Author: RJ Allen

What the Furt, Washington?

Posted on by RJ Allen

It’s been just a month since the Western New York Flash won the 2016 NWSL Championship, and the off-season has seemed as nail-biting as those last seconds of extra-time at the end of the match. But the “What will happen next?” vibe of this off-season hasn’t affected each team across the league equally. Instead, the majority seems to be centered with the Washington Spirit, the team that fought so desperately to win in those last twenty or so seconds after Lynn Williams’s breath-stopping goal that sent the championship game to PKs.

Only a month, and yet, already it’s clear—the 2017 Washington Spirit will be very different than this year’s runners-up.

First, there was the trade of National Team member and Federation allocation Ali Krieger to Orlando in exchange for the Pride’s #2 spot in the Distribution Ranking Order—an exchange that seems paltry, if not insulting, to a foundational player in the team’s play these past four years. Krieger is an original member of the Spirit’s inaugural NWSL roster, returning from FFC Frankfurt, where she had played since 2007 and has served as its captain since Lori Lindsey’s departure following the first season.

Laura Harvey announced the acquisition of midfielder Christine Nairn by the Seattle Reign. Nairn was drafted out of Penn State by the Reign in the 2013 NWSL draft, but was traded in November of that year to the Washington Spirit (where she has played since) in exchange for Kim Little’s discovery rights. The trade also includes rights to goalkeeper Madalyn Schiffel, a 2016 draftee for the Spirit who spent her season with a club in Norway, for Seattle and sends midfielder Havana Solaun and three draft picks (3rd and 36th picks overall in the 2016 draft and the Reign’s second-round pick in 2018) to Washington.

Finally, in the past weeks there has been increasing chatter among soccer journalists that Crystal Dunn, 2015 NWSL MVP and National Team member, will be heading overseas to play in Europe. Dunn confirmed this rumor with Julie Foudy this week, intimating that if she’s going to go and have the experience of playing in a club overseas, now is the time to do it.

That’s three (three!) of the biggest names on the Washington Spirit’s 20-person roster that are certain or highly likely to be gone from the roster next year. That’s three of the team’s leadership players gone. (When Krieger was away on National Team duty, it was Nairn who picked up the armband.) That’s three of the most experienced members of the team—three of the players who have been with the team the longest (Krieger since 2013, Dunn and Nairn since 2014).

If the Krieger trade had you scratching your head, the Nairn trade is sure to leave you baffled. It has me thinking “What the furt, Washington,” honestly.

Because, at first glance, trades and movement during the off-season are natural. Teams reassess their rosters and their anticipated needs for next season’s adjustments. But the actions of the Washington Spirit roster take on a different tone in the wake of issues arising throughout the end of the 2016 regular season and persisting through the run-up toward the Championship.

There are at least three ways to look it, as far as I’m concerned, but none of them seem to spell anything good for the future of the Washington Spirit in 2017.

1. All Systems Green: Calm Seas, Smooth Sailing

And sure, that’s true. Player movement is a sign of a healthy, developing league, with teams planning not just for the next season but for the next several seasons.

But this isn’t what’s happening with the Washington Spirit. I think we need look no further than Krieger’s own statement on the trade for evidence of that.

“The Washington Spirit’s decision to trade me comes as a surprise,” she wrote before going on to thank her teammates and the team’s fans as well as the Spirit staff, volunteers, and coaches for all their hard work and support over her years in DC. Even more, Krieger was reportedly made aware of the trade not by the Washington Spirit but by the Orlando Pride. Other teammates, as well, found out the news not from the Spirit’s owner, Bill Lynch, or coach, Jim Gabarra, but when asked their opinion on the trade, as in the case of Canadian National Team member and allocation Diana Matheson.

While an athlete’s rights can, in general, be traded away at any time without notice or recourse, there is usually a protocol for such things. And it’s when that protocol is ignored, or violated, that suggests something deeper might be at play.

If anything, the Krieger trade brings to mind Western New York’s 2014 trade of Carli Lloyd to the Houston Dash in exchange for Whitney Engen and Becky Edwards, which she characterized in 2015 as lacking decency and respect, saying:

“I don’t think it’s a lot to ask to get a little bit of respect in this league. We don’t get paid millions of dollars to just be uprooted from our families and friends and homes and be traded on the spot. If we were getting paid millions of dollars, different story.”

In the case of Ali Krieger, Dan Lauletta reported on rumors of a trade at least a week before the movement was confirmed, a report that stirred up Krieger’s vast fanbase to the point that she released a statement denying any such speculation.

Ten days later, her trade was announced.

2. Yellow Alert: We’ve Sprung a Leak

A second option is that these are unhappy players looking for a way out. And there’s evidence to that effect—circumstantial and without named sources, but enough to lead to speculation that individual players may be interested in teams with other leadership styles and organizational priorities.

There have long been rumors about player discontent in the locker room, rumors that came to a head the night of the National Anthem controversy in September earlier this year. Immediately after the game, speaking to reporters, Megan Rapinoe made the claim that Bill Lynch is homophobic, and questioned whether this played a role in his decision to silence her protest. In a statement to Caitlin Buckley, Rapinoe said that “I’ve had conversations with Spirit players both current and past,” and that the team, unlike most others in the league, does not seem interested in putting together a Pride night, despite the numerous “gay players on their team.”

In contrast, a Spirit spokesperson insisted that the players would not speak about the anthem issue, only the match itself, and the players released a joint statement two days later which expressed “disappointment” in their owner and team leadership.

Since then, there has seemed to be an undercurrent of displeasure, at least out of the public eye. And when the Krieger trade was confirmed, the Washington Post clearly stated that the relationship between the front office and the locker room was a factor. “The trade comes amid broader player unhappiness about the Washington organization,” the Post’s sources said, and confirmed that the Spirit’s “players are not happy with management in general.”

And during a conversation with Julie Foudy in the days before the first match against Romania this week, Krieger made it clear that, despite the surprise of being traded, the move is actually a positive one, stating, “I was unhappy with the organization there.”

So, when the news of Nairn’s trade broke this morning—and Steven Goff of Soccer Insider suggested that Nairn sought out the trade herself—I don’t think many people were surprised.

3. Code Red: Grab an Oar, It’s a Reckoning

The third option is that the Spirit ownership and leadership are cleaning house. The ship hasn’t sprung a leak so much as it’s been rammed into the rocks.

And to what benefit?

It’s not hard to speculate.

Three of the players with the most power in the locker room and the strongest ability to lead are gone or possibly soon to leave.

Left behind on the Spirit roster, in large part, are the younger, more inexperienced players. The ones who get paid the least—whose livelihoods depend on their team paycheck in a way that Krieger’s, Dunn’s, and possibly even Nairn’s do not.  Players who might think twice before organizing a team meeting to discuss a reaction to an event like Lynch’s anthem decision, as Ali Krieger was reported to have done. Players without the political currency or the playing stats to provide them with some measure of protection if they offer criticism or push back against Lynch’s decisions.

So Which Is It, and What Does It Mean for Washington?

Honestly, I think the answer is a mix of options two and three. On one hand, players are no longer willing to put up with whatever is making them unhappy behind the scenes. On the other hand, an owner is making a stand, expressing his control over his players’ lives.

Whether it’s problems in the locker room, issues with coaching decisions, or a negative relationship with the ownership, there is some truth to the rumors of player unhappiness on the team. And, it’s a problem bad enough that multiple players have, as of today, spoken or alluded to it directly.

And it’s also an issue of control on the part of Bill Lynch, a man who decided he had the right to control patriotism and free speech earlier this season. This reeks of retribution and punishment, especially in the case of Ali Krieger and the trade that wasn’t a trade. That was an expression of control, pure and simple. A warning statement to his remaining players that he quite literally possesses their futures—their rights—and can do with them what he pleases.

With respect to the future, fans of Washington should be concerned. The Washington Spirit was a team on fire in 2016, even though they appeared to dim a little after the anthem issue, their performance suffering (an indication of what was to come, surely). And losing the Championship in such a manner as they did, the Spirit were primed for a “comeback season.” The kind of season a team has after experiencing such a defeat, inspired by their failure to convert.

Now, without two (possibly three) of their strongest leaders, in a season with no majors tournaments, and with the question of whether the Canadians will come back, the Spirit will be looking to fill spaces. They’ll be selecting starters from the 2017 NWSL draft, which is a hit and miss prospect, because not every college star makes a successful transition to professional athlete, much less ones who could be relied on to start and become a playmaker from the get-go.

They’ll be looking to acquire international talent and allocated talent, and they’ll be trying to fit different playing styles together instead of trying to adjust and improve upon what they had.

But most of all, they’ll be looking at building team cohesion from the bottom up, instead of growing upon existing partnerships and on-field chemistry.  And they’ll be doing all of this in a team environment with an owner that has made it clear that it’s Lynch’s way or the highway.

In the meantime, Coach Jim Gabarra says fans are just going to have to trust them.

But honestly? 

I don’t know if they’ve earned it.

Washington Spirit Head Coach and General Manager Jim Gabarra Writes a Letter to Fans

Posted on by RJ Allen

Head Coach and General Manager of the Washington Spirit Jim Gabarra has written a letter of Spirit fans about the recent changes. 

Below is the full text of the letter.

Dear Spirit Fans,

In light of the response to our recent trades here at the Spirit over the past two weeks, I feel it’s important to share some reasoning and information with our fans. While I can’t share everything, we understand and value the emotional connection our fans have with our players and club, so I’ll share as much as I can, in the hope you can feel the same level of optimism I have for our future.

The Spirit certainly had a historic and successful season in 2016, my first at the club. The entire club and our fans collectively achieved great things through togetherness, hard work, and commitment at every level. It was especially rewarding and something I’ll never forget. I hope we can all look back a year ago and see the result of the changes made then as well as acknowledge the job done by new and returning staff and players.

That said, my role as general manager is to continue to evolve and improve the club and the roster. In doing so, there are numerous factors and decisions to be made, often based on dozens of moving parts involving multiple points of interest. In most every case, the public will never see or know all of the reasons, so it’s very understandable that official public releases of information can cause strong emotions.

As you know, 2016 was my first season with the Spirit, as it was for Denise Reddy as my assistant coach. We both came into a new situation with solid returning core of very talented staff and players. This was enhanced with a good draft class and successful new signings, and together we grew and learned. Reaching the NWSL Championship match in Houston was great, however it’s still my job to look forward and continue to put things in place that give the club the best chance to keep reaching for our goals. As is the case with every team in pro sports changes must be made because no matter how successful a season, things can always be better.

Before making any changes, I evaluate each and every aspect of the club, taking into consideration input from my staff, talking to players, and then create a plan to improve and move forward. Just as was the case a year ago, the plan for the 2017 roster requires changes and improvements. These changes are not taken lightly, and are always difficult. Not everyone completely agrees with these changes as they happen, sometimes even including the owner. But I assure you that the only factors ever used in making these decisions are about how to put the best team on the field every day. I would never make any player trades based on any other factors, and ask for our fans’ consideration as we go through the changes that all NWSL teams go through this time of year.

Thanks for your continued support,

– Jim Gabarra

Around the World of WoSo: Stanford Roll, Florida outlasts Arkansas for SEC Title, TCU Collapse, and 64 Teams Set to Dance

Posted on by RJ Allen

Stanford Keeps PAC-12 Title:

 Stanford was my favorite to win this one, but the #21 ranked California Bears put a decent effort in. Within the first 15 minutes, each team had already scored, making for an exciting and unpredictable match-up. In the middle of it all was Andi Sullivan, a player you should be familiar with by now. She leads this team in goals with 11 and is second in assists with 7. Sullivan has proven that she is one of the best players in the nation, even as a junior. She grabbed her goal in the 56th minute by way of a brilliant one-on-one effort to beat Bear keeper Emily Boyd.

    The Sullivan goal seemed to spark the rest of the offense, as sophomore Kyra Carusa and freshman Beattie Goad also contributed goals in the second half to cruise to a 4-1 victory. This was the second consecutive PAC-12 title and 11th in program history for the Cardinals.

FSU outlasts UNC in ACC Showdown:

    Going into this game, I had many expectations, one being that Florida State would win. But I also knew North Carolina would put up a fight. First half was possession-heavy for the Tar Heels, while the Seminoles had troubles connecting the final pass.

    One thing I didn’t expect was for redshirt senior, Kirsten Crowley, to struggle as much as she did in the first half. She gave away bad turnovers, there was a lack of communication between Crowley and the defense, and her passing was horrific. Not sure if it was nerves, fatigue, or just having a rough start, but she did settle in a little more in the second half. A few mistakes by Crowley led to several set piece opportunities for UNC, but they ended up with nothing to show for it.

    One player who is arguably FSU’s best offensive threat is Deyna Castellanos, the explosive freshman from Venezuela. She had her best scoring chance early in the second half, but was stopped by Lindsey Harris, who stood tall for FSU all game. UNC’s best player for me was Maya Worth, who pressured the backline of FSU all game and nearly had a few goals herself. Worth was impressive and very solid in her effort.

    In penalty kicks, the Seminoles converted four while UNC only made three, missing the last one to keep the ACC title in Tallahassee. This is FSU’s fourth consecutive conference title—fifth in sixth seasons.

Georgetown Handles Marquette for Big East crown:

    Two of the best players in the nation happen to be on the same team. Yes, I’m talking about junior Rachel Corboz and senior Grace Damaska. The dynamic pair each scored to lead Georgetown to a 2-0 win and secure its first ever Big East conference title in program history.

    Damaska opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, going unassisted on a loose ball in the box and putting home her team-leading 13th goal of the year. The Hoyas unsurprisingly controlled possession, and they found their second goal early in the second half thanks to Corboz pouncing on a rebound and blasting it home for her 10th goal on the season.

    This win was Georgetown’s 13th shutout of the year, which ties the school record. Another impressive stat was that Marquette only managed one shot on goal, a real testament to the strong defense the Hoyas have put together. This is Georgetown’s seventh bid to the NCAA Tournament in program history.

TCU Collapse Gives West Virginia Big 12 Championship:

    The Horned Frogs got off to a fast start, pressuring and grabbing loose balls, until Michelle Prokof capitalized on a turnover and scored in the 5th minute. That goal was her sixth of the year, putting her at second all-time on the TCU scoring list, with 27 goals to her name. The Horned Frogs struck again just before half. Super sub Allison Ganter earned her ninth goal of the year. What’s notable about that is that Ganter has scored all of her goals when coming off the bench.

    The second half, West Virginia looked more like themselves, pressuring and creating serious scoring threats. Still, the defense of TCU was hanging on. With less than two minutes to go, TCU lost focus, and West Virginia senior defender-turned-forward Kadeisha Buchanan buried a loose ball in the six yard box (from a beautiful dummy by her teammate) to tie the game and give her team life. TCU had the title in their hands, and then it was gone.

    Heading into overtime, the Mountaineers definitely had the momentum—rightfully so. Just seven minutes into OT, senior Ashley Lawrence got ahold of a low cross on the back post for the game winner. It was a remarkable comeback—one that will surely haunt TCU for a while. This was WVU’s third Big 12 championship in four years.

Florida & Arkansas Entertain For SEC Bragging Rights:

This match-up was my favorite of the day, mostly because I enjoy seeing Arkansas continue to prove people wrong. Another reason is that Florida has one of the best forwards in college in senior Savannah Jordan, and she’s got some serious wheels. Jordan and Razorback defender, Qyara Winston, tangled in a few tackles early on, and that seemed to set the tone for the rest of the night. This game brought serious energy, tough challenges, and chippy plays—all the makings for a highly entertaining game.

    Jordan grabbed the opening goal for Florida in the 19th minute by backing down her defender in the six yard box and turning on a dime to score her 15th goal of the year. It also moves her into second place all-time in scoring for the Gators with 80 goals, only 16 behind USWNT and Florida legend Abby Wambach.

    Arkansas continued to hang and pressure the Gators’ backline, and finally capitalized on a mistake. Florida gave a weak and dangerous back pass to keeper Kaylan Marckese, who then had a deflected clearance that fell to Razorback, Sparky Fischer. Marckese took her time getting into position, and Fischer took advantage of that to send a laser into the upper left corner for the equalizer. It was a beautiful goal to keep hope alive for Arkansas.

    This game, like so many others, went into overtime. But both teams were energized and had chances to end it. Both defenses stepped up big time to neutralized those chances. That is, until the final minute, when Gator, Brooke Sharp, headed home a lofty back-post cross by Dougherty Howard. It was a great team goal. This was quite a match, as Arkansas was very tough and gave it all without a doubt. Florida earned their 12th SEC title and first since the 2012 season.

NCAA DI Tournament Selection:

On Monday, the fate of 64 teams looking to get into the NCAA DI tournament was official. The 31 conference winners received automatic bids, along with Stanford (PAC-12), Harvard (IVY), and Pepperdine (West Coast), who each won the regular season in their respective conferences.

    Plenty of the usual powerhouses are included: North Carolina, Virginia, Florida State, Notre Dame, Duke, West Virginia, and UCLA. Teams who are back after a long absence are NC State (1996), Bucknell (2005), UNLV (2006), SMU (2006), and Charlotte (2008). Every year, new teams emerge onto the national stage. This year, four are making their debuts: Alabama State, Kent State, Eastern Washington, and Northern Kentucky.

    Two teams that I had on the bubble were Texas A&M (11-8-1) and Texas Tech 9-8-2). They both managed to make the tournament, even with less than impressive records and wins. The Aggies’ biggest win was 2-1 against Auburn. Other than that, they didn’t stack up against top-20 opponents all year. They struggled in conference play, finishing with five wins, five losses, and a draw. Certainly a team I wouldn’t have picked, but it’s a new season, and anything could happen. As for Texas Tech, they finished conference at an abysmal two wins and six losses. The biggest win on the year for them was at Oklahoma, a narrow 1-0 victory.

    The first round will take place November 11, 12 and 13.

In a time when our country is most divided, is the national women’s team most inclusive?

Posted on by RJ Allen

In case you missed it, there was a presidential election in the United States this past Tuesday. No matter how you voted, or whether you were able, you might have had some feelings about it the following day.

There’s Nothing Like an Election to Remind You How Divided We Are

Full disclosure, I was one of those people with feelings. After the election, I was left more than discouraged, plagued with concern for the future of my friends and family, as well their own personal safety – and my own as included. To be even more honest, I was finding it hard to get excited about the upcoming pair of international friendlies the United States national team was about to face. I love sports. I love women’s soccer. How low must I be if I couldn’t get enthusiastic about sports?

The US national team is currently ranked number one in the FIFA standings. They will be facing Romania in these two upcoming matches. Romania is currently ranked 36th overall, and were eliminated from qualifying to the Euros. It not difficult to imagine the US will come out victorious in these matches. I thought maybe I’d skip these games and continue with my post-election processing.

Nothing Like Sports to Show Us How United We Can Be

Sports can sometimes be a way for people to try and find some solace. Sports are a constant in our American culture. Need to take your mind off something? Watch a game. I heard you can even find drone racing on television these days. Sports can be therapeutic at times. Whether you’re out on the pitch, in the press box, or watching in your home – sports can be a source of comfort.

In pulling myself out of political limbo, I’ve tried to remind myself why I should watch a couple of games that ultimately are meaningless in terms of major tournaments. This team hasn’t always been the most diverse. History has shown that. Former USWNT goalkeeper Briana Scurry recently had her jersey and gloves enshrined in the brand new National Museum of African American History and Culture. The same jersey she wore in 1999 just 17 years ago when the USWNT won their second Women’s World Cup.

17 years ago: that’s younger than our nation’s voting age.

In spite of the lack of diversity on this team–largely to things like “pay to play” and the failure, on multiple levels, to make formal youth soccer opportunities available and accessible in ethnic urban areas–the Women’s National Team has always given its fans reasons to cheer. In winning their World Cup championships and Olympic medals. They have also given its fans players who are uniquely their own to root for. Whatever your politics, if you cheer for this team you probably have favorite players.

Whether you’ve been around awhile and have looked up to a legend like Mia Hamm, or maybe you’re a LGBT youth who has found representation in a player like Megan Rapinoe. Maybe you’re strong in faith and looked up to players like Lauren Holiday. Maybe you’re a young girl or woman of color and are searching for someone who looks like you, and realizing that for the first time, watching this team on the field tonight, you have LITERAL options.

When You Cry Because There Are So Many Players For You to Cheer For

When the national call-ups first dropped, it truly was a welcome surprise. Yes, this team is different than a year ago, but that wasn’t the surprise.  It was the range of diversity and inclusion represented on it. It was mainly because of its diversity and inclusion, something that has been somewhat scarce in games past.  It gave us six players of color to watch and cheer for in these upcoming games.

Along with national team regulars Crystal Dunn and Christen Press, we saw players like Casey Short and Lynn Williams earn their second camp call-ups. We saw the return of Jaelene Hinkle and a first time call-up for Orlando Pride’s Kristen Edmonds. When Hinkle had to decline due to injury, her Western New York Flash teammate Jessica McDonald received the call-up, and tonight, earned her first cap with the senior team. Six players. More than one hand. More than enough to help heal a heart in this divisive time in our country.

To my knowledge, I am unaware of there being any current Asian or Latinx or non-Christian players on this team. I also understand that this is professional sports and one should expect the best roster of players. I acknowledge that could mean the team can literally look different at any time.  Therefore, I will always celebrate these small moments that mean so much to so many.

The Personal Is Political

It’s easy to dismiss people’s feelings when they don’t directly affect your own. There has been a lot of that in this country the last few days. It’s also easy to say sports are just entertainment. However, let’s not act like sports hasn’t been a unifying tool for people in their time of need. Sports has always been a place for people to try and come together. Maybe these November friendlies came at the most perfect time, even if they are ‘meaningless.’

They will allow us a moment to imagine that things aren’t looking so grim.

A large amount of work must take place at a grassroots level to make this game more accessible to everyone. However, these games and this moment will give us a roster that’s starting to look toward a more diverse future. That includes representation for a sector of fans that hasn’t always been so visible. Representation matters, and these players care about that. Crystal Dunn is very good at having that conversation and has been more than willing to take on that role. 

These games might not see all these players on the pitch. Maybe these games will be completely one sided. Maybe we could all use something simple to root for, like our soccer team vs the other soccer team. Maybe as citizens we will get to a point where we will allow more love and less fear.  I will always be on the lookout for the next great national team Latinx superstar, and I will always look for women of color being dominate in their respective sports, but I have never felt more hopeful about the national team’s future than now.

Seattle Reign FC Bring Back Christine Nairn

Posted on by RJ Allen

In a move that is sure to leave Washington fans scratching their heads, midfield Christine Nairn is heading back to Seattle. In exchange for Nairn, Washington will get the 3rd and 36th pick in the 2017 NWSL college draft and the rights to midfielder Havana Solaun, as well as Seattle’s second round pick in 2018.

Below is the Seattle Reign’s press release.

Seattle Reign FC has acquired the rights to midfielder Christine Nairn and goalkeeper Madalyn Schiffel from the Washington Spirit. In return, the Spirit received the 3rd and 36th overall picks in the 2017 NWSL College Draft, the rights to midfielder Havana Solaun, and Reign FC’s second-round pick in the 2018 draft.

Schiffel, who has represented the United States at the U-20 and U-23 levels, was selected by Washington in the 2016 NWSL College Draft with the 34th overall pick. Schiffel elected to play the 2016 season with Avaldsnes IL in the Norwegian Toppserien.

Nairn has spent the past three seasons with the Spirit, after beginning her professional career with Reign FC in 2013.

“I’m excited for Christine’s return to the club,” said Seattle Reign FC head coach and general manager Laura Harvey. “We felt it was the right time for Christine to come back to the club as we work towards achieving our ultimate goal. She played a key role in Washington’s success over the past three seasons and believe she can make a similar impact for our club.”

Nairn made 67 appearances for Washington, starting in 62 of them. The midfielder scored 14 goals and provided 10 assists over her three seasons with the Spirit, helping them to their first playoff appearance in 2014 and first NWSL Championship appearance in 2016.

Seattle originally selected Nairn with their first overall draft pick in 2013, selecting the Penn State alumna with the seventh overall pick in the first round. During the 2013 season Nairn made 22 starts while leading the team in assists with five. The midfielder also scored three goals, including the club’s first ever goal in NWSL play.

“I am very excited to come back to Seattle for the upcoming season,” said Nairn. “It has been one of the best organizations in the NWSL since day one. In my first year, I made such great relationships with everyone involved, so it makes it a very easy decision to return.”

Louise Schillgard will not return to the Boston Breakers in 2017

Posted on by RJ Allen

The Boston Breakers announced that Louise Schillgard will not return in 2017 due to personal reasons. She scored 1 goal and 2 assists in 18 games.

On Thursday morning they sent out the following press release.

The Boston Breakers announced today that midfielder Louise Schillgard will not return for the 2017 season due to personal reasons.

“I would like to thank Louise for her efforts on and off the pitch last year,” Boston Breakers head coach Matt Beard said. “She is a special player, and of course I am disappointed that she isn’t able to return, but her family comes first. I wish her, Johan, and Matteus all the best for the future.” 

The 27-year-old Schillgard, a native of Stockholm, Sweden, joined the Breakers prior to the start of the 2016 NWSL season. She made her NWSL debut on April 16, 2016 against the Washington Spirit.

She started 16 of the 18 matches she appeared in for the Breakers in 2016, logging 1,429 minutes. Schillgard scored one goal and tallied two assists on the season. Her goal came on June 10, 2016, in a 1-1 draw at home against the Washington Spirit.

Where in the World is WoSo: Afghanistan

Posted on by RJ Allen
This is the first in an occasional series focusing on some of the lower-profile or lesser-known Women’s National Teams around the globe. Teams we feel deserve a shout-out for their efforts both on and off the pitch to build a love of soccer in their communities and nations.
 
The first team Backline Soccer will be featuring is the Afghanistan Women’s National Team. Formed in 2007, the team’s first exhibition match was against the women’s team from the International Security Assistance Force, where Afghanistan notched their first-ever win in a 5-0 game. They then traveled to Pakistan to play against teams from the Pakistani national women’s soccer league, where they advanced to the final round, losing to a team from Karachi with a score of 1-0, and then played several matches against the Pakistan Women’s National Team before FIFA officials in order to qualify for ranking.
 
In the years since their inaugural match, the WNT has slowly gained experience both in international training camps–both soccer federations in both Germany and the Netherlands have provided support to the team–and international play. In 2010, the team appeared in its first major international tournament, the South Asian Football Federation Women’s Championship, where they were eliminated early on in the group stage.
 
But if this team has a defining characteristic, it’s that it does not give up. With a roster full of women who have faced much adversity, women who have persisted and overcome obstacles of the kind that are inconceivable for most individuals, and have honestly risked their lives to play this sport, the WNT came back in 2012 and fought their way to the semi-finals before being knocked out by India.
 
In the years since, the team has had its highs and lows–a terrible showing in the 2014 SAFF Women’s Championship, a brand new coaching staff, roster changes, international sponsorship, etc–but the women on the field continue to fight for success, for the chance to show the world that they have earned a place on the international soccer stage. More, that they–Afghani women from all over the world–are far more than the images the West has of them.
 
Because, from its inception, the narrative surrounding the WNT has involved so much more than simply results on the field. Much of the global attention to the team has focused on the intersection between several complicated issues that a developing team faces in a country after decades of conflict. Issues of gender, of resources, infrastructure, and accessibility abound in ways that are difficult for outsiders looking in to understand. Additionally, the members of the team face scrutiny from a culture still strongly influenced by the conservative Taliban rule that was overthrown in 2001. Cultural expectations of feminine modesty and the role of women in Afghan society play a large role wherever pockets of resistance or obstacles to the progress of the team and players are uncovered.
 
The team, it is clear, recognizes the position they are in–not only the difficulties that they have faced and continue to face–but also the opportunities. Both as soccer players and as advocates for their gender and their nation on the international stage. As Khalida Popal, former defender and current director of the WNT for Afghanistan, said in 2010: “This is how I fight. We want to send a message over the world to show that women can play football, and study, and work.“
 
The team has inspired a resurging sense of national pride, both from those who remain in the country as well as those who have emigrated elsewhere. During their first matches in Pakistan, the players, many of whom are refugees themselves, it’s reported that they were cheered on by “hundreds” of their fellow Afghan refugees living in Pakistan. “Long live Agfhanistan,” cheered the spectators who watched as the WNT scored a goal.  “I have come to [the] realization that I have the power to change how people look at Afghanistan,” Hajar Abulfazil told Bustle earlier this year, speaking of her experience on the team and how it helped to foster a renewed sense of national belonging for her, after growing up under the Taliban and then during the ensuing conflict when the United States sent troops in after 9/11.
 
The growth of women’s soccer in Afghanistan in the wake of the WNT has been steady. As of 2015, there were over a thousand registered soccer players in the country, many participating in the growing network of domestic club-level opportunities for women to play. Partnerships with groups like Hummel International has not only helped to fund the team, but also to forge new directions for women in soccer, as with the creation of a soccer kit with an optional integrated hijab and base layer for those players who choose to wear them. And word about the team is spreading, often through the tireless efforts of its leaders, in particular, program director Khalida Popal, who shares her experiences of playing soccer in Afghanistan all over the world.
 
Now, in 2016, with a new coaching staff headed by coach Kelly Lindsey (former defender for the WUSA San Jose CyberRays and the USWNT) and assistant coach Haley Carter (former reserve goalkeeper for the Houston Dash), as well as a fitness coach and physical therapist, the Afghanistan WNT is preparing for the 2016 SAFF Women’s Championship in India and the 2017 Istria Cup in Croatia. With help from Soccer Without Borders, the team held a camp in California earlier this year, playing a local Palo Alto team and building team cohesion, as its players are spread from Afghanistan to Europe to the United States. And the team is ready for the challenges that await it.
 
“We are optimistic about our future, and believe in our strengths and power as women, we will change the situation, which is right now for women in our country,” team member Medina Azizi writes, and though they have a long road ahead of them, she believes that one day the world will see the Afghanistan Women’s National Team at the Women’s World Cup:
 
 
One day we will play in women’s world cup, and I am sure there will be many people men and women will cheer for us, and there will be many people who will carry Afghan flag and wave for us.
And you know what?
 
I believe her.
 
 
Afghanistan Women’s National Team Information:
 
Association: Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF)
Confederation: Asian Football Confederation (AFC)
Sub-Confederation: Central Asian Football Federation (CAFF)
Current FIFA Ranking: Currently not rated (High: 108, 12/2013; Low: 138, 09/2015)
 
Upcoming Fixtures:
 
  • SAFF 2016 Women’s Championship in Siliguri, India (25 December – 3 January)
  • 2017 Istria Cup in Istria, Croatia (28 February – 9 March)

Follow the Afghanistan Women’s National Team on Social Media:

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Manon Melis Retires from Professional Soccer

Posted on by RJ Allen

In a surprise announcement this morning, the Seattle Reign have announced that Manon Melis, who joined the Reign for the 2016 season, is retiring from professional soccer.

Melis debuted internationally in 2004 and accrued over 100 caps for the Netherlands’ Women’s National Team. She has played in for several teams in Sweden’s Damallsvenskan league and came to the Reign from  Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC, where she played from 2014 to 2015.

While on the Reign, Melis was ranked 7th in the league in goals scored, playing 16 games and scoring seven goals. In Week 16, her performance against the Portland Thorns–scoring two goals for a 3 to 1 victory–earned her a nod from fans and the league alike, as she was named Player of the Week.

Is Bill Lynch the Second Coming of Dan Borislow?

Posted on by RJ Allen

Bill Lynch is not Dan Borislow.

He is not the next iteration of a man who paraded elite athletes for his own amusement until the legal ramifications caught up to him. While we may be inclined to conflate his decision and the greater narrative of the Washington Spirit organization into a sort of convoluted doomsday scenario, Lynch will not cause the imminent implosion of the National Women’s Soccer League. However, we really cannot consider the Orlando Pride’s acquisition of Ali Krieger in exchange for their second-overall spot in the Distribution Ranking Order to be a true “trade” facilitated by the Washington Spirit.

A trade in professional sports implies an exchange of one team’s assets for another that has been negotiated and agreed upon by both ownership groups of concern. As General Manager Chris Hummer could tell you, trades for players or assets in sports are intended to give teams the “best chance at” winning “championships” or whatever the highest honor of that respective sport and league is.

On October 9, 2016, Ali Krieger played the last thirty seconds of her career with the Washington Spirit believing herself about to become an NWSL champion—until Lynn Williams changed all of that. Over the course of a 20-game regular season and a post-season, she displayed unparalleled commitment and class to the NWSL that has not been matched by any other allocated US Women’s National Team player thus far. Over the course of the historic fourth season, the Washington Spirit organization was implicated in a series of rumors of player discontent, petty behaviors, and greater questions of character. With the transaction of Ali Krieger for a likely meaningless slot in the “Distribution Ranking Order,” the Washington Spirit effectively gave up their most valuable player for the sake of Bill Lynch’s pride.

While perhaps not as well-known as Merritt Paulson and Joe Sahlen, Bill Lynch is not an owner unknown to followers of the National Women’s Soccer League after its historic fourth season. To the contrary, he has come into the crosshairs of the larger NWSL audience for his particularly controversial set of hypocritical behaviors.

While the NWSL is hailed as one of, if not the, most LGBTQ inclusive sports leagues around the world, Bill Lynch’s Washington Spirit is the sole team to never have hosted an LGBTQ “Pride Night.” In reaction to calls for an answer to this controversy, he has claimed that he does not want to endorse the personal politics of himself or others by hosting a Pride Night. In classic fashion, he ironically bought his personal politics into the conversation when, at the Spirit-Reign game in September where Megan Rapinoe planned to kneel, he played the national anthem while the players were in the locker room. In response, Ali Krieger coordinated a players meeting to discuss their grievances and published a letter expressing their views that were in vehement opposition to their owner. She had the wherewithal to oppose her owner as an allocated player paid by United States Soccer Federation, whereas her fellow teammates have to rely on paychecks from the team that average 10-20 grand for a six-month season.

Ali Krieger was not “traded” by the Washington Spirit to the Orlando Pride organization in exchange for an equitable amalgamation of assets and terms. Rather, from comments disseminated on a variety of platforms, it is clear she was offloaded for the sake of an owner’s need to control and assuage a perverse superiority complex.

Any and all claims that she somehow asked for a trade are not only definitely false but also besmirch her leadership, sheer athletic ability, and character. When businesses are faced with dissent by an employee with leverage to act in opposition to the goals or politics of the individuals in power, it is the right and privilege of those individuals to dispel and squash opposition. When you’re competing for championships, that’s not the case. The objective is to build the strongest squad with depth in every position. The actions of the Washington Spirit organization in this “trade” do not correspond with this basic logic.

If we’re going to boil this “trade” down into a more generalized statement or larger idea, this was a business decision that is a testament to the immaturity of the National Women’s Soccer League.

Despite this off-season being uncharted fertile ground for growth in the stability and prestige of the United States’ longest-running professional women’s soccer league, this is only the start of the forth offseason. We are still toiling and troubling in pre-kindergarten, with some kids throwing Play-Doh at each other and others not able to able to afford it. The NWSL’s approval of this business transaction is, for lack of a better term, a slap in the face to the talent and stature of Ali Krieger.

However, we shouldn’t be surprised that a transaction of this magnitude, in regards to its utter triviality and lack of logic, has happened, considering the state of the NWSL.

The NWSL is not failing or close to failure; it is a stable league with leaps and bounds to grow beyond its current position. But immaturity on the part of ownership and league leadership is an issue that must be addressed, so as to not stifle its development. There is a fundamental reason for disparity in the assets of different teams within the National Women’s Soccer League, and that is money and expertise. It is not practical or fiscally responsible to ignore the fundamental fact that the business of sports encourages competition and the consequential investment of money.

While the monetary regulations of the NWSL is an entirely different convoluted conversation, it is pertinent to the Ali Krieger trade because she was “traded” as an asset far below her value. To any casual observer of the NWSL or even a bandwagon follower from the World Cup, who only watches highlights of their favorite players, this trade is obviously lopsided. The function of the front office of the National Women’s Soccer League is to facilitate the maintenance and property of the NWSL that arguably reigns as the world’s best women’s soccer league, due to the competitive nature of the league. On any given day, the league’s worst team can draw the NWSL champions or lose to them by a six goal margin (sorry Boston). Amandine Henry did not leave the fur-lined trappings of Jean-Michel Aulas’s hefty pocketbook for a salary cap that is nowhere near her monetary value in European leagues. This “trade” is in contradiction to the best essential selling point and asset of this league as juxtaposed with the Frauen-Bundesliga, Damallsvenskan, and the Women’s Super League.

Bill Lynch is an owner that may not always be a proprietor of the National Women’s Soccer League. As leagues grow and develop in the United States and abroad, clubs foreclose and owners are bought out or forced out. At this point in the development of the NWSL, the Ali Kreiger trade harkens back to the turbulent days of WPS, when Dan Borislow was able to play with salary caps and players like backyard pool toys.

Yes, we’ve moved on from the dark days of power-tripping owners demanding their employees call them “Daddy.” However, we do not forget those days so easily.

The Washington Spirit were 30 seconds away from winning the NWSL Championship. That alone should be enough heartache for the team and its fans. Yet, we’re in the penultimate month of 2016, and the club’s captain—its heart and soul—was just sent away for reasons we can only speculate about. But this trade is more a testament to the present authority of the league, while can easily be stifled or stagnate its own growth. Courtesy of Bill Lynch.

Addendum: The author acknowledges that she did make a considerable number of assumptions about the facts and conditions of the situation. Within the facts that have been provided to the general public, this piece was written as a reaction to the small quantity of information that is publicly available.