Pre-season starts tomorrow: it is time to start the 2015 Season thread! As near as I can gather from twitter and whatnot, the following players are- In Buffalo: Spencer, Pressley, Edmonds, Edwards, Angeli, Mewis, Dahlkemper, Jones, Brooks, D'Angelo At school: Williams, Coleman At Algarve: Kur-Larsen, Wambach, Engen Unaccounted for: Palmer, Taylor, Trotter, and Nchout Njoya; Maybe she is with the Cameroon National Team for game vs. Ethiopia on 3/22/15. Or not.
40 yard dash today. Can you identify any of the three? Both the first and second look familiar = is the third Mewis? https://instagram.com/p/0AmK5hmdgk/
Our preseason roster: http://wnyflash.com/news/?article_id=180 Some interesting names on that roster. But it's looking a little scarce in the midfield.
Agree. Quick reactions from me. Defense: --Alex Sahlen is not on the list, as pretty much expected. --Shanna Hudson played for the LA Blues and USC --Megan Brigman from Seattle Reign and UNC --Chelsea Stewart from Canada WNT, Boston Breakers, and UCLA Midfield and Forwards: --Surprised, but pleased Williams is there. --Mami Yamaguchi - Japan WNT, incl 2012 Olympics - is a veteran - I hope she fits in. Played for winning NTV BELEZA in the December 2014 Empress Cup. FSU grad and Hermann Trophy winner. --Kristen Hamilton (U of Denver) is back for another try - I'm glad. --Dominika Conc - (U of Tennessee Martin) - Slovenia WNT - played in WC qualifiers in 2013, but not recently. --Pia Rijsdijk - (U of Alabama) Netherlands U19 WNT.
http://wnyflash.com/news/?article_id=182 I can't believe Striker won. Bolt was obviously the far superior name.
I am going to the WVU-Flash pre-season game tomorrow. Does anyone want me to look out for anything in particular - if I can? Personally, aside from the rookies, I am interested to see if Mami Yamaguchi has a significant role. I agree, Bolt is better than Striker, but not as good as Sparky.
At least Sparky has some relevance to the Flash name. Bolt does as well, but since that name's been used before, Sparky is the best option.
Last year they let the WVU parents/family watch from the players side of the field. Maybe I should go out and get some Mountaineer gear............... ....BTW don't forget about lightning strikes, and striking a match.....Striker works OK.
Not gonna weigh in on the Bolt side since that's technically already taken, but in terms of Sparky/Striker... --Sparky sounds like a name a kid (or their parents) would name the new family dog --Striker sounds like a name an independent twenty-something would name their companion dog I don't know the demographics of those who voted, (or the posters here,) but if the Flash is attracting the "young adult", pub-going demographic we all think NWSL teams should be aiming at, that might explain the voting.
Fair point, something I didn't think about. As for the demographics, I'm sure CJ can shed better light on that than I could, since he actually goes to the games.
While STT makes a good point - I agree that NWSL must have the 20-something pub crowd as a significant part of the fan base - this kind of mascot is for kids and to help entertain kids at the game. That makes the experience more family-oriented. From that POV, Sparky, while on the lame side of the cool spectrum, is a better name. Adults only pay attention if the mascot is funny - like the San Diego Chicken. Demographics at the games? Soccer families, retirees and empty nesters, youth teams. Way too few young adults. IMO the young adults are the fans that get us from 3,000 per game to 5,000 per game. On another note, some of the players have started using #Flashy on twitter. In my head it sounds like Jim Carrey in the Mask: FFFLASHY! -CJ
A photo of Williams and Spencer up top today: pic.twitter.com/xNcO6rCmUc— WNY Flash (@WNYFlash) March 14, 2015 Williams for Road Runner and Spencer for Speedy Gonzalez?
There is a wall at Sahlen Sports Park with all the 2011 WPS Champion jerseys. Having Engen and Edwards back in Buffalo is a very good thing.
NO changes to the Flash Roster. Kur and Njoya in camp, Williams back to school. "Forward Lynn Williams, who was drafted No. 6 overall in the 2015 NWSL Draft, has returned to Pepperdine University to finish her senior semester. She will return to the Flash in the coming weeks. Internationals Camilla Kur-Larsen and Ajara Nchout Njoya, on the other hand, have both arrived to Buffalo and will begin training with the Flash." Not mentioned by WNY - from the Dash announcement: "Sam Harder from the University of Denver was offered the opportunity to compete for an amateur spot but opted to move to the Western New York Flash in the hopes of securing a contract there. The door remains open for Harder to return should she wish to do so." I assume Harder knows Kristen Hamilton, who is still in camp with the Flash.
Aaran Lines was on WHTK radio (podcast at www.soccerisakickinthegrass.com ) Monday night. The interview is the last 5 minutes or so of the podcast. Kur arrived Monday mid-day and was supposed to be at practice on Tuesday. [We call her] Ajara arrived Monday evening and is expected at practice on Wednesday. He expects Abby and Whitney ‘in the near future.’ The Flash are talking with Pepperdine to see if they can get Lynn Williams out of school early – worst case she will be back at the end of April. He said the expected nice things – it has been a good start but we have a long way to go. I thought he implied some pleasure in this regard: “our 4 first round picks have settled in very quickly.” Flash kickoff dinner is April 23 at the Italian American Club (http://iaccrochester.org)
If Whitney and Abby aren't with the team now, then in all likelihood neither one will be there until after the US game on the 4th, since the NT goes back into camp next week.
In a way, I am bothered that Abby's choice not to play screwed the Flash more because their whole off-season rebuilding of the team may have gone differently if they knew she was not going to play, than because she won't be there on the field this year.