conference room, among others, it’s overwhelming.
“I got lost down there,” Marta XI and FC Gold Pride coach Albertin Montoya said about the stadium.
But just because Fitz Johnson, owner of the Atlanta Beat, perhaps went above and beyond to build this state-of-the-art park, there’s no reason why Antonucci believes it has to be the last, stating, “We hope it’s a trend that continues.”
Potentially, it could continue. Thoughts are that the WPS will expand. And yes, some will think that the WPS lost the Los Angeles Sol and St. Louis Athletica, but the league’s teams are their own entities and the promise of expansion is high. Should expansion come -- most likely in 2012 -- it would be announced by the end of the season.
“We have particular focus on Midwest to west,” said Antonucci in regard to where the expansion is expected to go. The hope is to balance out the league, geographically.
A new team in the league will bring a new opportunity for another facility like KSU Soccer Stadium. Chances are it won’t compare (it’ll be hard to do that) but anything half as nice as the Beat’s digs would be a step up from most of the currently-used parks.
And of course, that new team will give some quality women’s soccer players a chance at playing in the league again. Many WPS-worthy players are without a job (at least at the highest level of play) after the dispersing of Athletica players.
But that’s neither here nor there at this point. For now, it’s all about 2010 and the celebration of WPS as it currently stands. One thing is for sure: WPS does it right; other leagues should take notes.
Goal of the Week
Lauren Cheney, Abby XI - Maybe not the best goal of the week, but it certainly was the prettiest, at least in my eyes. In the 2010 WPS All-Star Game, with Abby XI trailing Marta XI, 4-1, in the second half, Heather O’Reilly of Sky Blue FC (who factored in both of Abby XI’s goals) sent in a cross from the left flank. Cheney, of the Boston Breakers, sprinted into the space the ball was headed and, with Marta XI keeper Nicole Barnhart (FC Gold Pride) heading to her left, slammed a header to the open side of the goal.
Have a look at the goal here:
Save of the Week
Alyssa Naeher, Boston Breakers - If not for Naeher’s save early on, the Breakers may have extended its winless streak to 10 games. Instead, her save on the WPS’ second-best goal scorer Amy Rodriguez proved to be the difference in the Breakers 2-1 win over the second-place Philadelphia Independence on Sunday.
Heather Mitts received a pass from Tina DiMartino on the right flank before bending a through ball into open space, targeting Rodriguez. Philadelphia’s striker -- formerly of Boston -- got to it and hit a shot first time for the upper-90 that Naeher leaped to punch away.
Here’s a look at the save:
Quote of the Week
"I'm hoping Marta goes to get a cup of coffee in five or 10 minutes so we can get back in the game,” courtesy of the always refreshing sounds of Paul Riley, 25 minutes into the 2010 WPS All-Star Game.
Riley’s comments came during an in-game interview with the broadcasting team on Fox Soccer Channel. Riley, the coach of the expansion Philadelphia Independence, was coach of Abby XI in the All-Star Game. Abby XI lost to Marta XI, 5-2 on June 30; Marta scored two goals in a span of a minute to cause Riley’s comments.
Women’s Professional Soccer is at the midway point of its second season, and it took the opportunity to celebrate the league with a vastly entertaining All-Star Game at the brand-new, soccer-specific KSU Soccer Stadium, home of the Atlanta Beat.
Marta XI, captained by FC Gold Pride striker Marta (by way of the second-most votes in the all-star balloting), prevailed over Abby Wambach’s (leading all-star vote getter) club Abby XI, 5-2.
Now granted, the game didn’t draw a sellout. In fact, the 8,300-seat facility didn’t draw much more than half its capacity -- just 4,610 fans came out to see the world’s best women soccer players in action, which was an increase of nearly 500 from last year’s all-star match in St. Louis.
“One of the challenges we had last year, it was back-to-back with our championship, so there wasn’t as much time to prepare for our fans, partners and even for the players,” WPS Commissioner Tonya Antonucci said in an interview conducted at halftime of the All-Star Game. “This is more of a traditional, midseason approach. But it’s nice because it can help build momentum towards the championship.”
There were a couple major differences from last year’s match, however. First, the WPS changed its time of the All-Star Game from just after the WPS Championship to midseason; and second, instead of 18 WPS stars taking on prominent Swedish club Umea IK, 36 WPS stars took on each other in a one-of-a-kind match.
Opting away from challenging a foreign club team -- like what people will see in the MLS All-Star Game this year, when they take on English Premier League club Manchester United -- as well as the East vs. West format of the NHL and NBA, the WPS played a playground pick-em style match, where top players Marta and Wambach selected its starting XI. So, the all-star festivities started on June 28 with the pick-em event held at STATS in downtown Atlanta.
Once both sides were picked, it was onto the game Wednesday night, which began with a rousing pre-game performance by the U.S. Coast Guard.
And after the lineups were introduced, there was a special “First Kick” that U.S. women’s soccer pioneer Michelle Akers took. It was a surprise to Wambach, who wasn’t aware Akers would be at the event.
“It was great to see her out there supporting WPS. For those close to the game, everyone knows that Michelle Akers was an incredible player, the heart and soul of the national team for so many years,” Wambach said. “She was the real hero of mine growing up and fantastic to see her come out before the game.”
A lot of the talk in Kennesaw, Ga., was of the impressive new stadium. Antonucci commented about the facility and how the WPS hopes to have a couple more like it in the future.
“It’s the first of its kind in our league: a women‘s soccer-specific stadium. It‘s ground breaking for the sport,” said Antonucci. “It’s a real testament of the quality of play … for them to have a stadium that fits what they bring.
“And I think for fans,” Antonucci continued, “it’s intimate; has great sight lines; it’s a wonderful field; and the quality is just fantastic.”
And that’s really just talking about the exterior of the stadium. Having taken a tour around the facility, and going into the “bomb shelter” as they call it, the below-ground area containing the coaches’ offices, locker rooms, bathrooms, lounge area and press conference room, among others, it’s overwhelming.
“I got lost down there,” Marta XI and FC Gold Pride coach Albertin Montoya said about the stadium.
But just because Fitz Johnson, owner of the Atlanta Beat, perhaps went above and beyond to build this state-of-the-art park, there’s no reason why Antonucci believes it has to be the last, stating, “We hope it’s a trend that continues.”
Potentially, it could continue. Thoughts are that the WPS will expand. And yes, some will think that the WPS lost the Los Angeles Sol and St. Louis Athletica, but the league’s teams are their own entities and the promise of expansion is high. Should expansion come -- most likely in 2012 -- it would be announced by the end of the season.
“We have particular focus on Midwest to west,” said Antonucci in regard to where the expansion is expected to go. The hope is to balance out the league, geographically.
A new team in the league will bring a new opportunity for another facility like KSU Soccer Stadium. Chances are it won’t compare (it’ll be hard to do that) but anything half as nice as the Beat’s digs would be a step up from most of the currently-used parks.
And of course, that new team will give some quality women’s soccer players a chance at playing in the league again. Many WPS-worthy players are without a job (at least at the highest level of play) after the dispersing of Athletica players.
But that’s neither here nor there at this point. For now, it’s all about 2010 and the celebration of WPS as it currently stands. One thing is for sure: WPS does it right; other leagues should take notes.
Goal of the Week
Lauren Cheney, Abby XI - Maybe not the best goal of the week, but it certainly was the prettiest, at least in my eyes. In the 2010 WPS All-Star Game, with Abby XI trailing Marta XI, 4-1, in the second half, Heather O’Reilly of Sky Blue FC (who factored in both of Abby XI’s goals) sent in a cross from the left flank. Cheney, of the Boston Breakers, sprinted into the space the ball was headed and, with Marta XI keeper Nicole Barnhart (FC Gold Pride) heading to her left, slammed a header to the open side of the goal.
Have a look at the goal here:
Save of the Week
Alyssa Naeher, Boston Breakers - If not for Naeher’s save early on, the Breakers may have extended its winless streak to 10 games. Instead, her save on the WPS’ second-best goal scorer Amy Rodriguez proved to be the difference in the Breakers 2-1 win over the second-place Philadelphia Independence on Sunday.
Heather Mitts received a pass from Tina DiMartino on the right flank before bending a through ball into open space, targeting Rodriguez. Philadelphia’s striker -- formerly of Boston -- got to it and hit a shot first time for the upper-90 that Naeher leaped to punch away.
Here’s a look at the save:
Quote of the Week
"I'm hoping Marta goes to get a cup of coffee in five or 10 minutes so we can get back in the game,” courtesy of the always refreshing sounds of Paul Riley, 25 minutes into the 2010 WPS All-Star Game.
Riley’s comments came during an in-game interview with the broadcasting team on Fox Soccer Channel. Riley, the coach of the expansion Philadelphia Independence, was coach of Abby XI in the All-Star Game. Abby XI lost to Marta XI, 5-2 on June 30; Marta scored two goals in a span of a minute to cause Riley’s comments.
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