Here's the low down of all the happenings and chatter from opening day of preseason. http://www.womensprosoccer.com/Home/ny/news/press_releases/110301-preseason-opens.aspx Roster Keepers Karen Bardsley Jenni Barnham Kristin Arnold Erin Guthrie Defenders Anita Asante Brittany Taylor Kendell Fletcher Michelle Wenino Danielle Johnson Lauren Alkek Kika Toulouse Lindsey Johnson Kelly Lawrence Kirstin Medeiros Midfielders Therese Sjogran Tobin Heath Heather O'Reilly Caroyln Blank Carrie Dew Allie Long Alyssa Mautz Angie Kerr Fowards Eniola Aluko Laura Kalmari Kiersten Dallstream Casey Nigueria Kim Newsome
How many aren't in camp yet? I know Nogueira is with the U23s and Heath and O'Reilly are with the WNT, but I was wondering if anyone had an official number of how many aren't in camp yet?
That is a very good question that unfortunately at the moment I can not answer. SN: I was multi-tasking yesterday and butchered Casey Nogueira's name.
I was just wondering how it was affecting the dynamic of camp, if some of our more "star" players aren't there. I'll be glad when they're back working with the team for sure. And no worries...it's easy to butcher Nogueira's name.
I was at training today - they had an open tryout. Players who are not in camp yet are HAO, Tobin, Aluko, Sjogren, Asante, Bardsley and Kalmari. They will all be joining the team in Turkey - except for Tobin and HAO. The vibe was very good - workmanlike and seemed very upbeat. Was very different from the past two years. Jim and Rick were having fun, and the players seemed to be too.
Appreciate it Gerry! Mookie doesn't have direct hook-ups to the team. (Plus I'm in school trying to keep zee grades up) It's good the hear the players appear to be taking this season more seriously. If there was anything that peeved me the most about last season it was that.
Sky Blue FC will have two of their preseason matches televised from the Antalya Women's Soccer tournament in Turkey on Fox Soccer Plus (Channel 621 on DirecTV). It's a pay channel, but if you have DirecTV, you can call up, and they'll let you try out Fox Soccer Plus for one month free of charge. You'll just have to remember to cancel within less than 30 days, or you can keep it, because it is filled with nothing but the world's greatest game. This is the first time I've seen women's matches televised on Fox Soccer Plus. Antalya Women's Soccer Tournament - 4 teams (March 17 - March 19) March 17: Sky Blue FC (USA) vs. Fortuna (Denmark) - 11:00 am (Eastern Time) March 17: LDB Malmo (Sweden) vs. FK Energiya (Russia) - 8:00 am (Eastern Time) (just before Sky Blue match) March 19: 3rd place match - showing at 8:00 am (Eastern Time) March 19: Title match - showing at 9:00 pm (Eastern Time - on delay) All four matches are shown on Fox Soccer Plus (Channel 621 on Directv). If you have DirecTV, try out the channel for free, but must call in and have them ensure it's free for a month. If Sky Blue beats Fortuna, then they will be in the Title match. If Sky Blue loses to Fortuna, then they will be in the 3rd place match. I'm assuming they will be a favorite to beat Fortuna from Denmark, but anything can happen. *LINK* http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccerplus/tvschedule
SBFC defeated the Russian champions 3-0 today in a friendly - with two goals coming from Casey Noguira(sp) and one from Therese Sjogran - from what I've heard it was a solid performance, but more importantly the team is really gelling, with no ego's or attitudes.
Updated roster for round of cuts: Sky Blue FC Eniola Aluko Kristin Arnold Anita Asante Karen Bardsley Carolyn Blank Jenni Branam Kiersten Dallstream Carrie Dew Kendall Fletcher Erin Guthrie Tobin Heath Danielle Johnson Lindsey Johnson Laura Kalmari Angie Kerr Allie Long Alyssa Mautz Kim Newsome Casey Nogueira Heather O'Reilly Therese Sjögran Brittany Taylor Kika Toulouse Michelle Wenino
Open practice and clinic at GoalQuest in Flemington, New Jersey on Saturday 3/26. Then an exhibition against the University of Virginia at Asphalt Green in New York City on Sunday 3/27 (kickoff at 2:00pm). Both events are free and open to the public Practice/Clinic Info http://www.womensprosoccer.com/Home/ny/news/press_releases/110131-goalquest.aspx Exhibition Info http://www.womensprosoccer.com/Home/ny/news/press_releases/110210-asphalt-green.aspx
After second round: down to 22 Eniola Aluko Kristin Arnold Anita Asante Karen Bardsley Carolyn Blank Jenni Branam Kiersten Dallstream Carrie Dew Kendall Fletcher Erin Guthrie Tobin Heath Danielle Johnson Lindsey Johnson Laura Kalmari Angie Kerr Allie Long Alyssa Mautz Casey Nogueira Heather O'Reilly Therese Sjögran Brittany Taylor Michelle Wenino
We have signed another striker to the team. A young Spanish player whose name is Adriana Martin Santamaria. http://www.womensprosoccer.com/Home/ny/news/press_releases/110331-adriana-roster.aspx It appears most teams are going for the gusto up top on the frontlines.
A fantastic addition to the team bolstering the attack both when the WWC call-ups are out of market, and making it more lethal when they are back. She's big, fast and has proven to score goals at every level. Can she deal with the physicality of WPS - I guess we will find out. On another note, SBFC just finished a scrimmage with Rutgers - who even played some of their graduating seniors, and it was a pretty easy game. I believe the final was 5-0 or 6-0 - not sure.
No problem - I notice your country of origin is listed as Spain - how do you feel about the new signing?
Oh no, I'm not from Spain. Spain is the men's national team that I pull for. I suppose it's time to switch it to US since the women's world cup is coming up in a few months. While I don't agree with certain methods I still support the USWNT.
Sky Blue and Penn State ended 0-0 in a windy game in East Brunswick. Each side dominated the half with the wind in their back. Opening game next Sunday nite at Rutgers- suggest to bundle up!
Giase: Women's Professional Soccer reaches a critical juncture http://www.nj.com/soccer-news/index.ssf/2011/04/giase_womens_professional_socc.html "...The other problem lies with the league itself. Clearly on the bottom in the sports media landscape, it does nothing to promote itself. For two years, the national wire services have sent out box scores on each game, but do not write stories on any game until the playoffs. Also, player transactions, which helps keep main sports leagues in the news on a daily basis, especially in the offseason, are not provided to media outlets, via either e-mail or press releases. Sky Blue opens its season at home on Sunday. Do fans realize that U.S. national team stars Christie Rampone, Carli Lloyd and Yael Averbuch, or fan favorite Natasha Kai, are no longer on the team? Or that New Jersey native Tobin Heath, the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2010 by Atlanta, is? The WPS is at a critical juncture. The league needs to get its act together, but if fans want to ensure a Year 4, they have to show it in their attendance and support this season."
I have to admit it brought up a good point. Though I do believe the die hard fans that have stuck with (and will stick with no matter what happens) the team and league do know these transactions took place. Many die hard SBFC fans that I know do know. I remember seeing a vid at that Kool-Aide posted at the beginning of (I want to say) last season, when the only player some casual fans knew was Tasha Kai and they couldn't name what country Koster was from. It Lloyd, Averbuch, and Kai's departures were made public knowledge as was the Heath pick up (as part of the 3-pack). Christie's transaction wasn't shouted from the mountain tops. That said I think the league is going a more grassroots approach this year. Not only that but many basketball fans have no idea of the little trades that are made between teems. One might know Carmelo Anthony was traded to the New York Knicks, but they might not know who were traded in the process. It's a touchy issue, but they do have to get information more "user friendly" because a lot of older fans or those casual can't just jump in and keep up.
According to Gabarra this afternoon at a meet-the-team, Adriana will not be joining the team for another week.
This is complete bull....Frank needs to read his email more frequently. When we made the trade for Tobin, Eni and Angie Kerr we screamed it from the rooftops. Email press releases went out to every major and minor outlet and it was all over our web site. It is NOT up to the team as to what gets in the paper - if I'm correct it's up to guys like Frank. Frank was happy to accept our invitation to the White House, and be included in the photo with the President of the United States when we won the championship, now it would be nice to see him at our games. Someone should ask him how many he has been to in the last two years!!! As far as the players that left - they left due to free agency - BY THEIR OWN CHOICE. I would think it is the job of the team that signed them to announce their signing, not the team they left to promote it. How many soccer fans on BIG SOCCER can name all the new players that are in the Red Bulls right now? Did they actually go out and promote the loss of Juan Pablo? I think the media covered it because it was newsworthy - not because Red Bull made a big thing about it. Frank needs to STOP PASSING THE BUCK and blaming everyone it his path and do his job - COVER THE GAMES, WRITE THE STORIES, SPEND THE TIME!!!!!
per your request Gerry: "With big-time coach Jim Gabarra, Sky Blue FC is optimistic heading into season-opener" http://www.nj.com/soccer-news/index.ssf/2011/04/with_big-time_coach_jim_gabarr.html This and the earlier story must fill Frank's SkyBlue quota for the season; following normal practice, any next story would follow bad news. Frank will fill his weekly column with player changes in men Europe club teams but has little interest in US women.