WPS is on thin Ice

Nordecke · November 1, 2010

http://equalizersoccer.com/WebPages/blog.aspx?postid=1c4e2cc5-db1d-4609-a8da-177ee7066cd4

Halloween just got a lot scarier for Women's Professional Soccer. Sources have confirmed the league will announce publicly sometime this week that the Washington Freedom and FC Gold Pride have folded.

The two teams will cease operations and players will become free agents. Marta, the 2009 and 2010 WPS MVP and four-time FIFA World Player of the Year, is amongst those players that will now be free agents.

The news comes after the Los Angeles Sol folded in January and Saint Louis Athletica folded mid-season in May. Western New York (Buffalo-Rochester) was added as an expansion team in September. That brought the league to eight teams, but the demise of Washington and FC Gold Pride leaves just six teams in WPS: Atlanta Beat, Boston Breakers, Chicago Red Stars, Philadelphia Independence, Sky Blue FC and Western New York.

WPS is expected to move forward with six teams in 2011, but the loss of another would prove fatal to the league. Check back for details as they come Monday and Tuesday

Click to expand...

Pro sport for woman is tricky, the WNBA is horrible IMHO.. The WPS is not very good either, however, it's not all bad.. The WPS is very young but already it looks like it wont be able to continue much longer.

This is bad news for me who has a sweet little baby girl who I want to turn into a hard tackling soccer player.. Would be nice for young girls to see that woman can make a living through sport.

spikeman · November 1, 2010

That sucks. Never went to a Freedom game but they do play like 20 minutes away from where I live.

spikeman · November 1, 2010

And I remember when the league was formed the people saying it was folding proof

Nordecke · November 1, 2010

spikeman said:
And I remember when the league was formed the people saying it was folding proof

Maybe the league has a back up plan.. :unsure:

Dont know.. hope they can pull it together.. Think of the sports woman can look good at playing.. and by look good I mean not make a fool of themselves.

Golf, Tennis, Vollyball, Soccer, Lacross (believe it or not) , Am I missing something? Thats about it.. Gymnastics.

spikeman · November 1, 2010

Nordecke said:
Maybe the league has a back up plan.. Dont know.. hope they can pull it together.. Think of the sports woman can look good at playing.. and by look good I mean not make a fool of themselves.

Golf, Vollyball, Soccer, Lacross (believe it or not) , Am I missing something? Thats about it.. Gymnastics.

I went to my high school girls soccer game saturday. It was AWFUL. Well the other team was, it was like none of them have ever played or watched soccer before. Me and my friends were laughing the whole time.

Nordecke · November 1, 2010

spikeman said:
I went to my high school girls soccer game saturday. It was AWFUL. Well the other team was, it was like none of them have ever played or watched soccer before. Me and my friends were laughing the whole time.

I blame the Highschool mate.. My town's Highschool team is very very bad.. The boys!! I talked to some people about helping coach HS but in this town it's "who you know" type [Poor language removed]..

However, I did contact a guy for the YMCA and I can help young kids develope, but I won't have the time once I start working.

spikeman · November 1, 2010

Nordecke said:
I blame the Highschool mate.. My town's Highschool team is very very bad.. The boys!! I talked to some people about helping coach HS but in this town it's "who you know" type [Poor language removed]..

However, I did contact a guy for the YMCA and I can help young kids develope, but I won't have the time once I start working.

Yeah my high school's boys team is even worse. Well, the guys could beat the girls team easily but you know what I mean.

Nordecke · November 1, 2010

spikeman said:
Yeah my high school's boys team is even worse. Well, the guys could beat the girls team easily but you know what I mean.

yea, the grass roots level of soccer in this country is very bad.. yet we have more youth playing soccer than any other country I believe.? Crazy

Extratime · November 1, 2010

Nordecke said:
yea, the grass roots level of soccer in this country is very bad.. yet we have more youth playing soccer than any other country I believe.? Crazy

The issue is you have unqualified parents coaching young soccer players at pivotal times in their development. Luckily living in NJ I see some pretty good coaches, and we have a lot of $$ soccer academies here that are quite good. However you still see the clueless parent here and there. Not their fault really as they are doing their best, but sometimes you see an awful youth team and think to yourself, "These guys have not even been taught the basics."

The hardest thing for me when I was growing up was there was not anyone with a really good "soccer/football mind" to guide me. I realized this when I was in college as I was hoping my college coach would be able to provide that guidance. It wasn't the case though. He was one of those old school coaches and it took a season plus the team captain putting in a good word for the coach to give a shot to a 5'6'' 150 pound outside back. Didn't fit the defender "mold" I guess. Was the starter from then on.