Salisbury Taking Leadership Role

Salisbury Taking Leadership Role
by Dan Lauletta

Cheryl Salisbury wore the captain's armband while Tiffeny Milbrett and Christie Pearce were competing with the U.S. at the Algarve Cup.
KINGS POINT, N.Y. (March 22, 2003) -- When Tom Sermanni alerted the WUSA of his intention to make Cheryl Salisbury a member of the New York Power, he was acting from a comfortable position, which has been rare for coaches in the three-year old league.

Sermanni’s choice of Salisbury as a Discovery Player was based not only on her ability as a player, but on the working relationship the pair shared with the Australian national team in the mid-1990s. Salisbury was a striker then. She will be a central defender for the Power this summer. But whatever position she plays, her former and now newest coach was not shy about his level of expectation for Salisbury.

“I expect a lot from Cheryl,” Sermanni said. “She is beginning to take a leadership role in the team. As she gets more familiar with the players, her role will continue to develop.”

So far, Salisbury has been asked to anchor the defense, and she has worn the captain’s armband while Tiffeny Milbrett and Christie Pearce were in Portugal representing the United States in the Algarve Cup.

Those who have been present for Power victories over St John’s and the Boston Breakers this pre-season could not have missed Salisbury. Not only is she accustomed to being among the tallest players on the pitch, but she is conspicuous by her vocal nature during play.

“Oh, you can’t shut me up,” Salisbury said following a recent Power practice at the United States Merchant Marine Academy. “I guess I’ve always sort of been one to talk a lot on the field.”

Salisbury may be new to the WUSA, but she is no stranger to the United States. She was here in 1999 for the World Cup, lining up at striker for Australia. She returned last spring for the WUSA combine, and nearly joined the Power, but ultimately went undrafted and wound up as a midfielder with the W-League’s Memphis Mercury.

“I’ve pretty much played all over the field,” she said. “Playing defense was a good opportunity for me to play here (in the WUSA). I’m not really a wide player. I’m pretty much anywhere in the middle of the park.”

“It’s hard not to get along with Cheryl because she is such a great girl. She is so much fun,” said Jaclyn Raveia, a teammate with the Mercury before joining the Power in late June.

Raveia is also a candidate to line up next to Salisbury in central defense this year. Although the two were teammates in Memphis last year, Salisbury was a midfielder and never played next to Raveia until the St. John’s game last week.

“I loved playing with her the other night,” Raveia said. “It’s great to have her presence back there.”

Salisbury has been an instant hit with her new Power teammates. Some of them have already approached her for advice about Sermanni since only Salisbury and fellow Aussie Joanne Peters have ever played for him before.

“A lot of the girls have asked me questions about Tommy,” she said. “Just little things like what does he look for, and if he is approachable. And some of the girls don’t understand some of his little jokes.

“I don’t think anyone can have a bad relationship with Tommy.”

Salisbury will be recognizable to Power fans by her six feet of height and her thin, beige sweatband. She should also spend a good amount of time using her head to clear away dangerous attacks of opposing WUSA clubs.

“Obviously my size is an attribute,” Salisbury said. “We have a lot of size on this team. It could be a goal of ours not to concede anything in the air.”

Like most other international players signed up with WUSA sides, Salisbury also has commitments with her national team back home. Unfortunately for the Power, Australia’s World Cup qualifying tournament is in direct conflict with the first two regular season games. Salisbury expects to rejoin her teammates in time for the Mitchel Field opener on April 19.

“It’s disappointing to have to miss the first game,” she said. “It’s a bit of a tug of war between the two.”

She said it would be a huge disappointment if Australia fails to qualify for the World Cup at the expense of its Oceanic rival, New Zealand. But qualify or not, she does not expect to be called back overseas again during the WUSA season.

“The schedule for our national team is a bit more flexible.”

After a 2002 season in which the Power’s defensive four had little to no on-field direction, a two-week wait for Salisbury to return from Down Under should hardly seem like a long time.

©RMG3 2003