Upscale Playground for Women’s National Team

Publicerad 14 juli 2010, 17:00
While the US women are currently gathered in Omaha, Nebraska preparing for their two friendly matches against Sweden, it is in their respective WPS clubs that the players put in their daily work. It is thanks to the league that the women are given a place to practice and compete on a day-to-day basis. And compete they must, because now they’re constantly on stage with the nation’s finest.

Prior to the league, head coach Pia Sundhage faced a difficult job of scouting her players through recommendations, youth national teams, and college games. Many players went under the radar, because the talent was just too far spread. Without a good recommendation or lucky chance, many players had no way to break in.

Now that the elite have been organized into seven teams that compete every week, Pia has her job cut out for her in a different way. No longer does she have to struggle to find the best players, but now she has to choose from a concentrated mass of talent.

Last year, thanks to this new concentration of talent, Amy Lepeilbet reentered the national team scene. After several injuries and a consideration for retirement, Lepeilbet had spent years out of national team camp. But when the WPS launched, she came back with a vengeance. Playing for the Boston Breakers, she took over, easily proving herself for the All-Star team and of course, for the Women’s National Team. The league had given her a chance to square off against known stars like Abby Wambach, Christine Sinclair, and Marta, and allowed her to train with players like Kristine Lilly and Kelly Smith on a daily basis. She was able to show Pia why she absolutely must be on the full team.

This year Alli Long may be the one to break in. Excelling with the Washington Freedom, she’s been called into camp to help the US face off against Sweden this week. A member of the U-20 squad that competed in the World Cup in Russia, Long had been MIA from national team duty since her youthful stardom. But thanks to her success with her club and ability to showcase her skills for Pia, she could be a rising star.

And a star that already seems to have risen is Amy Rodriguez. Quiet last year with the Breakers, she’s having a standout year with the Philadelphia Independence. With five goals in as many games in her June appearances for the club, she captured WPS player of the month and has given Pia more reason to consider her as a starter for the US.

By watching Rodriguez and players like her perform in the WPS, Pia is able to see new possibilities for her already strong personnel. While they may have once seemed stuck in one role, Sundhage’s weekly outings to WPS games allow her to consider the potential for change.

And while there isn’t an extreme amount of change as far as roster is concerned (the core of the US has remained) the league keeps those players in check. It’s the difference of knowing there are really good replacements biting at their heels. Yes, the players always tried and worked hard before, but now they have a little more to push them. They have a position they must fight for every week. And that is exactly what the US wants.

Text: Val Henderson

Gäst 2010-07-14 21:53

GREAT BLOG

Gäst 2010-07-22 16:46

I agree and hopefully there will be more!