Tag: Interview

Q&A: Professor Jean Williams Discusses Women’s Football Conference

Posted on by RJ Allen

On March 8th and March 9th 2018, the National Football Museum in Manchester, England hosted a two-day conference on women’s soccer. “Upfront and Onside: The Women’s Football Conference” looked at the history of women’s soccer, the evolution of women’s participation around the world, and the state of the game today. The conference tackled issues such as gender roles, religion, sexual orientation, and culture, and sought to create an inclusive atmosphere that brought in voices from every region.

Jean Williams, a Professor of sport from the University of Wolverhampton and one of the leading scholars in the world on women’s sports, organized the event. We spoke to her about the conference, the history of women in soccer, and the state of women’s soccer today. 

Backline Soccer: What kind of topics were discussed at the Women’s Football Conference? How successful do you think it was? 

Jean Williams: We discussed women’s soccer from a variety of international perspectives and this included South and Central America, North America, Europe, Asia and Africa. The overall quality of the papers was very high with several eminent Professors presenting new work. This was not just historical but related to contemporary debates about LGBTQ rights, how to digitise and collect women’s football research material, issues around the hijab and the forthcoming Women’s World Cup in France and so on. 

BS: What does it say about the change in football culture that the National Football Museum was interested in hosting an event like this? 

JW: The National Football Museum has always been supportive of women’s football and we had debates with the Director of the inaugural museum in Preston about integrating women’s football material through the collections. However, the accession of the Chris Ungar collection, with 25,000 items of women’s football memorabilia, has allowed us to revisit the ideas and current research trends in women’s football. 

BS: What do you think is the most significant moment or event in women’s football history? 

JW: There is no one moment. If there is one key defining aspect it has to be that women have always contested their right to play football since the modern codification of the game in 1863. It’s about a right to resources, a right to spectacle and a right to choose an athletic profession, as well as the freedom just to play.

BS: What do you think allowed women’s football to take off in countries like Germany and the United States? Do you think that success is duplicable around the world?

JW: The US is quite different than Germany, because soccer is still a minority sport compared with the big three and a half of American Football, Baseball, Basketball and Ice Hockey. Germany is a football country, so we can’t compare the two. But there are some strategies that link the two like playing double headers with women’s and men’s teams. You can begin to see Manchester City for instance with its ‘one club’ approach integrate the women across the brand. That’s the big message because having a women’s team can leverage sponsors that men’s teams don’t bring in. 

BS: It seems to be a time of growth and change for women’s football. Do you agree? If so, why do you think this is happening?

JW: These are not metaphors I would use. Change certainly, like China not now supporting its women’s team as much as in the past in search of hosting, and winning a men’s world cup in the next two decades. Growth depends how you measure the women’s game. Women are not a minority population in the world. Give the women’s game 51% of FIFA’s budget to match women’s place in the world, then we could see real growth. Similarly, we don’t need more leadership courses for women in football. Women are not the problem. The voting systems that protect male power are in need of change, to represent more women in the highest aspects of football administration. 

Having covered some serious topics in the women’s game, we wanted to give Professor Williams a chance to answer some fun questions about her favorite players and predictions for the NWSL season. 

BS: Who do you think is the best player in the world right now?

JW: Marta (still, probably always).

BS: Who is your favorite (current) player? 

JW: Nadia Nadim.

BS: Who is your favorite player of all time? 

JW: Mia Hamm, Nadine Angerer, Sun Wen, Mercy Akede, Shanice Van de Sanden, it’s an impossible choice. I could write an essay on Nadine Angerer’s hats. Next year at the World Cup it’ll change again. 

BS: Who do you think will win the NWSL this year?

JW: I think the Courage but I hope the Thorns. 

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: 2017, Week 10

Posted on by RJ Allen

Backline Soccer Recap:

Quick Fire Week 10 Game Previews:

We have arrived at Week Ten of the NWSL, not necessarily unscathed, but seeing plenty of parity between several teams in the league. Let’s dive into this week’s previews. 

Game 1: Orlando Pride vs. Houston Dash

Orlando Pride record: 3-3-3
Position: 6th
Total Points: 12

Houston Dash record: 2-7-0
Position: 10th
Total Points: 6

After last week’s dominant performance, (minus the last 10-15 minutes,) the Pride are coming into this week confident, really needing to start honing in and perfecting the little things. Big picture this week sees the Pride most likely coming away with the three points, if last week was any indication, but they will need to work hard on closing out games and remaining consistent. This week that will be their focus. They have seemed to have settled on a starting XI, at least until Alex Morgan is inserted back into the line-up in a few weeks. But their biggest enemy this week will be themselves. With Marta assisting in or scoring all four goals last week, the Pride will look to her for another solid performance. But they will also need to see others step up, especially defensively, to close-out the game. The last minute goals last week came at the cost of a goalkeeper and a defensive mistake. 

The Dash struggles continue and look to continue for the foreseeable future. I have mentioned this a few times in my previews, but even seeing the return of Carli Lloyd, who, while not scoring, had some strong moments in last week’s match, they just do not seem to have much idea of what to do, or what game plan they want to have at any given moment. This was apparent last week, especially as the players seem to fatigue well before the second half began. Their key, even if they do not win games, is to find consistency amongst each other this week. Their defensive game plan should be their first step. The team needs to find a way to get everyone working together, especially as the Pride have started to find their groove. They may have lucked out not having to face a combination of Marta and Alex Morgan quite yet.

Game 2: Boston Breakers vs. North Carolina Courage

Boston Breakers record: 2-5-2
Position: 9th
Total Points: 8

North Carolina Courage record: 7-3-0
Position: 10th
Total Points: 21

Boston has a lot to figure out this week but I do not know if we will see much more of an improvement against a Courage side that has been playing pretty consistently this season. The Breakers have also been plagued with injuries and it was just announced that starting goalkeeper Abby Smith is out this week. We will most likely see the first start for rookie and 2017 NWSL draftee, Sammy Jo Prudhomme. While she was a great goalkeeper in college, going up against an attack like the Courage’s, she will be tested early and often. Boston’s main focuses this week are to not give up the early goals and find a way to curb the Courage attack. The Breakers also re-signed Libby Stout during the week, a former GK who made 9 starts and 42 saves for the Breakers in 2016.

The Courage were without a few key players last week with Lynn Williams and Jess McDonald injured, but the team was still able to churn out a quality product. If both players return to the line-up this week, the Courage won’t need to make many adjustments in what they have been doing. Their key is to stay patient and shore up their defense because the Breakers’ attacking side only needs a little bit of space to make the Courage pay. Look for the hopeful return of the injured players to the line-up and the continued solid performance against a struggling Breakers side. 

Game 3: Washington Spirit vs. Portland Thorns

Washington Spirit record: 2-5-2
Position: 8th
Total Points: 8

Portland Thorns record: 4-2-3
Position: 4th
Total Points: 15

The Spirit are coming in this week with a new weapon in their arsenal. Estefania Banini, who was their leading goal-scorer last season, as returned to the Washington roster. There has been no word if she will be available for this match but the signing alone is good news for a team that’s been struggling. After holding the Red Stars to a draw last week, the Spirit will once again have their hands full against the Thorns. The Spirit are starting to put a few more pieces together but are still missing what Tori Huster brings and also may be potentially be without Mal Pugh again as she continues to recover from an injury suffered during the FIFA break. Washington will be looking for another consistent game from Steph Labbé, who has saved their butts on numerous occasions this season. But in order to get past the Thorns this weekend, the Spirit will need to keep the pressure and attack at a high level.

The Thorns are coming in this week after a loss to Sky Blue last week at home, a subpar performance that left them disappointed and maybe a little embarrassed. Look for them to want to bounce back very quickly this week. The Thorns are starting to show where the injuries are hurting them, mainly with a gaping hole left by Tobin Heath, who has experienced a setback with her back injury and looks to be even longer now. The weaknesses of Franch were exposed last week as well, so she will need to make sure her decision making is on this week as anything can happen against the Spirit. While also suffering more injuries than just Heath, if the Thorns can bounce back quickly this week, they should see a different result.

Game 4: Seattle Reign vs. FC Kansas City

Seattle Reign record: 3-2-4
Position: 5th
Total Points: 13

FC Kansas City record: 3-3-3
Position: 7th
Total Points: 12

The Reign have been quite the puzzling team this season. They started off the strong but have seemed to level out and been a bit inconsistent with their play. They really need work on closing out games and finding a bit more consistency defensively. While the backline is set and we have seen some great play from Haley Kopmeyer, it has been inconsistent. While FCKC won’t be a huge threat for them, with their inconsistencies, the attack from their post-season nemesis could cause some problems. Seattle needs to get back to their previous form and find a way to make their team gel better. If this means a shake-up in the line-up, then so be it. Granted, even though a few players such as Diana Matheson and Larissa Crummer, who they had planned on for the season, are still injured, they have several key pieces that coach Laura Harvey could move around. Jess Fishlock will need to become a little more dominant in the middle if Seattle is going to have a better chance at moving up the table.

FCKC has also been a bit puzzling this season. With Amy Rodriguez no longer a part of the picture, the FCKC attack has seemed to start to find the light of their rhythm. Sydney Leroux seems to be coming into her own a bit more, which is really the key for them, especially going up against the Reign, who have been a bit unpredictable. With FCKC fairly solid in the back with the Nicole Barnhart holding it down, if FCKC can spur their attack, they should see success this week.

Game 5: Chicago Red Stars vs. Sky Blue FC

Chicago Red Stars record: 5-2-2
Position: 2nd
Total Points: 17

Sky Blue FC record: 5-4-1
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 16

Chicago will have its hands full this week with Sky Blue. With a somewhat disappointing performance against the Spirit last week, there will be some things they look to improve on come Sunday. They’ve faced difficulties connecting their passes or in their ability to string them together, and the Red Stars will need to work on that against Sky Blue this week. The backline will also be fully tested with Sam Kerr, as most teams have been this season. She had herself a game last week against Portland, so Chicago will need to contain her throughout the game. If Chicago can connect more passes and be more consistent this week, this should be a great match-up to watch.

Sky Blue will want to continue their climb towards the top with another dominating performance this week. Look for them to rely again on Sam Kerr to spur the attack and get them on the board in Chicago. The biggest thing for Kerr, however, is consistency. She can have dominating games like she did last week and then be unable to buy herself a goal in the next. So working on her consistency, especially this week, will be key. Christie Pearce has also had to work all season with a young backline and, for the most part, they have been able to handle the tests of the NWSL play. But this week, with the Chicago attack led by Christen Press, Pearce and the rest of the backline will be tested frequently. Where Kelley O’Hara plays this week will be anyone’s guess, but if she causes as many fits on the field as she did last week, Chicago will have their hands full.

The Scouting Report:

We went live on Tuesday night with our weekly TSR. A reminder that you can catch TSR live every Monday night at 8pm EST on our YouTube channel. Make sure to follow the podcast on Twitter @ScoutingPodcast.

In case you missed this week’s episode, catch up here:

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: 2017, Week 7

Posted on by RJ Allen

Welcome to Week 7 of Off the Bench!

Backline Soccer Recap:

Quick Fire Week 7 Game Previews:

Week 7 of the NWSL is upon us. We were graced Wednesday with a midweek matchup but we will still see five total games as well, all on Saturday, May 27th. Let’s dive in.

Game 1: North Carolina Courage 2 vs. Sky Blue 0

North Carolina Courage record: 5-2-0
Position: 1st
Total Points: 15

Sky Blue FC record: 3-3-1
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 10

A midweek game saw a showdown between the first place Courage and (before the game) second place Sky Blue. Sky Blue ended up resting some players in preparation for their match this weekend against the Pride. Both teams saw some great opportunities, but in the end, it was a huge shot from Lynn Williams and a goal from Sam Mewis that saw the Courage keep possession of first place. Kailen Sheridan, however, had herself one heck of a game in goal for Sky Blue, and without some of her stellar saves, North Carolina may have very well had more than two goals.

 

Game 2: Houston Dash vs. Seattle Reign

Houston Dash record: 2-4-0
Position: 9th
Total Points: 6

Seattle Reign record: 2-1-3
Position: 4th
Total Points: 9

The Dash are coming off quite an abysmal showing last week and will be looking to start connecting their pieces more. They just really seem to lack cohesion and a well thought out plan, as well as a way to implement it on the field. Many are speculating whether this has to do with coaching techniques or individual players. I believe it is mainly due to coaching techniques. The Dash will need to figure out their defensive woes very quickly as they will be facing a strong attack from the Reign. Lydia Williams, for the most part, has been holding steady but can only do so much with the current backline. The Dash will need to move away from the hope of Kealia Ohai pulling goals out of thin air if they want to get back to winning ways.

The Reign, while drawing with the Pride last week, will look to continue to get back to their dominant ways and pull out three points. The Reign are coming in with a very in-form Megan Rapinoe as well as a strong offensive presence who will look to make the Dash pay early. The Dash will also need to get past Haley Kopmeyer, who, in her first full starting season after backing up Hope Solo, has been strong and consistent, save for the major Marta error last week. 

 

Game 3: Chicago Red Stars vs. North Carolina Courage

Chicago Red Stars record: 3-2-1
Position: 2nd
Total Points: 10

North Carolina Courage record: 5-2-0
Position: 1st
Total Points: 15

Chicago is coming into this game after playing arguably their best game of the season last week against the Courage. Christen Press is off and running and Chicago will benefit greatly from her as long as she remains consistent. Newly signed Japanese International, Yuki Nagasato will not be in Chicago in time for this match. Alyssa Naeher, after a slower-than-usual start, has been getting more consistent in goal for the Red Stars and will look to work with the backline to stop the strong attack the Courage will be putting forth.

Though coming off a solid win, the Courage are also coming in with a bit of a disadvantage, having played the midweek game on Wednesday. The attack will need to get behind the Red Stars early in order to see success. 

 

Game 4: Sky Blue vs. Orlando Pride

Sky Blue FC record: 3-3-1
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 10

Orlando Pride record: 1-2-3
Position: 8th
Total Points: 6

Sky Blue rested key players on Wednesday but will still be coming in with minimal recovery days against the Pride. Sky Blue will want to see a better end product than they had Wednesday, but with Kailen Sheridan having a stellar game, the Pride will need to find creative ways to get passed her as well as the backline of Sky Blue, who will be back at full force. 

The Pride will be without Captain and starting goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris for approximately eight weeks, after staving off the Reign mostly without her last week. This is a huge loss for the Pride, not only on the field but off as well. With backup keeper Aubrey Bledsoe also out with a concussion, Caroline Stanley was signed as an injury replacement. This is a huge opportunity for her, as she will be the one to likely face her former club. The Pride backline, while getting more consistent over the last few weeks, will need to communicate early and often with Stanley to make sure they are together. The Pride also need much more production from their midfield. Marta has been playing quite selflessly, going where she feels she is needed, but the Pride could benefit more from her playing a bit more selfishly sometimes. Alanna Kennedy is also coming off her best game of the season, so if she remains consistent, she will be a threat for Sky Blue.

 

Game 5: FC Kansas City vs. Washington Spirit

FC Kansas City record: 2-2-2
Position: 6th
Total Points: 8

Washington Spirit record: 1-4-1
Position: 10th
Total Points: 4

FC Kansas City has a strong backline led by Becky Sauerbrunn, but since the loss of Amy Rodriguez to a torn ACL at the start of the season, FCKC has not figured out how to match with Sydney Leroux up top to garner more goals. Leroux still has work to do after missing so many matches after the birth of her son, but FCKC needs to find someone that can help her up top. Nicole Barnhart will be a major barrier, as usual, for the somewhat weaker Spirit attack to get through. 

The Washington Spirit, now with Mal Pugh, will look for revenge this week. Pugh will likely see more minutes but cannot be the sole player the Spirit depend on. Kristie Mewis had a few almost goals last week, which the Spirit will need more of from her. The Spirit are struggling offensively, but recently defensively as well, despite Steph Labbé continuing her great season in goal. FCKC, already struggling offensively, will have a hard time getting through her. 

 

Game 6: Portland Thorns vs. Boston Breakers

Portland Thorns record: 2-1-3
Position: 5th
Total Points: 9

Boston Breakers record: 2-2-2
Position: 7th
Total Points: 8

Last week the Breakers, ahead 2-0 seemed to almost have the game in the bag, but the Thorns fought back hard and ended up equalizing late for the draw. The Breakers will focus this week on making sure – while scoring – they hold defensively to stave off the Thorns and not blow any lead that they may build. The Breakers will look to players such as Angela Salem and Adriana Leon, who are having great seasons thus far, to continue to create opportunities. With Abby Smith in goal for the Breakers, the Thorns will need to find creative ways to get past her to score.

The Thorns will again be without Tobin Heath, Katherine Reynolds, Mana Shim, and Dagny Brynjarsdottir. Heath is a continued loss for the Thorns, and her skill is sorely missed. The Thorns, however, still seem to be hanging around each game and will look dangerous when everyone is fully healthy. Their key this week is to continue to create opportunities and goals. Adrianna Franch is having a good season statistically speaking, but she still needs to work on her distribution and overall decision and play making. The Thorns have not really paid for those weaknesses yet but it is only a matter of time. 

The Scouting Report:

We went live on Monday night with our Week 6 TSR, recapping all of the NWSL games from the weekend. A reminder that you can catch TSR live every Monday night at 8pm EST on our YouTube channel. And make sure to follow the podcast on Twitter @ScoutingPodcast. 

In case you missed this week’s episode, catch up here:

https://www.spreaker.com/user/brewsports/the-scouting-report-season-5-week-6

Come back next week for the next edition of Off the Bench!

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: 2017, Week 6

Posted on by RJ Allen

Welcome to Week 6 of Off the Bench! 

Backline Soccer Recap:

This week we introduced a new series created by RJ Allen, The Furt & the Fabulous.

Quick Fire Week 6 Game Previews:

We are now six weeks into the season and suffice to say, we can expect almost anything to happen moving forward. Another exciting week of games ahead!

Game 1: Boston Breakers vs. Portland Thorns

Boston Breakers record: 2-2-1
Position: 4th
Total Points: 7

Portland Thorns record: 2-1-2
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 8

This week we will have our first Friday night game as the Boston Breakers host the Portland Thorns. Both teams are coming off of Week 5 ties and will be looking to pull out a win in Week 6. Rose Lavelle was the lone scorer for Boston last week and they will be looking for much of the same or more from her this week. Adriana Leon has also been quite the workhorse for Boston this season, so look for her to get involved as well.

Portland seems to be stifled and suffering due to the injuries sustained to Tobin Heath, Dagny Brynjarsdottir, Mana Shim, and Katherine Reynolds, who do not look to be coming back for at least another week. Adrianna Franch has been doing surprisingly well to avoid her weaknesses catching up with her, but Boston, with the likes of Lavelle, Leon, and Natasha Dowie may give her a run. Portland need a lot more production this week from Christine Sinclair and Nadia Nadim who have been a bit invisible the last few weeks. And with Portland historically having trouble playing the Breakers in Boston, the team will need to come together and figure out a way to score some goals. 

Game 2: Sky Blue FC vs. Houston Dash

Sky Blue FC record: 2-2-1
Position: 6th
Total Points: 6

Houston Dash record: 2-3-0
Position: 7th
Total Points: 4

In a repeat of Lifetime’s Game of the Week matchup, we will see the same matchup as last week, except this week, Sky Blue is the home team.

Sky Blue won last week’s matchup 3-1, capitalizing on some disappointing play from Houston. Sky Blue looked much better with Captain America finally back in defense and seemed to be playing with a bit more confidence. They will look to continue that this week. Now that Sam Kerr has officially gotten her first 2017 NWSL goal, she should be off and running. Houston will need to find a way to contain her, especially with Kelley O’Hara returning back to the lineup after being gone last week with an excused absence.

The Dash seem to have the pieces, for the most part, but some terrible coaching decisions are not helping field the best team at any given point like they should. Poliana, the sole scorer for the Dash last week, has been a bit of a surprising light for the Dash, so she should hopefully start to see more minutes. Janine Van Wyk also took a bit of a beating last week, so she will be looking to be more involved this week as well. 

Game 3: Washington Spirit vs. FC Kansas City

Washington Spirit record: 1-3-1
Position: 10th
Total Points: 4

FC Kansas City record: 1-2-2
Position: 8th
Total Points: 5

The Washington Spirit, wanting to erase last week’s abysmal game against the Reign from their memories, will want to come out strong and score early against FCKC this week.

After coming off of such a great win against Sky Blue in Week 4, they got pummeled 6-2 last week by the Reign. The Spirit, for the most part this season, seemed to have their defense locked down, but have had trouble on the attack. Last week, the defense seemed to be in shambles. The 3-back system deployed was not working against the strong Reign attack. This week though, the Spirit may be more evenly matched with FCKC, especially since Mallory Pugh is expected to see her first minutes. FCKC are still struggling to score, and Sydney Leroux, unfortunately, cannot be their only answer this season. Granted, the team had expected to have Amy Rodriguez this year, but they just don’t seem to have the answer yet to their attack that has not been stifled. FCKC will need to find a way to start scoring goals. Becky Sauerbrunn and the backline of FCKC are steady, along with Nicole Barnhart in goal. But in the end, if they are not scoring goals at this point, they are not winning games.

The Spirit will need more from their attack but expect their defense to be better. Mallory Pugh will not solve their problems, as her full value against top teams and the competitiveness of this league has not been tested or honed, but expect her to at least get her feet wet this week. 

Game 4: North Carolina Courage vs. Chicago Red Stars

North Carolina Courage record: 4-1-0
Position: 1st
Total Points: 12

Chicago Red Stars record: 2-2-1
Position: 5th
Total Points: 7

The Courage, coming off of their first season loss to the Orlando Pride last week, are out for redemption this week.

Chicago is continuing to have some issues with their attack and finishing their chances. But with Christen Press netting her first goal (a header no less!) she will most likely be off and running. She has been working hard to get goals but has not been successful in finishing her chances before this week. After all, she leads the league in shots and shots on goal this season. Now that she has netted her first one, we can expect to see, as our own Sandra Herrera has dubbed her, Primetime Press in full force. The backline of the Red Stars will be tested against the star power that is the Courage attack.

But the Courage will also be feeling much of the same. As I’ve mentioned before, the Courage backline seems to be their struggling spot this season and Christen Press may do major damage this week. The Courage will also be without Abby Erceg this week as she will be suspended from her red card from last week’s loss to Orlando. Chicago will want to and need to capitalize on that absence. 

Game 5: Seattle Reign vs. Orlando Pride

Seattle Reign record: 2-1-2
Position: 2nd
Total Points: 8

Orlando Pride record: 1-2-2
Position: 9th
Total Points: 5

Orlando is coming off of their first win of the season against the top team in the league, a huge, much-needed win for the players and team as a whole.

Orlando played, for the most part, their best soccer game this season. While starting off in typical fashion in the first half, the Pride came alive in the second. This week against the Reign, they will need to replicate their second half from last week and carry it throughout this game. The Reign are coming off a commanding 6-2 win over the Spirit last week and will look to continue their strong attack at home against the Pride.

The Pride has seemed to finally settle on a backline that surprisingly includes Toni Pressley. Last season she had a lot of trouble with speed and overall ball handling and field positioning. This season she seems to have worked on a lot of that and has improved quite a bit.

The Pride have also found a star in Camila, who has been consistently good all season. Look for the Pride backline to be tested early and often against the Reign. The Pride will have to contain the Reign attack. They will also need to get on a goal or two in early, definitely before halftime. The frontline has not been set quite but we may see the same three from last week.

The Reign this season have seemed to either score a lot of goals or struggle to score any, so for the Pride, they will hope for the latter. The Reign, however, will be looking to continue their strong attack and come out much like last week’s Spirit game. 

The Scouting Report:

We went live on Monday night with our Week 5 TSR, recapping all of the NWSL games from the weekend. A reminder that you can catch TSR live every Monday night at 8pm EST on our YouTube channel. And make sure to follow the podcast on Twitter @ScoutingPodcast. 

In case you missed this week’s episode, catch up here:

Come back next week for the next edition of Off the Bench!

 

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: 2017, Week 5

Posted on by RJ Allen

Image Credits to Kelley Piper. 

Welcome to Week 5 of Off the Bench! 

Backline Soccer Recap:

Quick Fire Week 5 Game Previews: 

Hard to believe we have arrived at Week 5 of the 2017 NWSL season already. Let’s dive right into this week’s previews.

Game 1: Houston Dash vs. Sky Blue FC

Houston Dash record: 2-2-0
Position: 4th
Total Points: 6

Sky Blue FC record: 1-2-1
Position: 8th
Total Points: 4

The Lifetime Game of the Week this week sees the Houston Dash finally return home for their first home game since opening day, to take on Sky Blue FC. Last week saw the Dash lose their first game to the Red Stars since July of 2015, while Sky Blue lost to the Spirit 4-3. Both teams will be looking to bounce back from their respective losses. Sky Blue was missing some big names last week with Christie Pearce, Daphne Corboz, and Raquel Rodriguez all missing from action. With only Pearce missing because of concussion protocol, Sky Blue can expect to see Corboz and Rodriguez back in action, but as of this writing, Pearce’s status is unknown for Week 5. The Dash will look to produce better results and some goals this week, as they scored none against the Red Stars last week. Amber Brooks will be the key for the Dash, so she will have to have a better game this week. The Dash are looking good as individuals but are still having cohesion issues that will bite them more, the further into the season we go. Hopefully with Morgan Brian seemingly back in action, and Andrea hopefully close, they can start to mesh a little better.

Game 2: Seattle Reign vs. Washington Spirit

Seattle Reign record: 1-1-2
Position: 6th
Total Points: 5

Washington Spirit record: 1-2-1
Position: 7th
Total Points: 4

The Reign are coming in this week after drawing with the Thorns last week after giving the Thorns a little aid from an own goal by Jess Fishlock. The Reign looked to be the better team but just couldn’t hold the lead. This week they will look to keep up the pressure from last week’s match and press early and often. The Spirit are coming off of a big first season win that saw them score four goals on Sky Blue last week. The Spirit looked their best last week and will look to continue that train of momentum into Week 5 against a strong Seattle side. Washington will look, again, to see a big performance from Stephanie Labbé, who has been dominating in goal through the first four weeks. If Player of the Week Francisca Ordega can pull off another big game this weekend, the Spirit just may have a shot to beat the Reign. 

Game 3: FC Kansas City vs. Portland Thorns

FC Kansas City record: 1-2-1
Position: 9th
Total Points: 3

Portland Thorns record: 2-1-1
Position: 2nd
Total Points: 6

FC Kansas City and Portland will face off in the last game on Saturday. Both FCKC and Portland are coming off of hard-fought draws last week against the Pride and Reign, respectively. Portland, while suffering in the first half, had a strong showing in the second half. They will look to carry that momentum into this week. Seattle did a great job last week of making Christine Sinclair and Nadia Nadim almost invisible. Portland will need them more active. It was also reported by Jamie Goldberg that Portland would again be without Tobin Heath, Mana Shim, Katherine Reynolds, and Dagny Brynjarsdottir as they struggle to return from their injuries. Portland will need to figure out the struggles in the final third until Heath returns. FC Kansas City is going to need a lot more out of Sydney Leroux if they are going to start churning out wins. In addition, Shea Groom saw minutes last week, even with a broken rib, but she was looking to be in pain as the match progressed, which could be a factor against Portland. FCKC is strong defensively and with Portland struggling in the final third, this game could see some great action. 

Game 4: Orlando Pride vs. NC Courage

Orlando Pride record: 0-2-2
Position: 10th
Total Points: 2

NC Courage record: 4-0-0
Position: 1st
Total Points: 12

The battle of the first and last place teams. Could this week be the week the Pride get their first win in twelve games? Crazier things have happened. The Pride, while drawing last week with FCKC, played some of the best soccer they have played all season. They are still struggling with finishing their chances and should have beaten FCKC had they done so. The Courage’s only weakness can be found in their defense at the moment and the Pride were able to break through them the last time they played, but just could not finish their chances. With Danica Evans and Marta both hopefully getting the start again, we could see a better output earlier from the Pride. Last week also saw Ali Krieger’s best game she has played for Orlando, and they will need everything she has for the front line of the Courage. Orlando continues to struggle with their midfield which is causing a lot more unnecessary work for their defense. The Pride starting lineup looked a lot better last week, but with Monica getting injured in the first few minutes of the match, Dani Weatherholt may end up with the start. The Courage just need to continue to play the way they have while shoring up their defensive efforts. If Orlando can finish their chances and work the backline of the Courage, they might just have a shot.

Game 5: Chicago Red Stars vs. Boston Breakers

Chicago Red Stars record: 2-2-0
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 3

Boston Breakers record: 2-2-0
Position: 5th
Total Points: 6

The final game of the weekend will see the Red Stars and Breakers face off at Toyota Park. The Red Stars will look to use the momentum of the shut out against Houston last week as they face a Breakers side who are a lot stronger than anyone expected them to be. A big question mark for the Red Stars is Christen Press who, while working hard this season so far, has yet to find the back of the net. She leads the league in shots but is also sitting on two yellow cards in four games, quite the unexpected stat. Once she unleashes her first goal, the season should progress nicely for her. In the meantime, Julie Ertz seems to have gotten this scoring thing down. Chicago continues to struggle in the final third, which may pose a bigger issue against the Breakers this weekend if they cannot correct it. The Breakers, on the other hand, have started this season quite strong. They lost to the Courage last week, but only by one goal. Boston proved last week that the Courage have some points where they can be beaten and they will look to carry that into Chicago this weekend. They mainly struggled with breaking out of pressure to get their runs in. That will be a priority this week against the tough defensive side of Chicago. 

The Scouting Report:

We went live on Monday night with our Week 4 TSR, recapping all of the NWSL games. 

In case you missed it, catch up here:

This week RJ Allen also had the pleasure of interviewing Kayla Mills and Mandy Freeman of Sky Blue FC.

Catch up here if you missed this awesome interview!

Come back next week for the next edition of Off the Bench!

Grassroots Support: Interview with a UWSL Support Group

Posted on by RJ Allen

The United Women’s Soccer League is one of the lower-tier pro-amateur soccer leagues for women in the United States. Founded in December 2015 with eleven teams, the league has added five new teams playing in its three conferences for the upcoming 2017 season.

Backline Soccer takes a moment to interview Southeast Syndicate, the supporters’ group for the Detroit Sun FC, one of the UWSL’s new expansion teams. The SE Syndicate is currently the only supporters group within the league.

 
Backline Soccer: Detroit Sun FC belongs to the United Women’s Soccer League, a second-tier women’s soccer league–what are some challenges of supporting a lower-tier team?
 

SE Syndicate: The biggest challenge of supporting a lower-tier team is spreading the word about your club and supporter group. Once we are able to get people to the matches, we can support just as passionately as any top-tier team. Without a big platform it’s tough to reach people that would be interested in joining our group. We advise our members to share about the SG and club via word of mouth and social media.

BS: What has the relationship like between the team and players and the supporter group? What sort of efforts or outreach do you have planned for the team?
 

SES: We have talked to the owners of the team and are excited to help them support local women’s soccer and our club. As the club was only created a few months ago we haven’t had many opportunities to see the players in action. We have a lot of things planned for the team. This off-season we will be working on many projects to support the team. We will be painting banners, making chants, (possibly) providing some merchandise , and other activities in order to let the players know that we love and support them every match. Also, our club is looking to find ways to positively impact our community and we are excited to be a part of that!

BS: Have you taken cues from other supporter groups or has the culture grown on its own?
 

SES: The lower-tier supporter culture in Michigan has exploded over the past few years and we have definitely been inspired by the boom. That being said, we are excited to do things our own way and make our own little dent in American soccer culture.

BS: Do other teams in the UWSL have supporter groups? Are other groups forming?
 

SES: Grand Rapids FC has had a men’s team in the Premier League of America and National Premier Soccer League for a few years now. They have recently announced the creation of a women’s side to play against our beloved Sun FC in the UWSL this summer. They have a great supporters group called the Grand Army. We are excited to become enemies for 90+ minutes and yet also form friendships. They are the only group that we know of in the UWSL.

BS: Do you have a relationship or partnership with supporter group for nearby men’s teams? Or is there any mutual interaction between supporters for local men’s and women’s soccer? What about NWSL supporter groups?
 

SES: We do not have any relationship with supporter groups for men’s teams. We are 100% focused on supporting Detroit Sun FC this summer. It doesn’t matter who you support for men’s ball if you are singing with us on Sun’s Match day! We have had a few members of NWSL Supporter groups wish us luck, but without a NWSL team closer than Chicago, the point becomes mute.

BS: Do you see (or hope to see) a path toward entry into the NWSL, the US’s first-tier women’s soccer league? And what role do you think a supporter group can play in bringing about that transition?
 
SES: Without a merit-based path to the first-tier, entrance into the NWSL is dictated by the ambition of the owners of Detroit Sun FC. Yes, we would love to one day see Detroit Sun FC in the NWSL. But for now we are focused on pushing the club toward a UWSL championship. I feel like our supporters group can play a role in bringing the NWSL’s eye to Detroit Sun FC. The passion and numbers that we bring to every match will hopefully spark interest in the club. As we said, our main goal and focus is supporting our club in the second-tier. We want to have a positive impact on the inaugural DSFC season.

Visibility Matters: An Interview with Crystal Dunn

Posted on by RJ Allen

The Washington Spirit have had quite the year, dominating the 2016 league standings for most of the season. But in recent weeks, the team’s momentum appears to have slowed as the regular season winds down. This week Washington was looking for a victory against Chicago in order to lock up the league shield, which would have given them a strong finish to carry into their home-field semifinal coming up this Friday night.

But the Chicago Red Stars played spoiler on Saturday, winning the game and solidifying their place as the number three seed. Awarded to the team with best season record, the league shield was once firmly in the Spirit’s grasp, but the winner will now come down to whether or not the Portland Thorns draw or win over Sky Blue tonight.  Yet, despite the 3-1 result against Chicago, Crystal Dunn, one of Washington Spirit’s talented forwards, had a strong game, netting the team’s only goal, and helping to develop much of Washington’s offensive presses.

After the loss, Dunn took time to speak with Backline Soccer about the result, sharing thoughts on her change in play this year, as well as the upcoming playoffs and the unpredictability of the 2016 NWSL season. We also discussed recent headlines regarding Megan Rapinoe’s protest that started in Chicago a few weeks ago, and the importance of respecting people’s opinions while also respecting the right to protest. And we took up the issue of the particular pressures that athletes of color may carry in the sports they play.

Backline Soccer (BS): Tonight’s game had playoff implications for both teams. Can you share your thoughts on the game?

Crystal Dunn (CD): Yeah, it was a bit of a bummer. Obviously we stepped into this game wanting to win the shield. We wanted to come out and do really well so we could have that good momentum heading into the semis;  it didn’t go our way. I think we had our chances. We didn’t get into our rhythm until after being down 2-0, and unfortunately it’s tough coming back in this league from being down 2-0. So for us, I feel like the game was lost in the first fifteen minutes. We worked hard to get back in the rhythm of things, we did a good job of that, but it just didn’t go our way.

BS: You’ve had an interesting role on the Spirit this year. There has been a lot mentioned about your lack of goals this season, but your assist game is very strong. Do you feel any different having scored a couple goals now?

CD: You know I’ve played a different role this year. New coach. New system. I will say, it hasn’t been easy this year. Just because I’ve played in the nine [position], I’ve played the seven, I’ve played the eleven. It’s not like last year where I was just in one position and that was it. That was my position. That was my role. To just be in that one spot. Honestly, looking back, I’ve never had a season where I’ve had five assists and for me you have to take that for what it is. I don’t look at this year as a disappointment in any way. I look at it at as, “hey, I’ve never assisted so many goals in a season,” so it’s something to look forward to.

BS: As far as a season in general, the NWSL this year has been kind of unpredictable. Playoff opponents still up in the air, down to the wire, final week scenarios. Was prepping for tonight’s game perhaps a playoff preview?

CD: It’s been wild! I think for us we know that were hosting. And I think that is something to take the weight off of our shoulders. We know we have a good field, we know we play really well on our field and for our home fans. For us, tonight was obviously disappointing. But I think going into the semis I think we’re going to regroup and refocus.

BS:  It was a busy night in Chicago tonight. Many events, including tonight’s game. Chance the Rapper is on a huge tour right now. He planned a whole special event just for his hometown Chicago. In the event that this game wasn’t scheduled for Saturday, but instead on Sunday, would you have tried to find tickets to the concert?

CD: One hundred percent. YES! Absolutely.

BS: Quick follow up, who is the one teammate who would’ve been trying to scrounge up tickets with you?

CD: Teammate! It would definitely be Estelle Johnson. She’s freakin’ silly, and she’s all about getting into shenanigans with me. So for sure her. She’s my ride or die on the team.

BS: Chicago made some headlines the other week as well. Your national team teammate Megan Rapinoe took a knee during the anthem here in the game against the Red Stars. She extended that into the national team games. There has been a ton of discussion regarding this. Sometimes just discussing the form of protest, not the issues. Carli Lloyd has mentioned that there have been discussions with teammates about it. Did she ever talk to you about it? Or ask for advice?

CD: You know Pinoe [Megan Rapinoe] is a good friend of mine. We’ve had multiple conversations about it. I did share my views with her on the situation [form of protest]. I told her “look, as a black woman who is playing a sport that is majority white, I love that fact she’s trying to stand up for people’s rights. For something that’s so close to my heart.”  I just further expressed to her that, “No, I can’t be with you in NOT standing for the national anthem.”  Because for me it’s about the fact that people have given their lives for this country. Yes, a country that is NOT perfect. One that has LOTS of flaws. Trust me. I know. I have friends who have been victimized for just for being the way they are and looking the way the look. But to me, the flag and the national anthem doesn’t mean that this country is perfect, for me it means we want to hope for what this country is going to be, what this country could and should be. When I put my hand over my heart, it’s about closing my eyes and thinking about the people who’ve given their lives for me to be living in this world. Yes, it is not perfect and there are rights and methods to express the way you feel about those things. Ultimately, she [Rapinoe] said she understood exactly where I was coming from, and she told me she respected my opinion and she was going to continue doing what she’s been doing. We also have to respect that, I respect her for that and I would never, ever in my life tell her or anyone that you should not be doing this. We live in a country where we have freedom of expression, and I can’t take that away from her.

BS: Exactly, it’s literally a right. I myself have been pretty vocal on some of these issues at Backline Soccer. Whether it’s in my writing, or webcasts. Because I feel similarly–it’s her right to protest–but I also feel it’s necessary to have those types of conversations.

CD: Yes. One hundred percent. Absolutely.

BS: I’ve also mentioned, as you have here, the game is very Anglo. And there is a need to support women of color in this sport. Because at times there can be certain level of weight, or pressure on athletes of color in the game. Do you ever feel that kind of weight?

CD: For those who don’t know, I’ve grown up in a predominately white neighborhood. I’ve been around white people all my life. For me, it never bothered. It was what I was used to ever since I was 2 years old. It was like this is all I know. This is what I know. It really wasn’t until I got older, where I really started to take notice of my environments. I noticed “WOW. I am really, REALLY the only black girl on all of my teams, I’m the only black girl in all of my classes.” Even with me being on the national team, it’s funny, because in my conversations with Pinoe, we also talked about that, how there has maybe been about fourteen black women on the national team. In its history. Those things matter. Especially for me. I know we have a lot of mixed people on the national team. I think something people don’t understand is – that the way you look? It matters. For me? I’m a chocolate girl on the national team. You know, I’m not mixed, I’m not light skinned. I’m not any of that. So my experience on the team is completely different from someone who doesn’t look like me. I hold that very dear to my heart because I want people to know that when they see me on the national team, that they can look at me and still feel like they can make it to where you want to get in life. I don’t think that’s something everyone can understand. People don’t realize that. They might see a mixed girl and say “oh she’s mixed, she counts” and yes, absolutely the do. Mixed girls are technically black. But the reality is that if you don’t look like me? You will be treated differently.

BS: Experiences are different, even within certain racial groups.

CD:  And that’s the colorism that people don’t understand. That’s what ties into bigger things. Like the whole minorities and people of color being on the national stage. So yeah, I do sense a bit of pressure. But it’s not negative pressure. Every day I wake up and want to hold myself in the right way, and carry myself in the right way. To allow people to feel like “look, Crystal Dunn made it. I look like her. If she can make it.  Maybe I could make it too.”

Catching Up with Olympic Bronze Medalist, Stephanie Labbé

Posted on by RJ Allen

Going to training and being able to speak with the players afterward is something that I value and appreciate greatly. It’s not every day that you get to have a conversation with an Olympian, let alone a bronze medalist.

It may be her first year in the league, but Stephanie Labbé has made quite the splash here in DC. We at Backline Soccer do enjoy a good defense, and that starts with a great keeper.

I had a few questions for Labbé, and she was kind enough to answer them for me.

Backline Soccer (BS): With knowing that Kelsey Wys had dealt with the same situation last season, with Ashlyn Harris at the World Cup, and knowing the depth of this team, did it make it easier to go and concentrate on Canada before the break?

Stephanie Labbe (SL): For sure, I mean Kelsey is incredible, she’s always been ready. It’s always been a battle between us, nothing has ever been set in stone and we challenge each other all the time in training and I think that it’s a really good partnership for us. Whether it’s her or me in goal, I don’t think the team misses a beat. We both bring something different to the team, and it wasn’t even a thought in my mind.

BS: Canada was the only team that repeated as medalist in Rio. Does that give you a little bit of confidence going into the next cycle, knowing that it’s something that is not out of reach?

SL: Going in, there were doubts on us, and the team that won in London was a different team, and that was a team that got success through team connection. It wasn’t necessarily a team that out-performed other teams; they had the connection and that energy of never giving up, and they fought and battled through games and got results.

This time around going in, this was a much different team, we had so much more youth, and it was a different blend of youth and experience. We went out and out played top 5, top 6, teams on a consistent basis. For us to do that and do it back to back, it solidifies our spot in the world and shows we’re a top team and we’re a team to beat. I think it changes the mentality of Canadians and Canada soccer and proves that it wasn’t a fluke and we’ve earned this and we earned our spot on the top stage.

BS: How was your prep different from the World Cup, going into the Olympics as Canada’s number 1, especially after Erin McLeod went down very close to the Olympics?

SL: My individual prep wasn’t too much different. Going into the World Cup, it was a battle for who was going to play, going in, and I had that mentality the whole time. Going into this, yeah it was a bit different, but at the same time Sabrina and I still had to battle. Nothing was ever set in stone, once Erin was injured it was never my spot, it was something that Sabrina and I battled until the end with. I’m thankful for that because I think that that connection and that battle and competition that we had between each other just made us both so much stronger and pushed each other to new levels. I think that’s the reason why I was able to step out there with full confidence, knowing that I worked my butt off to earn that. And, at the same time, I had the confidence to go out and play well because she pushed me to be the best me.

BS: Who, after you, was the first person that you let hold your bronze medal?

SL: First person was my goalkeeper coach. Our staff don’t get medals, so we made sure that all of our staff got to feel the medal, because they’re just as much a part of it, and they earned it just as much as we did. So my goalkeeper coach got my medal. And when I got home, my mom, she had it.

BS: With clinching playoffs on Saturday, does it make it a little bit different, leading in and knowing you made the playoffs, so now you can work on the little things that maybe need to be tweaked, heading into the playoffs, over the next couple of games?

SL: For sure. [It] definitely takes a little bit of weight off your shoulders. That’s the first goal, to make playoffs. Now we have a new goal, and that is to make sure we stay in first and clinch that first spot. Of course, like I said, there is that weight off your shoulders of making the playoffs, so you know you’re in now, and now it’s about fine tuning the little things so we’re ready for the semifinal.

A Chat with Louisville City FC President: Amanda Duffy

Posted on by RJ Allen

I recently had the chance to talk with Amanda Duffy, a former professional player who is now the President of Louisville City FC. We spoke about how she became involved with the club, the success of the club in such a short amount of time, and her opinions on the possibility of an NWSL team for Louisville in the future.

Backline Soccer: First and foremost, congratulations on such a successful start for Louisville City.

Amanda Duffy: Thank you. Yeah, it’s been a great start so far. Have you been to a game yet?

BS: I have not been able to make it back for a game. Every time I go back to visit, it has been in the offseason, but I have been following you guys since your inception, and I know a few diehard fans who have told me the atmosphere is just insane.

AD: It is. It’s been pretty neat. I’m just thankful and appreciative that I’ve been a part of it from essentially day one, before we ever played our first game. To know how far the fan base has come from back in the fall/winter of 2014, when it was this idea that people couldn’t get their head around. Like, they got pro sports and pro soccer, but they didn’t necessarily understand what the USL was and they definitely didn’t understand playing soccer in a baseball stadium. They didn’t know how that was going to look or feel. And for most, at least from my standpoint, the supporter groups have created this environment that is, in my opinion if not the best, one of the best systems in our league. I think even if you pull NASL into the picture, I think we just present an environment that is pretty special. I think that as the locals come to Slugger Field – pretty much everyone has been to a baseball game there – they come with an expectation. At least in the first year, people had obviously heard that it was different than baseball, but it was an eye-opening experience to them. It was very engaging to see all of it sort of evolve over the last two years.

BS: Oh of course. So, first of all, how did you get involved with Louisville City?

AD: Well, I worked at USL prior to coming to Louisville. I had been there about 7 ½ years. When I first got to the USL I was in a position – well I stopped playing in 2006 – and in 2007 I got to the USL. I had done an internship [with the USL] to finish my master’s, so I had already made some connections. When I finished playing, I reached back out and said, “Okay I’m ready to start doing real work.” The USL was in the process of expanding its headquarters and operation and personnel, so I started my first year in a kind of “catch all” position. I was working with the pro league, the adult amateur league, helping a little bit with registration, helping a little bit with our referee education … So it was just a catch all. At the time, it wasn’t exactly what I wanted. I had gone back thinking and hoping that I wanted to be a part of the women’s game. But in hindsight now, I’m so appreciative of that because it educated me on all areas of the game. And as I continue to move through different areas of the USL, I’m just better educated by all of it. So, that position morphed into Director of Operations for USL Pro, which at the time was USL First Division and USL Second Division before the group split and NASL was formed. So, I was part of the operations with the pro league at the time, and when the leagues came together after the group split that did form NASL … We put USL I and USL II together to form USL Pro. It was at that time that I transitioned over to the women’s side with the W-League and I became Senior Director of the W-League. I spent the next three years there, overseeing the women’s strategic direction and growth on that side. So then at that point in 2014, Louisville City was announced in June. I knew I had a great relationship with Phil Rawlins and Orlando City and they had ownership in this franchise, since it was a transfer franchise from Orlando City. So with that connection and then a second connection with the first president, my predecessor John Bucholtz. He had worked for a couple of different USL Pro teams while I was at the league, so he was someone that I had worked with from a league-team type relationship and when he was named president here, that was just another sort of warm relationship that made me comfortable in entertaining the idea of considering an opportunity here when they reached out. So, I actually became as the vice president of operations in 2014 and then December of that year there was a change in the leadership. I was moved into the GM role and a year later named president of the club.

BS: Wow. That’s amazing.

AD: It is amazing. It’s one of those things that when you’re in it every day, you don’t really take that step back and look at it from the outside in and realize, you know not just me, but what everyone here has really accomplished in such a short period of time. And for me I came into this side thinking at that point that my professional experience had been all on the league side. I went from player to working in the league headquarters. I wanted to get more experience working in a team front office. Just to have a better understanding of everything. I certainly needed to and certainly wanted to and I also just like working for a team. I’m a competitor. I’m an athlete. And so in a league position you come from a very neutral position. Whereas with a team right now, you know, I’m fighting for this team and this organization. Well, not necessarily fighting, but speaking for and pushing this one organization. Which is different and it’s neat to be in that position.

BS: Right. On the topic of this specific team in Louisville … What do you think makes this team thrive in Louisville? And also, why do you think Louisville is such an amazing soccer city to facilitate this team?

AD: Well I think one would be, we’ve put a competitive team on the field from season one. Obviously, we are just in our second season right now. We just have been competitive from our very first game. We have a great head coach, we have a great coaching staff, great players. Our coaching staff have put in countless hours in terms of finding the right mix of talent and personality and character that all blend well and nicely to make sure that we have competitors on the field and people that are going to represent the team and get into the community in a way that is going to represent the club in the right way. I think putting a competitive team on the field right away was important and has helped us. Part of that, was that we sort of had this expectation because this franchise was a transfer from Orlando City. The success that club had in USL was obviously impressive. For that franchise to move here, we already had a high bar that was set and had an expectation of what we wanted to do and accomplish and we have done that so far in the first year and a half that we have been competing. I also think this is a unique market. It’s not one that I’m from but I’ve kind of learned this as I go … It’s a market that I feel has wanted something more. It’s very much a college town and you could even say that it’s a college state with the two major universities [University of Louisville and University of Kentucky]. But, I do feel like there is a want and a need for something more than just the university athletics. And with soccer, it introduces an avenue for people to support something that has nothing to do with college athletics. It’s in the neutral ground of pro sports. We are in the city. Our players are here under contract with us. They are based here. They live here nine months out of the year. We are engaged in this city and the community. We are bringing a different type of entertainment that the city has wanted at a professional level but hasn’t had in a long time.

BS: Yes. That is one of the reason why I think Louisville would make a great city for an NWSL team. I think the lack of pro teams in Louisville brings a much more concentrated and less saturated market in any team. And since the NWSL is looking to expand to 14 teams in the next 2-3 years, I feel like Louisville is the city that no one is really talking about, but was really a perfect market for a new team. Especially judging by the success of Louisville City.

AD: Yes.

BS: Now switching over to more of the women’s soccer side of things. Would you agree with me that Louisville would be a good place for an NWSL expansion team?

AD: I do think that this is a city where the support for the club would go beyond just our men’s professional team. I think our supporters are supporting the club and it just happens to be that right now we only have the men’s pro team, but we are building an environment and relationships with the community and with the city that the club is going to represent more. Our fans will support more than just the pro team when we are in the right position to expand our operation. Obviously right now, we are playing in a baseball stadium. The dates that we have, I mean, we just have such limited dates with the pro team, that it is not even realistic to start thinking about or even have a conversation about bringing any other team, whether its an NWSL team or a U-23 team. It’s not realistic because we don’t have a place to play. But, we’ve started that conversation with the stadium – a soccer specific stadium – recently. I’m not sure if you saw, but a study came out that supported the need and the readiness to build a soccer specific stadium here in Louisville. So it’s now sorta back on us to make that happen. And as that conversation progresses and we know the direction, obviously that there is a stadium, you know, filling that with the 20 games for the men’s pro team, then we are going to need to look to find other avenues to bring events to that stadium. Then, that would be a perfect opportunity to start having a conversation about an NWSL team or other teams that could utilize the stadium that that it’s not sitting empty.

BS: Right. Because right now you guys are, if I’m not mistaken, you guys are selling out almost every home game correct?

AD: Well, when the team was announced the ownership said that the official capacity is going to be 8,000. The official capacity of Slugger Field is 13,100 approximately. When we first started our ticket sales all of the outfield [was unavailable]. We weren’t selling tickets out there because we thought, you know, those are just terrible seats and you aren’t going to be able to see the game and you’re going to be too far away. But after our first game we realized that those were some of the best seats in the stadium. So for us right now, we have access to all 13,000 and we want to consider a sell-out that 13,000 mark. But, that is where the 8,000 number comes from which we have surpassed many times this year.

BS: That makes so much more sense, because I saw that your highest attendance this year was over 10,000 and I was just like, “That is so insane, how?”

AD: Yeah, that is where the 8,000 number comes from.

BS: Okay. Got it. So, just from your experience being the president of a team in Louisville, what are some hurdles you think there would be – obviously, in the future, if you had a new stadium – in sustaining a professional women’s team in the Louisville community?

AD: In my opinion – and this comes from running the W-League at the USL for the years that I did, and playing a year in Sweden – I got to see a different structure of women’s soccer. It was just one club. You had men’s team and the women’s team and the youth underneath it. It’s not the exact European model, but it was a full developmental system from youth all the way up to a pro team. And in seeing that I saw how it corresponded with fans of the club coming out to support all genders and levels. It was a different support system, versus here where you go to support a specific men’s team. And if it is just an independent women’s team, aren’t they getting the same level of support. In my opinion, having the infrastructure of an existing men’s professional club lends itself better to a successful women’s professional team. Mostly because you have more of an infrastructure to support women’s teams because you have more of the revenue sources coming in. Because when you’re talking about a women’s pro team on its own, it’s a lot harder for us because people are going to support the crest, they’re going to support Louisville City, and if a women’s pro team is a part of that then I think our fans can come in and support that. We have the front office infrastructure to really push our message and push the players and give them an identity for a women’s pro team in the same way that we can push a men’s pro team all representing “the crest” if you would. So I think for me, an important part of the growth of the women’s team is to really utilize the infrastructure that exists with men’s professional teams, just because you have a more stable environment to work out of.

BS: I totally agree with you. I mean, the top three teams in attendance in the NWSL are the three teams who are partnered with an MLS team.

AD: Correct.

BS: And even if you just think about the player and their willingness to go to to clubs that already have top facilities and staff and things that you might not be able to acquire having an independent team and so on and so forth. So, yes, I agree with you there.

AD: Great.

BS: So, my last question is, hypothetically, in the future, if you had to make a case on why an NWSL team should come to Louisville – if it was solely in your hands – what would a short pitch for the city be?

AD: Well it’s not so much a pitch, I think we have to look at our business and make sure the business that we are today is a stable one. Adding more programming and stuff to our business operation, we need to make sense to ultimately build stability and viability for the long term part of it.

BS: Of course.

AD: And I think the stadium is such a key piece to that entire conversation. Because we are going to look, assuming that we continue to move forward, and if in several years we are playing in our own stadium in Louisville, we are going to need to look to find other events and other opportunities to fill dates for the stadium. And I think from that business standpoint and if we are still in a healthy business state, growing and expanding goes underneath the men’s pro team and going into the women’s side. I think it will make sense for us to further engage in the community and as a professional soccer organization to have both genders represented and fill in underneath with a development structure to feed into those pro teams.

 

10 Questions with Libby Stout

Posted on by RJ Allen

Libby Stout came to the NWSL in 2016. While this might not be the season of her dreams, she has definitely made her case for being around in season five.

We asked her 10 questions about where she came from and where she is headed.

Backline Soccer (BS): What made you decide to go to Western Kentucky University?

Libby Stout (LS): I already had a decent knowledge of WKU because my older brother was attending the school. On a visit to see him, I asked to meet the soccer coach, Jason Neidell, and he showed me around the campus without knowing who I was. Not long after that he saw me play in a tournament and began recruiting me to Western. I wanted to play for a smaller, up-and-coming D1 program and that’s exactly what WKU was. It was honestly a perfect fit for me and I loved every minute of it.

BS: You set WKU career records for wins, shutouts, goals against average and save percentage, did you go into college aiming to break records or were you more of a game-to-game player who wasn’t looking at the records?

LS: I did not necessarily go into college aiming for records. However, my goal was to earn the starting spot from day one of my freshman year and that’s what I did. I think that mentality and the circumstances put me in a pretty good position to get some of those records. But I never could have achieved individual success without the collective effort of my team and the group of girls I played with throughout my four years. Those records are shared with each player I played next to.

BS: You’ve played professionally in Germany, France, England and now the US, how have the different leagues influenced your style as a goalkeeper?

LS: I have been unbelievably lucky to have experienced some amazing things through soccer. Each league taught me something new and different and helped develop me into a more well-rounded player and person. France stands out because it’s where my professional career started and I began to learn the business side of the sport. I also developed new techniques that I still use today that have made me quicker and more disciplined. Germany was a similar experience–learning different techniques–but England was my favorite. Liverpool was a great experience team-wise. We achieved real success there, winning the league and competing in the Champions League two years in a row. LFC was a really special club to be a member of and I’ll be a forever fan of the Reds.

BS: Why the NWSL and why Boston?

LS: After announcing his decision to leave Liverpool, Matt asked if I’d be interested in following him to Boston. After some deliberation, I decided I was ready to make my way back to the States. I’d always wanted the opportunity to play here, but the league was down the year I graduated from WKU, which lead me overseas. Needless to say I was really excited to come play for the Breakers in the NWSL, and despite a rough season results and injury-wise, I have genuinely enjoyed playing here and look forward to seasons to come.

BS: Coach Beard was your coach in England and in the US for Boston. How is playing under him in two different leagues?

LS: Matt is a fantastic coach and person in general. He’s the same guy! He has had to change a little bit of his personal soccer style to adapt to American soccer, but I think he has a great vision in mind. Every person I know who has played for Matt would do anything for the guy, and I really appreciate him putting his trust in me to bring me here to Boston.

BS: The season has been a bit of a roller-coaster for Boston this year. But there are some pretty big positives with different signings. Have the changes toward the later part of the season brought some excitement back to the locker room?

LS: Definitely. We’ve brought in some real talent through the last couple of months. I think the Olympic break came at a good time for us. We were able to regroup a little bit and focus on things we wanted to improve. We still have room for improvement, but with two games left I’m hoping we can stay consistent with the effort we put in during our last game against Western NY.

BS: The fan support in Boston this year has been really impressive. How is that support affecting the team as a whole and you personally?

LS: The fans in Boston are amazing! We’ve had great crowds every game and it’s just really great to see the support through the city. We always have loads of young girls and boys waiting for autographs and pictures at the end of games. I love the opportunity women’s soccer affords to young people because we are able to personally engage and for me that’s what it’s all about. I want to play professional soccer to help pave a way for girls growing up now and allow them to develop dreams to play in their future.

BS: How has your style of play had to change to adapt to the NWSL?

LS: My style hasn’t changed a whole lot really. One thing for sure though is that I tend to not have as many opportunities to play out from the back, which I would prefer. The league in general tends to press with a high line so I have to kick long goal kicks and punt more often than I would have done in Europe. But other than that it’s still all about keeping the ball out of the net!

BS: What do you look for in defenders? Do you like super-aggressive defenders or do you like when they play a little more conservatively?

LS: I really enjoy players who understand the game and can help communicate and organize, who have good positional awareness, and who aren’t afraid to get into a tackle. That’s pretty standard for any player on the field, but I like a defender to have a combination of both aggressive and conservative play. It’s important to use both of those characteristics when it’s appropriate. The trick is just discerning which one to exercise during a given situation, which comes through instinct and experience.

BS: Best attacking player you’ve played against in any league?

LS: I’ll say my most enjoyable opponent has been Lindsay Horan. I played against her in France and now in the NWSL. She’s a savvy and deceptive finisher and I enjoy the challenge that she imposes.