http://equalizersoccer.com/2015/01/16/flash-turn-picks-into-players-look-to-future/ So we've got an international signing coming soon.
Really good article and summary bio of each draftee by Jeff DiVeronica http://www.democratandchronicle.com...yers-wny-wants-to-win-again---badly/21880247/
Welcome Lynn Williams to the WNY Flash. Welcome Abby Dahlkemper to the WNY Flash. Welcome Samantha Mewis to the WNY Flash. Welcome Whitney Engen to the WNY Flash.
WWC_Movement - major props for all the videos you have posted about the new, and some new-to-the-team players.
Lines was on Kick in the Grass tonight. And I'm going to leave out the raving about the picks, since most of what he said has already been discussed in various articles. Couple points to note: -Preseason starts March 9, and open tryouts will be held on the 6th and 7th. He plans to bring 4 or 5 of the trialists into preseason. -Expect the announcement of three international signings in the next two weeks, one of whom is a "world-class midfielder". Unless said midfielder is not going to the WC, I want to fly to Buffalo and smack him, because we HAD a world class midfielder already, and we traded her away.
I just listened to the podcast - props for listening live. Podcast is here: http://www.soccerisakickinthegrass.com/. Radio is http://www.wysl1040.com/. Two other tidbits: Sabrina D'Angelo, who is from nearby Welland, ON played has played in soccer competitions at Sahlen Sports Park. They picked Hinkle over other LBs or fullbacks because of her left foot. RE: Soccer radio in Rochester. WNY has been a sponsor of Soccer Is A Kick in the Grass on WYSL for a few years now, and never sponsored the other soccer program Kick This on WHTK. Jeff DiVeronica, the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle sports writer, who has covered soccer, including women's soccer, since the mid-1990's has left Kick This after a 10-year run. With Jeff gone, I expect WNY 'appearances' on Kick This to decline. Jeff has expanded responsibilities at the newspaper, but will still cover soccer. TMI, sorry.
Flash announce 2 international signings. http://www.wnyflash.com/index.cfm?template=template&form_id=6122&page=news.cfm
Lines and Naimo have emphasized a WC-proof team. Looks like they have one. I don't think they are planning on getting much from Abby, even when she is there. Lines has a big job putting together an offense of virtually total strangers. Forwards: Wambach, Kur-Larsen, Coleman, Williams, Spencer, Nchout Njoya Mids: Mewis, Edwards, Angeli, Brooks Brooks-Edwards-Mewis are a given, but they still have to learn to play together and to link up with the front line, however that shakes out. If Mewis makes the WC team, then Angeli becomes the lynchpin in the midfield. She is capable, but will not get the minutes with the team when Mewis is there.
There is supposedly one more international signing, a "world-class midfielder". Whoever it is will most likely be competing for minutes as well. Even though we have 6 international spots, I'd be surprised if all of them were used. Williams is going to miss the first few games, as she's finishing up school. I wouldn't expect her to join until the NT players leave for the WC.
Camilla Kur on twitter 1/30/15 via Google Translate: So it's finally official; I signed to WNY Flash and play for them in 2015 season! It is a big step and I am really looking forward to trying out the American League as equal pt. is the world's best. It will be very exciting, challenging and an adventure I very much look forward to! In 3F league it has been for half a year in BK Skjold, 3 1/2 years in Brondby, now 2 1/2 years in Fortuna Hjørring, a total of 3 National champion titles, four Cup titles, 2x champion in Futsal, part 1 / 8-finals and once quarterfinals of the Champions League, so now it's time to try something new it is possible to extend the 2016 season and the winter break is open to several challenges Also Camilla Kur highlights:
Any thoughts about what she means by this: "I am really looking forward to trying out the American League as equal pt. is the world's best." Is she saying she thinks the NWSL is the world's best league?
The schedule is out and I'm liking it; mostly. http://www.wnyflash.com/index.cfm?template=template&page=schedule.cfm I like that we have 3 back-to-back home-and-home sets: May 8 and 14 vs. KC (no WNT players for either game), July 3 and 11 vs. Seattle, and August 23 and 29 vs. Chicago. WNY end of season battles with Chicago have been awesome. I like that we have three games vs. KC, Seattle, Portland, and Chicago: our destiny is in our own hands. To be the best you have to beat the best. Our Recent Alumni come back to Sahlen's Stadium Angie and Katherine come back 0n 5/23. Sam comes back on 7/19. Carli comes back on 7/25. McCall comes back on 7/29 and on 9/4. On the down side, Flash have a four game road stint in August and will not be at Sahlen's Stadium from July 30 through August 29, a whole month! I'll forget what they look like!
The Flash are excited to welcome @DClitnovici as our newest assistant coach! http://t.co/zk5Z10VZO7— WNY Flash (@WNYFlash) February 11, 2015
A couple of things. First: it appears that Jasmyne Spencer was instructing at Paul Riley's Soccer School winter camp at the Hofstra soccer bubble this week. In Dan Lauletta's article on the Thorns tryouts: "Riley said 28 players started Wednesday morning plus Jasmyne Spencer of the Flash. “I was working kids camp in the bubble before the session and always (like) a chance to get a couple of more touches so I just jumped in.” (http://equalizersoccer.com/2015/02/19/a-visit-to-portland-thorns-open-tryouts/) The winter camp info is has been removed, but it ran 2/17-2/19. http://www.paulrileysoccer.com/index.php Second: Flash have finally filled their open position for Ticket Sales and Operations Manager. The position has been open since this past fall. They hired Joe LaVare from Siena College, where he was ticket sales director for two years. He has ticket and operations experience in minor league baseball over 5 seasons. He is a Buffalo guy and from his Linked-In page appears to be a good hire. I think we will be seeing a fresh approach to ticket sales and hopefully he will be able put more fans in the seats this year.
I just have one question: who should we take with the number 1 overall pick next January? Because right now, I don't see this team finishing anywhere but dead last.
Well, maybe Boston might give us a run for the top pick, but I just don't have confidence in this group. I think the organization overreacted to the bad season and the upcoming WC, and in attempting to compensate for that, they went too far in the wrong direction.
Well, how can you have or not have confidence at this point in time, when the team hasn't even played a game yet? So many new faces, it's hard to predict how they will gel. I think the organization just finally realized what a lot of people who looked at the statistics realized after 2013. AD carried the team. They knew she wouldn't be back for 2015 and needed to do something else. Finding a replacement of her caliber would be nigh on impossible. So what else do you do?
No question that Lines needs to do the best coaching of his career; he absolutely must find the right combination of players. Which couple of players will be the glue that sticks them all together? Without the right chemistry, it will be a long season. Lines needs to rely on basic principles. First build from the back - set the defense first. Give Jones the #1 from the first minute, BT on the right, Engen and Dahlkemper in the middle, and ? on the left. LB needs to be settled quickly. Once settled, our D will be a big step up from 2014, which gives us more wins. I remain optimistic about the season.
From Nutmeg Incorporated: https://lgreensoccer20.wordpress.com/ A 2/20/15 Q & A with BT: https://lgreensoccer20.wordpress.com/2015/02/20/qa-brittany-taylor-western-new-york-flash/ Blogs from Kristen Edmonds from 1/13/15 and 9/3/14 https://lgreensoccer20.wordpress.co...ehab-and-recovery-for-flashs-kristen-edmonds/ https://lgreensoccer20.wordpress.co...monds-reflects-on-flash-season-in-a-nutshell/
Buffalo and Rochester just finished the coldest February on record, and will set the record for continuous days of snow cover on the ground by the time it melts off this spring. BUT the 2015 WNY Flash are just around the corner! Tryouts will be this Friday and Saturday, and pre-season starts on Monday, less than a week away! Draft picks probably able to arrive on time: --Mewis and Dahlkemper – both have finished the requirements for graduation. --Hinkle - graduated already. --D’Angelo – has one course and an internship to complete, but has said she plans to work those in around soccer. She broke her wrist after the first NCAA round last fall and has had fifteen weeks to heal - enough? Late arrivals: --Lynn Williams will stay in school. Pepperdine exams end on 4/30 and graduation is 5/2. --Tatiana Coleman will also stay in school. On March 1 she tweeted ‘two months until I graduate’. BTW, starting now, she needs to clean up the language she uses on twitter. I’m interested to find out if Alex Sahlen reports on Monday as a player - there are 8 defenders already on the roster, including Trotter and Edmonds who are multi-position players.