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NWSL to the Bay: An Interview with Leslie Osborne 

As you know Women's World Football Show is the premier podcast on women's soccer, featuring interviews with top players and personalities from the sport.

In episode 215, I was honored to interview former USWNT midfielder Leslie Osborne about her soccer journey and her new venture as co-owner and co-founder of the newest National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) team taking flight in the Bay Area in 2024.

Leslie, who played for the Boston Breakers and the Chicago Red Stars in the NWSL, discussed her experience of being part of the first professional women's soccer league in the United States. She talked about the positive aspects of the league, such as the high level of competition, the camaraderie between the players, and the support of the fans. 

It’s so interesting to hear Leslie touch on some of the challenges that the league faced in its early years, such as a lack of financial stability, and how the NWSL has grown. As women’s soccer fans, it’s definitely a journey we’ve all lived through together. 

Leslie’s energy is contagious! Listening back to this interview got me all pumped up again! I’m excited to see how Leslie’s past experiences in the SIX leagues she’s played for, as well as her experiences as a businesswoman and current role as Director of Coaching at the San Jose Earthquakes youth academy, will serve her in her next journey as co-owner of an NWSL team.

In this absolutely killer episode, Leslie talked about the unique opportunities that the Bay Area has to offer, such as the high level of competition, the great weather, and the passionate soccer fans. Osborne also discussed her how her career-altering injury helped prepare her for her next role as an entrepreneur and sports broadcaster, as well as her work in the Earthquakes academy, where she has helped develop the next generation of soccer players.

Throughout the interview, Leslie is so open and transparent, sharing valuable insight into the NWSL and the Bay Area. She spoke about the importance of having a professional soccer team in Northern California and how it will be different than the two Southern California teams (Angel City FC and San Diego Wave FC), and how it will help to raise the level of competition for women's soccer. 

Along with co-founders and former USWNT stars, Brandi Chastain, Aly Wagner, and Danielle Slaton, Leslie shares invaluable insight into their new Bay Area team’s mission and expectations.

Women's World Football Show podcast continues to be a great source of information on women's soccer, and this episode with Leslie Osborne is another entertaining addition to our library. Take a listen and share with your friends! 

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SURVIVING 2022: A WOMEN’S SOCCER PODCAST CONFESSION

Is October too early to write an end-of-the-year blog? You know the saying ‘When it rains it pours'? For me and this beloved women’s soccer podcast, 2022 was a torrential rainstorm.

So much so that I came really close to shutting down Women’s World Football Show. Yes, it’s true! Luckily (and I say that with a hint of irony – keep reading!), that didn’t happen. Here’s another saying that comes to mind when I think of 2022 – ‘If it wasn’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all!’

The year started inconspicuously enough with a look towards the future. We featured great guests with amazing and inspirational stories. We were looking forward to the Euros, the U20 and U17 Women’s World Cups, the NWSL season, two new expansion teams in the NWSL, Women’s World Cup qualifiers and yes the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Ah… those were great times!

By May, my focus was all but lost. After a devastating death in the family, I lost my job (yes, I have a real job – gotta finance this pod somehow!), and then a series of unluckiness pelted me like a blistering tornado.

Now, I’m not one to wallow in self pity and I know that even at my lowest, I have a lot to be grateful for. But the things that happened to me were just plain weird. And worst of all, it took my focus off the podcast.

For one, my Lucky Plant that I’ve had for at least 5 years, suddenly died (that should have been my first clue). Believe me, I did everything in my power to try to save it apart from giving it mouth-to-leaf resuscitation.

Then one sunny afternoon while I was walking in my backyard, I took a tumble and split my knee open on the pavers. I wasn’t even drunk! Just walking over to give one of my squirrels a few nuts. That turned out to require six stitches and the inability to walk up stairs in less time than it takes a snail to cross the street.

A few days before that, I stepped on something (again in my backyard) and spent two months trying to dig out whatever was impaled in my heel. Finally after months of pain and frustration, I dug out a shard of glass! When I saw that little sucker come out of my foot, I was elated. I felt like my luck was going to change!

Record scratch!!

Keep in mind, while all this was happening, Angel City FC and San Diego Wave FC were playing matches right here in my hometown of Southern California. I missed more games than I attended and a bad case of FOMO set in. I had a hard time following the game, much less attending. That’s when the thought of shutting down WWFShow crept into my head.

One morning, I woke up with excruciating pain in my mouth. Oh noooo – not a root canal! It can’t be. First of all, since losing my job my state insurance was anything but stellar and I already had to pay through the nose for my knee incident. Come to find out it was a fractured root and the tooth had to go. Holy Moly!! What’s happening?

By this time, I was going on two months since our last episode. The thought of reaching out to anyone for an interview was way down on my list of priorities. Was episode 205 going to be the last? I couldn’t make that decision while I was in a state of bad luck (that’s what I was calling it).

Then, the thought came to me that maybe it wasn’t bad luck at all. Maybe, just maybe, it was my own mindset. I implanted a thought in my head and it affected everything around me. What was I doing wrong?

Well, first I was convinced of this idea of bad luck and had myself in a muddy ditch spinning my wheels. I had to stop pressing the accelerator. Get out and change my way of thinking.

The first thing I did was buy a new Lucky Plant. Yep – I had been looking at that old pot with two dead branches for months. I went to the supermarket and bought a new vibrant plant for $13.99. As I buckled that little fellow into the passenger seat and drove it to its new home, I felt an instant connection with it. “Nothing but filtered water and 70’s love songs for you my friend.”

Then I did what we all do when we’re feeling a little blue – I went on Amazon. After a little research, I found that Selenite Crystal helps calm your surroundings and brings tranquility while aligning chakras. Sign me up! So I bought an authentic Selenite Crystal Lamp. I’m a believer!

I’m also a believer in the power within. If there’s anything I’ve learned in my 120 years of living it’s that we have infinite power over our lives. Call it God, higher power, consciousness, love, peace, whatever. The infinite power is alive and well, if we stay focused on it. I know this because I’ve seen my life change by keeping attentive to it.

Losing sight of your inner strength is why most people walk around feeling lost, unconscious, or out of control.

We have it all here at our fingertips, but it takes work. I wasn’t doing the work. I was unconscious. Walking around in a funk – falling down, stepping on glass, grinding my teeth. Not being grateful.

That’s the other thing I rediscovered – practicing gratitude. I had a gratitude journal for years, then I kind of stopped. Why? Who knows. Life, no time, etc., etc.

Now, every night before I go to sleep I write in my gratitude journal. The interesting thing about having a gratitude journal is you intentionally go through the day looking for things to be grateful for. Gotta write that down tonight!

Such a powerful thing!

I’ve done a lot of other things to stay focused and happy, but this blog is already past my word-count minimum, so we’ll keep it to those few things.

What were the results of this changing mindset? As of this writing I don’t know. I feel like I’m getting my groove back. I’m happy and grateful. I thank God for all the things in my life – good and bad.

And as for the podcast? While I questioned the importance of the show especially in light of all the growth and success of women’s soccer, I realized that it’s still needed. For the two months hiatus, people were still downloading episodes. I mean really downloading – in large numbers.

Some of you listened to our most recent show, others dipped into older shows maybe catching up or re-listening. That made me realize that the little WWFShow podcast was still being enjoyed by listeners around the world. Still needed! That made me feel a great sense of pride and happy obligation.

The show must go on! At least for a little while. I've started attending more press conferences, scheduling interviews with players and people I know you’re going to love hearing from.

The end of 2022 is coming up fast but not without a changing mindset and a renewed energy. I’ll be writing more blogs as well with behind-the-scenes stories and more. I’ll also be doing some swag giveaways and putting out a monthly newsletter – so keep an eye out for all of that!

Another great saying I love is by Dr. Wayne Dwyer - “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”

I’ve been looking at all the good luck and blessings I have and the view is amazing!

– by Patty La Bella

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The strength of a team - and young people - are on display in “The Wolves“

(Image by Dahlia Katz.)

As nine players of an indoor soccer team warm up for their weekly game, you're invited to an intimate glimpse into the lives of The Wolves.

The 2017 Pulitzer Prize nominated play isn't about a singular hero's journey or the troubled teen in need of saving, all in the name of sporting glory; this ensemble doesn't need to prove their individual self worth to be deserving of attention and compassion.

Instead, they learn and grow together as a natural progression of (strained) friendship.

The Toronto cast proves that their chemistry is the crux of the show. It's no wonder that the original production in New York was honoured with an Off-Broadway Obie Ensemble Award.

The Wolves begins with high energy and overlapping dialogue at breakneck speed. The teens are casually discussing topics ranging from Cambodian genocide, to tampons, Harry Potter and college soccer scouts, while chiding one another and revealing their own personalities and insecurities.

These players are attempting to assert themselves (or not), and they're refreshingly honest and witty. They navigate certain conversations with some measure of maturity, and approach others with an "OMIGOSH" attitude and brush aside the effects of multiple concussions.

Adults often only see teenagers from this superficial level, reduced to merely squawking gossip. But, in truth, uninformed conversations continue well into adulthood, as do the awkward silences and racial assumptions.

It's incredibly arrogant to think we've somehow outgrown ignorance by the magical age of 18. This is the same arrogance that lead adults to dismissing the plight of young people, so writer Sarah DeLappe offers the audience the opportunity to see deeper into what we're typically missing.

"It's [also about] the dynamic of how we fit in with a group, where you stand and how that's constantly shifting, especially during a time when you're trying to figure out who you are," Hallie Seline told the Women's World Football Show during opening week of the Toronto production.

The Wolves is co-produced by The Howland Company and Crow’s Theatre. Seline, costar Ruth Goodwin and director Courtney Ch’ng Lancaster, as well as several others on the creative team, are members of The Howland Company, an independent theatre company founded by young artists to tell the sort of stories relevant to them.

"The Howland Company has been trying to get this show to Toronto for two and a half years," said Goodwin.

"This has been a really long time coming for us. The fact that it's opening this week is so exhausting, but so exciting. I feel like I'm dreaming."

The play is set in an unspecified suburb in middle America and players are simply known by their jersey numbers. This gives the characters a certain universality - they could be any one of us, anywhere. At the same time, their numbers and places on the team are thoroughly ingrained in their identities.

They're acutely aware that the boys' team has a more qualified coach than their own hungover replacement, which forces captain #25 (Rachel Cairns) to step up and really find her voice as a leader.

#2 (Annelise Hawrylak) is blissfully sheltered by her religious upbringing, but she's kind and one of the first to befriend #46 (Ula Jurecka), the new kid who's as talented of a striker as she is socially inept. #8 (Seline) is tirelessly upbeat with a childlike innocence and excitement.

In contrast, profanity laden #7 (Aisha Evelyna) is unapologetically self-confident and inseparable from #14 (Brittany Kay), who feigns the characteristics of her best friend. Equaling their sense of humour is #13 (Heath V. Salazar), the high energy jokester unafraid of being silly or speaking up. These strong personalities don't intimidate #11 (Goodwin), the well read instigator of the team's varied debates.

"The thing with these girls is that they all get on each other's nerves," said Goodwin, "but they all love each other so much and they're a unit and a phenomenal team."

"That's the beauty of this play. They're flawed, annoying, funny, caring, incredibly intelligent women, who then go out and play an amazing game of soccer every week."

Almost entirely silent is their goalkeeper, #00 (Amaka Umeh), an academic over-achiever struggling with her anxieties.

Early in the play is an impressively choreographed scene of the team doing passing drills, all while hitting their marks and perfectly timed dialogue, all nonstop. The fast pace and lightness of the first half then gives way for a slowed and emotionally heavy second half that's kicked off by an intense solo scene by #00. Burpees be damned.

This newfound stillness makes your heart race as you're piecing together the events of their past week.

Remember how you felt when the Canadian Women's Soccer Team battled hard against the United States at the 2012 Olympic quarter-finals? We were devastated, but everyone eventually smiled through the tears because we were so proud of them.

The search for closure isn't easy, but we, and The Wolves, manage it together.

The Wolves is on stage at the Streetcar Crowsnest Theatre until October 27. Several post-show talk back sessions with special guests are scheduled. Purchase tickets or make a donation to support local theatre.

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Desiree Scott: The Women’s World Football Show Interview

Recently Women’s World Football Show featured an exclusive sit-down interview with Canada Women’s National Team midfielder Desiree Scott.

 “The Destroyer” as she is aptly nicknamed is currently playing club football with Utah Royals FC in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).

 During the interview however, we experienced some technical difficulties beyond our control (there are a lot of mountains in Utah that get in the way of things like phone reception!).

 Because we are huge Des Scott fans and know you are too, we’ve transcribed the interview in full right here! So if you had a hard time listening on the show (that’s Episode 123) or if you loved the interview and want more – here’s your chance!

 Special Thanks to: Melissa Tan for transcribing the interview; Carla Haslam at Utah Royals FC for setting up the interview; and of course the one and only Desiree Scott for taking time to chat! #CanadaRed

 Patty La Bella: Joining us is one of the more popular players in women's soccer. She has over 130 caps for the Canadian Women's National Team, is a 2-time Olympic bronze medal winner and is now running the midfield for the Utah Royals. Please welcome Desiree Scott – The Destroyer! Hey, Des. Thank you for coming on the show.

 Desiree Scott: Hi, thanks for having me.

 WWFS: I called you “The Destroyer.” You've had that nickname for a long time. Do you remember the first time someone called you “The Destroyer” or where it originated?

 DS: Yeah, I love the nickname. My playing style resembles the destroyer that comes out of me. I remember in 2012 during our Olympic Qualifiers, our coach, John Herdman at the time, said, "You destroy them out there!" From there it stuck. So, it's pretty cool.

 WWFS: Yeah, it's cool. You live up to it. 

 DS: Why, thank you.

 WWFS: I'm really excited to talk about Utah. You just finished up a lengthy homestand in Utah. You guys played 4 straight at home, which is unheard of in this league. How has it helped you as far as getting to know your new surroundings, your home, community, and things?

 DS: Yeah, I think having a home series like that, like you said, it's not very likely to have so much time at home, [which would make it] tough to build a routine. But, you get time with a new training environment, you're building relationships, and you're building momentum. And at the end of the week, you have your favouite day – game day!

 It's been great being able to get settled here and having the community get behind us. Getting into a routine is the biggest thing for me.

 WWFS: You played a year at Notts County, a team that's no longer around and you played at FC Kansas City, which is no longer around. Unfortunately, that's the sad reality of women's club football. What do you see different in Utah that you didn't see in those other clubs?

 DS: I hope it's not me! (laughs) But that's not the case this year. The biggest thing about the Utah Royals is that we’re associated with a men's club. We have an ownership and community that's completely behind us and wants to support us in every way possible. I think we have that solid foundation to build something really special.

 We've got some great players here: the big US-name players, big Canadian players, players from Australia, all over the world. It's come full circle with the amount of support we're getting and the players we've been able to recruit to come to Utah. 

 WWFS: Talking about that support, opening day at Rio Tinto Stadium was crazy and you guys are still bringing in the big crowds. I know that you're used to playing in front of huge crowds with the National Team, is it different on a club level to experience crowds like that or do you just tune it out?

 DS: No, I'm used to playing in front of a big crowd. I think they bring the energy and they raise us up as well with every tackle or pass. It makes the game more fun.

 In past seasons, we've had great fans, but maybe not the numbers we're getting here – 19,000 at our home opener and we're getting 8,000 at every game in Utah. It's great to have that kind of support.

 WWFS: You've played under some great coaches in your career. How do you like playing for Laura Harvey?

 DS: I love it. I've heard great things about her. We've played against her, obviously, when she coached Seattle Reign. If I wasn't going to have Vlatko [Andonovski] as my coach, then Laura Harvey is the next best thing for sure.

 I think she's such a great coach. She allows you to have ownership and allows you to play freely with a little bit of tactics. Her mind is incredible. After games, if you have any questions, they're being answered. She also asks, "What do you think?" She wants your opinion on things. It's a two-way conversation, which is cool. She really knows her stuff. It's been great so far. 

 WWFS: Is she allowing you the freedom to be yourself? You're known for playing your own kind of game. 

 DS: Yeah, I mean, free reign to get stuck in and make that big tackle. That's what I thrive on, but I think that's what coaches try to tell me, "Make that first big tackle, make a statement." She's allowed me to play freely and do what I can, break up a play and get the ball forward when I can. 

 WWFS: It's been super fun watching you guys play.

 DS: Yeah, I'm loving it and the more we play, the chemistry is building, and the momentum is building. We had a few ties to start the season off, we got our first win and I think we're starting to gel and really come together as a team now.

 WWFS: You can see the momentum. Speaking of new coaches, you have a new head coach on the National Team, Kenneth Heiner-Møller. How's the team adjusting to the change and especially since coach [John] Herdman was so intricate for so many years.

 DS: Luckily, Kenneth was our assistant coach for the last year. If we didn't know who was coming in, it could have been tougher for the transition. Having John, who was such an incredible mentor and coach, his soccer brain was uncanny. He was a huge part of my success and our team's success to get on that podium back-to-back with him.

At first we were kind of like, ‘Oh, my god, John is leaving us? What are we going to do?’ But it's been a smooth transition with Kenneth. It's a similar playing style and his mindset towards games. He knows all of us players, so it's been smooth to be honest. We're loving him. He brings his own kind of energy and his own style, and I think it's been great.

 WWFS: Speaking of Canada, it's a very different team than what we saw at the 2015 Women's World Cup, even 2016 Olympics. Going into World Cup Qualifiers, what can the fans expect to see in this team than in the past?

 DS: We've lost some of our veterans to retirement since 2015/2016, but we have our core group still there. We've brought in some of the young ones who you saw in Rio (2016 Olympics) and they're now starting and making a name for themselves.

 We have pace up front and people who can live on the ball. We're playing an exciting brand of soccer, we're playing out of the back and we're comfortable on the ball. Obviously, we're going to bring our defensive DNA and that Canadian grit. You're going to see a team that enjoys being on the ball a bit more and bringing their bravery when we have possession.                        

 WWFS: Among the young players on the Canadian Women's National Team, is there one player in particular who you've taken under your wing or mentored?

 DS: I feel like a mama bear with all the young players coming through. In the midfield, you probably know her name, there's Jessie Fleming – she's not new to the team, but I think she's a rising star for this team. She plays in front of me in the midfield. There are times when I wouldn't want to get it and she's like, "I'll go get it," kind of thing. She can bring a lot of things, she's confident on the ball, she goes forward, she's got pace. She's a very exciting player to play with and is one to watch for sure.

 WWFS: Speaking of young players, the next question is for our young footballers listening... and our old footballers, too, I guess. You have a very unique style of playing. Some call it aggressive. I call it fearless! I think you're so fearless. When did you develop your style of play? Was it something that you consciously worked on or did it evolve naturally?

 DS: I think it evolved naturally. I'm quite competitive. I think anyone who plays professional sports is a competitor. For me, I hate to lose and it's built into my core. I think it's something that's developed over time. Making those big tackles is my bread and butter.

 Some people may call it aggressive, but, for me, it's just part of who I am and part of my game and style of play. I've been The Destroyer and putting in some good tackles and following them through is what it's all about.

 WWFS: When you were younger, did you ever have a coach or maybe an adult who told you to dial it back or tried to change your style?

 DS: You'd be surprised, I haven't gotten a lot of red cards or yellow cards. To be honest, all of my coaches have been so supportive. They've been like, "Get stuck in and make those tackles." In my pre-game prep, they'll say, "Get stuck in."      

 WWFS: Like I've said, it's super fun to watch. When we're rooting for you at the club level, it's fantastic, but when you're playing against the United States, it's kind of different.

 DS: (Laughs) Those are always fun games.

 WWFS: Since we're talking coaching, I know you do a lot of coaching in the off-season. What's the one piece of advice that you give to young aspiring footballers who dream of having a professional soccer career someday like you do?

 DS: I'm pretty simple and straight forward. I think you've got to love what you're doing. I wouldn't have thought I could be playing soccer into my thirties and still traveling the world and doing what I love.

 So, 1) Love what you're doing and 2) The hard work always pays off. If you want to work for something, you never know where an opportunity will take you.

 WWFS: One last question. Of course, being from Winnipeg, you're a bit hockey fan I know you're a bit disappointed that the Jets didn't make it to the Stanley Cup final, but it was exciting?   

 DS: Yeah, I think it's been incredible. I've been watching the series all along with my jersey on and my T-shirt repping the city. It's exciting times.

 WWFS: Just a side note, we had Lindsay Agnew and Nichelle Prince on recently. As a Canadian, you'll be embarrassed. We asked them which team they thought would win the Stanley Cup and 1) Neither of them knew who was in the Stanley Cup playoffs and 2) They both said the Maple Leafs. This was after they were eliminated.  

 DS: (Laughs) They're supporting their city, I guess, that's why. I'm from Winnipeg. I post about it all the time. I'm gonna have to have a word [with them]. A little chat.     

 WWFS: Desiree Scott, so awesome to talk with you. Thank you for taking the time to come on this show. We really appreciate it.   

 DS: I appreciate you guys having a chat with me.

 This interview was conducted exclusively for Women’s World Football Show by co-host Patty La Bella and transcribed by Melissa Tan. Listen to the full interview, visit Episode 123.

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Canada’s 17-year-old midfielder is looking to make her mark

The Canadian Women's National Team is facing Germany on Sunday, June 10 at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton, ON. On the roster are four players 20 years of age or younger, including fullback-turned-midfielder Julia Grosso.

The Vancouver, BC native is among the generation of youth players who have come through the ranks of John Herdman's development program. Grosso was 13 years old when she was called into a national team identification camp in 2014. At the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in Jordan, Grosso was noted by the FIFA Technical Study Group as one of Canada's key players.

When asked of her best qualities, Grosso told the Women's World Football Show that it's her ability as, "an attacking threat, threading the ball and my passing... combinations through the middle."

While Sunday marks the team's first home match under head coach Kenneth Heiner-Møller, the change in leadership hasn't worried the 17-year-old.

"It's a change, but he's been the assistant coach [under Herdman], so we've known Kenneth and his strategies. It's positive either way. I think he's doing a really great job and we're continuing to go forward."

With five appearances on the full national team since making her debut in November 2017, Grosso is embracing the challenge of playing at a much quicker pace.

"With the youth national team, you usually get a few touches, but with the full team, you have to play and move [with quicker decision making]."  

Canada, ranked fourth in the world, and Germany, ranked third, are both preparing for their respective Women's World Cup qualifiers in the fall.

In addition to potentially representing Canada at her first WWC, the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite product is getting ready for her freshman season with the University of Texas, alongside CanWNT fullback Emma Regan.

"I leave at the end of July,” said Grosso, "I'm looking forward to getting started with them. There's someone on the [CanWNT] who's going with me, so it's nice to travel with someone [I know]."

A sold out crowd of 24,000 is expected. A Fan Festival in the plaza of Tim Hortons Field begins at noon, including appearances by former CanWNT players and 2012 Olympic bronze medalists Candace Chapman and Jonelle Filigno. Prior to whistle, Chapman will be honoured on the pitch, celebrating her induction into the 2018 Canada Soccer Hall of Fame.

The match will be broadcast live on TSN2 at 2pm ET.

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Four ways to watch women's soccer in Toronto

Whether you're looking to catch women's soccer related content in-person or online, it's nice to know we're not limited to only shoddy streams during obscure hours of the day.

1. The Canadian Women's National Team is hosting Germany at Tim Hortons Field on Sunday, June 10. Less than a month away and the match is 95% sold out, so don't miss your chance to see the 3rd (Germany) and 4th (Canada) ranked teams in the world. [Yes, Tim Hortons Field is in Hamilton, which isn't quite Toronto, but it's one of our fellow Greater Golden Horseshoe cities and a 50 minute drive away.]

This friendly marks the first home match for Canada with Kenneth Heiner-Møller as head coach, who replaced John Herdman after he was named to lead the Canadian Men's National Team earlier this year.

For Germany, interim head coach Horst Hrubesch will manage the team through the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup Qualifiers until Martina Voss-Tecklenburg takes reign in September. Hrubesch stepped in after poor performances at the UEFA Women's Euro 2017 and SheBelieves Cup 2018 under Steffi Jones.

Both teams last met in an April 2017 friendly in Erfurt, Germany with the hosts winning 2-1. Then 18-year-old Deanne Rose scored the lone goal for Canada.

Visit CanadaSoccer.com for more information on tickets and special offers.

2. InsideOut - Toronto's LGBT film festival - is taking place May 24-June 3. This year's programming includes the heart-warming Argentina/Paraguay co-production Today Match at 3 (Hoy partido a las 3) about a women's soccer team in small-town Argentina playing in a terribly disorganized tournament.

The film won Best Cast at the 2017 Buenos Aires Festival of Independent Cinema and will be screen on May 27.

3. On stage at Crow's Theatre October 9-27 is the 2017 Pulitzer Prize nominated The Wolves. The play, chronicling the teenage lives of a girls' indoor soccer team, was sold out during its Off-Broadway debut in New York and praised by The New York Times for its portrayal of "the scary, exhilarating brightness of raw adolescence".

The Seattle cast of The Wolves recently spent time training with the Seattle Reign of the National Women's Soccer League.

4. The Toronto Public Library has been expanding its digital media offerings with free online streaming through services like Hoopla, Criterion Collection, Kanopy and OverDrive. All you need is your library card!

On Kanopy, you can stream content like Streetkids United II: The Girls from Rio, a documentary about a Brazilian girls' football team preparing for the Street Child World Cup tournament.

These various platforms also offer access to more mainstream content, for instance, Call Me By Your Name, Forward by Abby Wambach, and a Canadian classic The Sweater (it's hard to wear a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey when you're a Montreal Canadiens fan... or so I've heard).

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CAN Fund is helping Canadian athletes reach their goals

(Image via http://canadianathletesnow.ca/)

As the world is enthralled with the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang, our emotions are overcome while cheering on these incredible athletes. We're reminded of their endless hard work, and family sacrifices and bonds (Mirela Rahneva), the elation of surprise wins (Ester Ledecka) and history-making comebacks (Mirai Nagasu). Their journeys to the Olympics are often lifelong commitments with few rewards; the passion and talent may be there, but the funding to reach those goals are less so. Canada sent its largest ever delegation to a winter Olympics with 225 athletes competing in Pyeongchang. A number of funding options are available through the likes of Sport Canada, the Canadian Olympic Foundation, B2ten, and corporate sponsors Bell, Canadian Tire, Hudson's Bay and RBC, etc. Nevertheless, there remains a funding gap. The Canadian Athletes Now (CAN) Fund is among those alternative options. Founded in 1997 by Jane Roos and Conrad Leinemann, the non-profit organization has since "raised over $26 million" and "supported 80% of the Canadian athletes who competed at the Vancouver, London, Sochi and Rio Games."

Unrestricted funds are given directly to the athlete for whatever expenses they may incur. It's financial support for as many athletes as possible, not only the best known names. Several winter and summer Olympians have explained their costs of training and competing, equipment, coaching and nutrition, including former recipient Carmelina Moscato.

In the most recent funding cycle for CAN Fund, 829 (winter and summer) athletes applied for financial support; 60% of those winter athletes "are in debt and have a net negative income. Their expenses to train and compete are greater than their income from sponsorship, bursaries, prize money, work, etc." Even on the widely celebrated Canadian Women's Hockey Team, who are competing for their fifth consecutive Olympic gold medal, 21 of the 23 person roster is a 2017 CAN Fund recipient. In the 2012 and 2015/2016 funding cycles, 12 and 13 members, respectively, of the Canadian Women's Soccer Team (CanWNT) were CAN Fund recipients, including Christine Sinclair, Karina LeBlanc and Kadeisha Buchanan. During this time frame, many CanWNT members were playing in the Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) league, which folded in 2012, and the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) that launched in 2013. The CanWNT went on to win Olympic bronze medals in 2012 and 2016. Last week, the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) announced a June 10 friendly in Hamilton, ON against Germany. Tickets will go on sale March 8, following a two-day pre-sale window. Eleven players whose salaries will be covered by the CSA have also been allocated to their respective NWSL teams for the 2018 season. The fifth ranked CanWNT are preparing for the 2018 CONCACAF Women’s Championship in October to qualify for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France, June 7-July 7. CAN Fund has found creative ways of getting supporters involved through art, dinners, adopt an athlete, athlete speakers and an online shop with exclusive items. CAN Fund is currently holding an Athlete Art Exhibit at the FCP Gallery in First Canadian Place in Toronto until February 23. "The exhibition includes art, photography and autographed items" being sold to raise funds. The art of goalkeeper Erin McLeod is among the work of athletes and other prominent Canadians featured in the exhibition.

McLeod is making her return after injury to the CanWNT for the upcoming Algarve Cup.

An online auction is also running until February 25. You can bid on items like a hockey stick autographed by Canadian Women's Hockey Team captain Marie-Philip Poulin. With your donation to CAN Fund, you'll also find out which athlete you helped to support. For more information, visit CAN Fund's website, and follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

[wwfshow]

New Year, New City: Laura Harvey

The last year was certainly an interesting one for Laura Harvey, especially given how quickly her plans changed. The 37-year-old resigned from Seattle Reign of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) in early November.

Throughout the next few weeks, the soccer world speculated that Harvey was in contention to coach the England Women's National Team, or she was to play a more involved role with the USWNT given her stint as interim head coach of the U-23 program in early 2017.

Twenty days later, Harvey was announced as the inaugural coach of the Utah Royals.

"I would say 2017 proved to me that you never know what can happen in football," Harvey told the Women's World Football Show.

The Nuneaton, UK native was the inaugural coach of Seattle Reign in 2013. Her team bounced back from a dismal first season with only five wins to later capture two consecutive NWSL Shields by finishing first in the regular season in 2014 and 2015, which corresponded with two appearances in the NWSL final.

Despite the success, the next two seasons didn't go according to plan, and the fifth place results led Harvey to consider future opportunities.

"At the end of season, I was thinking about my future [and] I decided that it was the right time for me to step away from Seattle Reign. When I stepped away from the Reign, I never expected to join another NWSL team.

"[When] Utah Royals came and spoke to me, I knew pretty early that this club was going to be something really special and I wanted to be part of it all."

Harvey rose through the coaching ranks after ending her playing career with a torn ACL at age 22. She went from being a player to assistant coach at Birmingham City (2002-2008) before taking over as head coach. During her time at Arsenal (2008-2012), the team won a domestic treble with a Women's Super League (WSL) title, FA Cup, and Continental Cup in 2011.

She also held coaching roles with England Youth National Teams from the U-15 to U-23.

Over the years, Harvey earned several coach of the year honours for club soccer, including being named a finalist for FIFA World Coach of the Year in 2014.

What is Harvey's key to success?

"I think loving what you do is a huge part of putting yourself in a position to be successful. If you don’t love what you do, it’s hard to motivate players to do the best they can."

At Utah Royals, Harvey will be certainly working with a championship-caliber roster: the team that was once FC Kansas City won NWSL titles in 2014 and 2015.

"I think the best part about starting this new club is that we have an existing roster in place. This group of players know what it takes to be successful in this league, that is huge advantage we have.

"I think we will get into pre-season and see what areas we need to be better in. But I’m excited with the players we have."

Some early team adjustments came last week when Utah Royals acquired Kelley O'Hara, Taylor Lytle and the 25th overall NWSL college draft pick from Sky Blue FC.

Heading into 2018, "I think I’m looking forward to moving to a new city and new club, getting to work with new people and seeing the league through a different lens."

While Harvey will be coaching in a different environment, she has fond memories of the people she's met in Seattle, particularly the Austen Everett Foundation where inspirational connections are made between children battling cancer and some of the best collegiate and professional athletes.

"It’s a place that gives very sick children the chance to do some really cool things and I got to see how impactful sport can be on kids."

The Foundation was started by the late Austen Everett, a former goalkeeper at the University of California Santa Barbara and the University of Miami, who battled stage 4 Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

A lot has changed for Harvey since November. Who knows what else the new year will bring.

[wwfshow]

Support Karina LeBlanc in raising funds for Dominica

"What is your why?" Karina LeBlanc asked at an event during the United Nations General Assembly.

Last week, the two-time bronze medalist was sharing her insight into finding one's greater purpose. LeBlanc encouraged her fellow members of The 25th Team, a group of 60 influential Canadian female philanthropists, to think about the legacy that they would like to leave behind. 

LeBlanc was speaking two days after Dominica, the country in which she spent her early years before settling in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, was devastated by Hurricane Maria. The 18-year veteran of the Canadian Women's National Team has achieved many accolades, but much more beyond soccer is to be done.

In response to the needs in Dominica, UNICEF Canada and LeBlanc are launching an urgent appeal for funds supporting relief efforts. The Category 5 storm has significantly damaged 90% of properties and resulted in 90% of the island being unable to access clean water.

“Dominica is my home, and right now her heart is breaking,” said LeBlanc in a press release. “The situation there is just devastating. People’s homes have been destroyed. Electricity and clean water are nonexistent. Security is deteriorating. The situation is already awful, but it’s now becoming potentially catastrophic.”

Hurricane Maria isn't the first storm to impact LeBlanc. She was born in Atlanta, Georgia when her family temporarily relocated in 1979 in the aftermath of Hurricane David.

"This country means so much to me," she told TSN in 2015 during her visit to Dominica as a UNICEF Canada Ambassador. "It instilled in me this happiness that I've carried through my entire life." 

"I'm meant to be giving back for what I've received." 

LeBlanc often cites her role as a UNICEF Canada Ambassador for inspiring her sense of purpose.

“There are tens of thousands of children in Dominica who have dreams just like I did, to do great things in the world and to help others. Those dreams are now in jeopardy.” urged LeBlanc. “UNICEF is already on the ground helping to respond, but they need more support to reach every child before it’s too late.”

As of September 25, LeBlanc is still attempting to get in contact with her grandmother in Dominica. [Edit: Great news - on September 27, LeBlanc tweeted that they were finally able to speak with her grandmother!] 

Donations to the Hurricane Maria Relief Fund in Dominica can be made at: www.unicef.ca/dominica.

[wwfshow]

2017 Canadian University Women’s Soccer

(Image source: http://en.usports.ca/landing/index)

Following a series of exhibition matches, the 2017 season of Canadian university women's soccer officially kicks off on Friday, August 25 with Ontario University Athletics (OUA) conference matches.

The Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) conference, which translates to the "Quebec Student Sports Network", will see action on Thursday, August 31, followed by Canada West Universities Athletic Association (CWUAA) on Saturday, September 2 and Atlantic University Sport (AUS) on Friday, September 8.

The four conferences play under the Canadian university sports governing body U SPORTS, formerly known as Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) before it was re-branded in fall of 2016.

Last year's champions (2016, 2014) Université Laval will begin their season against Bishop's University. Their offence is led by captain Arielle Roy-Petitclerc, the reigning U SPORTS female athlete of the year.

Roy-Petitclerc is also captaining the women's soccer team representing Canada at the 2017 Summer Universiade in Taiwan, an international sporting event that brings together some of the world's best student-athletes, alongside five of her Laval teammates.

The Rouge et Or, Red and Gold as the Laval varsity teams are known, is a roster in transition, but they are up for the task of defending their U SPORTS title.

"We lost nine players this year, including four of the starting 11," says head coach Helder Duarte. "It will be a tougher year, but we are confident [that we will make the most out of it]."

Duarte, who's been in charge of the Laval program since 1995, named goalkeeper Marie-Joëlle Vandal among his key players, in addition to Mélissa Roy, Joëlle Gosselin, Roxanne Dionne and rookie Dominique Fortin, who "is certainly the best collegiate player in Quebec and will be an important asset for the coming years."

Within the RSEQ, Duarte anticipates that the Université de Montréal will pose a particular challenge. "[They are] a team that never gives up and can always hurt you when you least expect it."

"But at the same time, if we have become competitive, it is thanks to them," Duarte admits. "They force us to surpass ourselves and to be better."

University of British Columbia (UBC), the winningest U SPORTS women's soccer team with six titles (2015, 2006, 2003, 2002, 1993, 1987), will be looking to improve upon last year's second place finish behind Laval.

"We have most of our players returning from last year and a mature group of players that also were a part of the national championship team in 2015," says second year head coach Jesse Symons.

"We are very motivated to get to a higher level at the end of the season than where we were last year. It is a difficult journey with lots of games we need to get through... We are a team that wants to get back to nationals (like most teams) and feel with our experience that we have gained, we have the ability to manage our emotions and quality."

To stay sharp during the off-season, UBC was well represented with eight players on the North Shore Girls Soccer Club, the only Canadian team in the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL), as well as other local clubs in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec.

Symons noted University of the Fraser Valley (UFV), University of Victoria (UVic) and Trinity Western University (TWU) as some of their toughest competition in their western division of the Canada West conference. "We start our season on the road at UVic and then TWU and UFV, so it will be a telling start to the season with us matching up out of the gate this year."

After the UBC Thunderbirds, TWU owns the second most women's soccer championships with five (2013, 2012, 2009, 2008, 2004)

Fans can watch matches live and on demand on the U SPORTS website.

Fifty-four teams will compete for their spot in the 2017 U SPORTS women's soccer championship tournament hosted by the University of Manitoba in November. University of Ottawa will serve as hosts in 2018.

[wwfshow]

What CONCACAF Taught Us

The U.S. women’s national team officially booked their ticket to the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil after clinching a win over Trinidad & Tobago last Friday. The team capped off the weekend with a 2-0 win over Canada and claimed their fourth consecutive CONCACAF title.

Apart from a chippy game against their northern neighbors on Sunday, the reigning Women’s World Cup champions were hardly pressed in this Texas tournament that bounced between Dallas and Houston. Rather coach Jill Ellis had the liberty to toy with her lineup as the squad preps for their next tournament, the SheBelieves Cup. 

This inaugural tournament kicks off on March 3 and features a handful of the top teams in the world. Germany, France and England will participate in a four nation tournament that the U.S. hopes will be a better preparation for this summer than the Algarve Cup, which they will miss this year. 

Before we get ready for that tournament, here is a rundown of a few things we learned from CONCACAF.

1- Youth has been served.

Ellis lost a TON of veterans after the WWC and a few more this spring to injury (Megan Rapinoe) and pregnancy (Amy Rodriguez, Sydney Leroux). Yet this team hasn’t missed a beat as Lindsey Horan and Mallory Pugh have slid into the lineup and proved that they belong on this team. Horan is finding her footing in the midfield and scored the winning goal against Canada, her 2nd international goal. And Pugh seems awfully comfortable on the field considering she is still wrapping up her senior year of high school. She creates opportunities like a veteran and more importantly isn’t afraid to find the player with the best shot on goal. The Pugh era has begun and it looks like it will be a blast. 

2-Crystal Dunn means business.

Anyone wondering if Dunn is a lock for this summer’s Olympic roster should look no further than her breakout game against Puerto Rico. Dunn went on a tear notching 5 goals for the U.S., only the 7th woman in national team history to record such a feat. A natural forward Dunn has been used all over the field in the past for Ellis, including stints at defense. Dunn won the honor of the Golden Boot thanks to her tournament high of six goals and can now officially pack her bags for Rio. 

3-Becky Sauerbrunn IS the best.

Sauerbrunn saw herself snubbed off of another list last week when the FIFPro Women’s World XI was released. The USA defense received plenty of love as defenders Julie Johnston and Meghan Klingenberg received nods, yet once again Sauerbrunn was left on the sidelines. 

Sauerbrunn also didn’t get recognized last summer as a part of FIFA’s Women’s World Cup all-tournament team or an invite to Zurich in January as one of the top ten players in the world. It is another ludicrous omission for the three-time defending NWSL Defender of the Year. 

4-More Hope Solo please.

Yes, Solo is great on the field as she proved by picking up another Gold Glove for the best goalkeeping during the tourney. But what we really love is the awesome soundbites Solo continues to provide when U.S. Soccer actually loosens the reigns for a second. Prior to the championship match against Canada, Solo told FOX Soccer a few of her thoughts on their opponent. 

 “I think they have more of a rivalry with us than we do with them. I think they always want to prove that, because they are growing the game in their country and they’ve come a long way, but they want to be the best and they want to beat the Americans.”

Nothing belittles an opponent more than stating the obvious-we don’t think that highly of you Canada. Nor should they as the U.S. women can now boast a 47-3-6 record against their Canadian counterparts. Solo also mentioned that matches against Canada “always tend to be a bloodbath.” 

Just the stuff a coach loves to hear prior to a big game right? Probably not. But that is what we love about Solo. She speaks her mind and doesn’t really care about the timing. We can only hope that Solo will push aside her Zika fears and promise she will be in Rio. (See: ‘As of now, I wouldn’t go to Olympics over Zika’.)

Important Dates:

SheBelieves Cup March 3-9 

For info on tickets and schedules: ussoccer.com

Please check out our latest podcast featuring Diana Matheson, one of Canada’s top national team players and our latest NWSL preview. wwfshow.com

Until next time!-Sarah Hallett

[wwfshow]

Still A Chip On Carli’s Shoulder

Over 23,000 fans took over Qualcomm Stadium on Saturday to cheer on the U.S. Women’s National Team in their first game of 2016. It was chilly by San Diego standards as the USWNT dismantled the Republic of Ireland 5-0 in their only warm-up before the team begins Olympic qualifying next month. 

The day was designed to honor forward Alex Morgan, as she celebrated her 100th cap with the national team. Morgan played with the captain’s band around her arm and was even able to notch international goal number 57 (despite being clearly offsides), making her the second leading scorer on the roster. 

The leading scorer? That would be midfielder Carli Lloyd who had a hat trick within the first 28 minutes of play to bring her to 82 career international goals. Lloyd is coming off a spectacular 2015, which included not only winning the Women’s World Cup, but also picking up the FIFA Women’s Player of the Year Award in Zurich only a few weeks ago. 

For those that thought Lloyd might be running on fumes after a whirlwind fall between playing with the team on their Victory Tour and her media obligations, consider yourself fooled. Lloyd looked not only extremely fit, but also didn’t shy away from any rough plays as was evident in the header that tallied her second goal of the match. Lloyd cut her lip open after hard contact with an Irish defender and needed attention from a trainer. Some players might have taken the rest of the game off, but Lloyd was back on the field within minutes of being cleaned up.

Lloyd has always prided herself as being the underdog, as someone always playing in the shadow of other great players on her team. Yet now that she is centerstage, she doesn’t change the way she views her role on the team. She stated as much as she addressed the media after the match when asked about her focus going into this year. 

“People are going to say that I might be complacent, well I am going to prove them wrong. I am not stopping, you know I am on a mission. Yes, have I had a little bit of a chip on my shoulder? Of course. I still do. Because there are still people waiting to see me go backwards and I am not going to let that happen.”

It almost sounds like a player fighting for a roster spot rather than a player that was just honored as the best in the world. 

While Lloyd’s position on the team may not be in jeopardy (especially since she was awarded the honor of co-captain by Coach Jill Ellis only a few weeks ago), her New Jersey grit will keep pushing her until she eventually walks away from the game. 

And if you looked around at all the jerseys worn by fans on Saturday, there were a ton of shirts with ‘Morgan’ on the back. Even with all her heroics over the past few years, Lloyd is still going to struggle to be the most popular name on the team. But that seems to suit Lloyd just fine. 

Please check out our newest podcast featuring Lindsey Horan at wwfshow.com

Until next time!

Sarah Hallett

[wwfshow]

USWNT-Squad Preps for Rio

A few days into the new year and the U.S. Women’s national soccer team is business as usual. The squad has a friendly against the Republic of Ireland in San Diego on January 23 and coach Jill Ellis gathered 26 players this week to the U.S. Soccer National Training Center in Carson, Calif. 

The team wrapped up their Women’s World Cup Victory Tour less than a month ago in New Orleans, which included the final game of veteran striker Abby Wambach. After a quick holiday break Ellis has the players back to work as she looks to build the team that will  take part in the CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship next month. 

Ellis has her hands full as she looks to whittle her team down to 18 players over the next few weeks. The World Cup gives a coach a nice cushion of 23 spots, while the Olympics are not so kind as they only offer 18 players a place on the roster.

Missing from training camp are a lot of familiar faces. A slew of veterans in addition to Wambach bid farewell to the sport last fall as Lauren Holiday, Lori Chalupny and Shannon Boxx all decided to hang up their cleats. Megan Rapinoe and Amy Rodriguez will also miss most of the year as Rapinoe is rehabbing a torn ACL and Rodriguez is expecting her second child. 

So forgive Ellis if she requires name tags for the first few days. 

Yet the one area that Ellis does not need to worry about is talent. Her roster is brimming with talented players looking for an opportunity to wear red, white and blue in Brazil this summer. The hard part for Ellis will be figuring out the best combination of skill to put on the field. 

One player that has been at her disposal through the second half of the victory tour is Lindsey Horan. Horan is a player that serious fans of women’s soccer have been waiting and waiting for U.S. Soccer to utilize. Horan decided to forego college in 2012 when she signed a lucrative deal with the French Club Paris Saint-Germain. Horan has produced 53 goals for the club in 75 appearances, yet has had trouble getting on the national team radar.

Part of the problem with Horan is her position. Although slated as a midfielder on the current roster, Horan is a true striker. Yet forwards have been in large supply for the U.S. with popular players such as Sydney Leroux struggling to find minutes in the World Cup. 

The other part of the problem has apparently been her location. When Horan chose to bypass college and jump into the professional ranks with one of the top clubs in the French Division, it is doubtful that she thought it would hinder her national team progression. Division 1 Feminine is a league known for collecting some of the best players in the world. Tobin Heath and Rapinoe both spent time playing in France over the past few years as the money has also proven to be better and the facilities top notch.

Yet PSG released this statement when Horan announced that she would not be returning this year. 

“With the ambition of playing at the 2016 Rio Olympics, Lindsey Horan wanted to join a franchise in her homeland to meet the criteria to represent her country,” a statement from the club reads. “As of this January, Lindsey Horan will play for the Portland Thorns.”

Criteria?

I don’t think a specific criteria has ever been published by US Soccer (nor will it) but it doesn’t take much to connect the dots. The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) is funded by the federation and it isn’t rocket science to assume they want their best players pounding the turf stateside rather than 6,000 miles away. 

Horan didn’t land into a terrible situation either. The Portland Thorns FC will welcome her with open arms as her scoring prowess will be much needed after the Thorns traded Alex Morgan to the expansion team Orlando Pride. Horan will have the opportunity to play in front of the best fans in the league and in the best stadium to boot. 

Yet what kind of message is U.S. Soccer sending to their players? Play overseas and forget about competing in the Olympics and the World Cup?

Europe offers players the opportunity to play against some of the best players in the world as well as compete in the UEFA Women’s Champions league. Never mind the cultural opportunities of living abroad. And while some players may never wish to go any further than Rochester, NY; I don’t think we should limit those who wish to stretch their abilities and experience soccer on a global level. But apparently U.S. Soccer has a different view. 

Make sure you check out our latest show at wwfshow.com and for those who will be at the game in San Diego look for Patty, A.J. and myself. Make sure you say hi!

-Sarah Hallett

[wwfshow]

Here’s Your Chance to #GrowTheGame

Putting together Women’s World Football Show is one tough job. Let's face it, if it were just Adam and I doing it, the show would be lame. Fortunately, we have great correspondents from all over the world helping us cover international clubs and countries.

These correspondents consist of great people who care about the women's game and want to share their love and knowledge with the world. Just in case you didn't know, they are Cheryl Downes (Australia), Jana Lange (Germany), Pamela Del Olmo (Mexico), Nathan Carr (Caribbean), Kehinde Adeogun (Africa), and Alana Johnson (USA).

That's a lot of people with a lot of knowledge. But there are still tons of leagues and countries we are not covering on a regular basis. We want to change that.

So, this is a call out to anyone who reports on, blogs, or just loves studying and talking about the following leagues…

Nadeshiko League (Japan) Damallsvenskan (Sweden) Division 1 Feminine (France) Cypriot 1st Division (Cyprus)

If that's you (or someone you know), send us your name, the league you follow and why you think you'd make a great correspondent. Put "I want to be a correspondent" in the subject line. Then send it to info@wwfshow.com and we'll get back to you as soon as humanly possible.

Remember, this is a non-paying position. However, you will get to come on the show regularly, show off your knowledge, and educate the world on the league you love (plus we do have some pretty cool swag).

Patty La Bella California, USA #GrowTheGame

[wwfshow]

Celebrating 2 Years of Women's World Football Show

It's hard to believe that Women's World Football Show is entering it's third year of broadcasting. In the summer of 2013, I reached out across The Pond to Adam Barlow to see what he thought about putting out a podcast exclusively dedicated to women's soccer.

I had been listening to various soccer podcasts, but none were representing the women's game exclusively or as interesting as I thought they should be. Sure, there were those who concentrated on local or regional teams and players, but not one was dedicated to an international fan-base and, let's be honest, they were boring.

When I presented the idea of doing a podcast to my kindred spirit (aka Adam), I was surprised (well, not really all that surprised), that he had been thinking of the same thing. Neither of us had any podcast or broadcast experience between us (hard to believe I know), but we knew we had tons of knowledge and behind-the-scenes info we could share with fans (and potential fans) of the women's game.

Plus, we were interested in making it fun and entertaining. We also knew that to make the pod successful, we needed to connect with women's soccer fans and of course our listeners. So, before we even had a script, we set up camp on Twitter and Facebook.

And so we were off! You know it's meant to be when things just fall into place with ease. We originally targeted January, 2014 as our premier show date. But, we had done so much research and were covering so many matches, we found ourselves propped and ready to record by October, 2013.

For the first year, we gained so much support from people within the game and also from listeners, who quickly claimed the show as their own. This is a chance for Adam and I to thank all those people, players, coaches, influencers, fans and contributors who have helped #GrowTheShow over the past two years.

Of course we have to thank a few of our first-ever guests: Christen Press and Rachel Buehler, who shared their views on turf and the newly formed NWSL. Also, a big thanks to Europe's Sophie and Rachel from Girls on the Ball; Coach Neil Senneck from South Africa; sports journalist Sandra Prusina from Canada; Lewes FC manager Jacquie Agnew, and Pearl Mosoane from South Africa. All great supporters of the women's game and awesome guests. We thank you for your continued support of the show.

Also, we like to thank our first-year in-studio all-star guests Becky Hill (Hasland Ladies CFC); Coco Goodson (Sky Blue FC); Rachel Wood (Boston Breakers); Beverly Goebel-Yanez (Seattle Reign FC); Rachel Williams (Chelsea Ladies FC); Ashley Nick (Sky Blue FC); Julie Nelson (Ireland/Glasgow City FC); and Laura Alleway (Australia/Brisbane Roar).

As our fan-base grew and our listenership increased, we knew we had to keep riding the wave of high-quality content. So, we brought on  A.J. "Postgame Gator" Johnson to help with our college and USA coverage. We also welcomed returning correspondences Cheryl Downes (AUS), Jana Lange (GER), Pamela Del Olmo (MEX); Kehinde Adyogen (Africa); Sandra Prusina (CAN) and Nathan Carr (Caribbean). We also convinced Sarah Hallett to help with our WWFShow blog on Tumbler.

Thank you to all of our correspondences! We share your passion for helping to grow the women's game and we couldn't do what we do without you. Each of you bring a unique insight and talent to the show.

We also want to thank all the great names from the women's game who have joined us for exclusive interviews over the past year including: Kate Gill; Sophie Schmidt; John Herdman; Erin McLeod; Veronica Perez; Carli Lloyd, Nicola Hobbs; Ali Krieger; Lori Lindsey; Lesle Gallimore: Rory Dames; Maia Jackman, Julie Foudy; Christine Sinclair; Stephanie Roche; Vero Boquete; Christen Press; Kristen Grubka; Kaylyn Kyle; Lisa Evans and Lianne Sanderson.

You are all great ambassadors for women's soccer and giving your time and attention helps grow the game more than you will ever know.

And last but not least, we want to thank our listeners. You guys are the ones who are playing, coaching, and supporting the women's game every day. Thank you for connecting with us on social media, correcting us when we get something wrong, and inspiring us when we want to pack it all in. We appreciate you more than we can ever express. THANK YOU!!

It's been a crazy ride these past two years and it's only going to get more exciting. We're committed to working our hardest and doing our best to bring you more interviews from your favorite players and coaches, and delivering the best coverage of women's soccer for many more years to come.

Patty La Bella Orange County, California wwfshow.com

[wwfshow]

NWSL Championship Preview

It is finally here! Despite a LENGTHY hiatus between the semi-finals and the championship final, NWSL fans will finally be rewarded with a rematch between FC Kansas City and the Seattle Reign FC.

WHEN:

October 1st at 6:30pm PT/9:30pm ET

WHERE: 

Providence Park in Portland, Ore. 

TV:

FOX Sports 1

TICKETS:

Still available! Prior to this past weekend it was announced that about 10,000 tickets had been sold for the championship match. Providence Park is the host of the Portland Thorns FC and is a phenomenal venue for the match. For those looking to still make the game, there will be tickets available and Portland is a great city to spend a long weekend. 

TEAMS:

FC Kansas City is the reigning champion having surprised Seattle last year in the championship game with a 2-1 victory. Forward Amy Rodriguez notched a brace for The Blues as the Reign FC watched their incredible 16-6-2 (54 pts) season come crashing to an end. 

It was clear last year that these were the best two teams in the league. That is not necessarily true this season. While Seattle claimed the NWSL Supporters Shield for the second straight year, FC Kansas City struggled to keep pace and needed a strong semi-final against the Chicago Red Stars to punch their ticket to the final. However, Rodriguez scored two goals against Chicago in that 3-0 win and this team may be peaking at just the right time. Seattle may be the obvious favorite playing only three hours from home, but Kansas City proved last year that they have no trouble winning on the road.

PLAYERS:

FC Kansas City

Lauren Holiday will play her last professional game of any value on Thursday night. The midfielder announced her retirement shortly after the Women’s World Cup and while she has a few more victory tour matches with the national team, this game gives the former league and final MVP a chance to go out on top.

Amy Rodriguez tends to fly under the radar but has proven to be one of the best players in the league since returning to the game after the birth of her son in 2013. She has 8 goals this season despite only appearing in 12 games due to World Cup duties. And not enough can be said about the combination that Rodriguez and Holiday bring to the pitch. One of the best tandems in soccer has one more opportunity to showcase their skills before Holiday calls it quits. 

Kansas City has the best defender in the league (and perhaps the world) in Becky Sauerbrunn. Sauerbrunn directs her backline with impressive patience and always seems to know exactly where the ball will be played. This game may come down to one goal like it did last year and if Kansas City pulls off another upset, expect Sauerbrunn to be largely responsible.

Seattle Reign FC

Beverly Yanez (Goebel) has had a career year for the Reign FC despite struggling with a hip injury in the second half of the season. Yanez had 10 goals for Seattle, a number only matched on her team by superstar Kim Little. Yanez has thrived under Coach Laura Harvey’s system and appears to be at full speed as evidenced by her game-winning goal in the semi-final match against the Washington Spirit. 

The Brit’s: Jess Fishlock and Kim Little combined for 20 goals this season. Little is also only a week removed from scoring a hat trick for her native Scotland in a Euro 2017 qualifier. While both are returning from national team duties across the pond (Fishlock for Wales), don’t expect fatigue to come into play for either player. These ladies know how to score and will be driven to avenge last years loss. 

Megan Rapinoe may have only played in 11 games this season, but she scored in 6 of them. She had the lone goal in the loss last year in the final and has proven for club or country to be a huge clutch player. Rapinoe loves the spotlight and if this game comes down to a final play-look for Rapinoe to find a way to be the difference maker.  

COACHES:

Vlatko Andonovski is a former player that has worked his way up the ranks into coaching. He is respected by his players and has kept his team in the playoff picture despite missing a slew of top players during the Women’s World Cup. Now that his team is at full strength, Andonovski will seek his second championship as he solidifies his place as one of the top coaches in the league. 

Laura Harvey is known as a coaching mastermind and has racked up Coach of the Year honors the past two seasons. She turned around a dismal Seattle team that only won 5 games in its first season, to a team that has recorded the most wins in back-to-back seasons. Harvey was admittedly a bit shell shocked after her team lost in the championship game and vowed a different result this year. Let’s see if she can prove that Seattle really is the best in the league. 

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Until next time!-Sarah Hallett

[wwfshow]

Recently, FIFA announced their All-Star Starting Xl. Not to be outdone, or left out, we decided to give our staff at WWFShow a chance to choose their best team of 2015. Give a Heart to the one who matches best with your team!