Interviews with Emma Part 7: A Conversation with Atlanta’s Keeley Dowling
Emma with Keeley Dowling
By David Bayer
When Keeley signed with the Beat in the off-season, the only thing I heard about her was that she has an incredible vertical leap. After meeting her, we found there are many incredible things about her. She’s warm, friendly, unassuming, and has a smile that leaps out at you. (more…)
Interviews with Emma Part 6: A Conversation with Atlanta’s Lauren Sesselmann
Emma with Lauren Sesselmann
By David Bayer
We’re back to the Beat, but not just any Beat player…an original Beat player. In fact, the only original Beat player still with the team. (Lori Chalupny joined mid-season in 2010) As such, we’ve had many occasions to meet Lauren ( Emma must have a couple hundred of her autographs), but this was our first “real” conversation. (more…)
Former Atlanta Beat players Kristina Larsen and Vendula Strnadova find new home
On Tuesday, Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) announced that the Atlanta Beat had released forward Kristina Larsen and midfielder Vendula Strnadova. Late Wednesday night, Orange County Waves General Manager Terry Foley confirmed that the Waves, of the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL), signed both Larsen and Strnadova. (more…)
Interviews with Emma Part 4: A Conversation with Atlanta Beat’s Megan Jesolva
Emma with Megan Jesolva
By David Bayer
No game in Atlanta this week? No problem. It was time to talk to a Beat player anyway. Unlike our first three interviews, we went with a rookie this time. I had a couple of brief interactions with Megan, even before the season began, and it was easy to see that she is definitely a “people person.” And, judging
from the amount of cheering that Emma has been doing for her at Beat games, she’s also a “little people’s person.” We caught up with Megan away from the stadium. (more…)
Alli Lipsher makes WPS history
Atlanta Beat keeper Alli Lipsher became the first player in Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) history to win back-to-back Player of the Week awards. WPS announced today that Lipsher won the award for the second straight week after her performance in Sunday’s 2-2 draw against the Western New York Flash. (more…)
magicJack set to make 2011 WPS debut
Nearly four months after Dan Borislow bought the Washington Freedom, changed its name to magicTalk, magicTalk SC, magicJack’s Washington Freedom, and then finally, magicJack, the team that calls Florida Atlantic University (FAU) its home will play its first game of the 2011 Women’s Professional Soccer season. MagicJack was supposed to open up against the Philadelphia Independence in Pennsylvania last weekend, but the game was postponed due to inclement weather. Tonight at 7 p.m. ET in Boca Raton, Florida on the campus of FAU, magicJack will play the Boston Breakers, who come into the game with a 1-1 record. (more…)
WPS teams release 2011 rosters
Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) is set to launch its third season, and today, all six teams unveiled their final rosters. The 2011 season begins Saturday, April 9, at KSU Soccer Stadium in Kennesaw, Georgia as the Boston Breakers take on the host Atlanta Beat. Sky Blue FC faces the Philadelphia Independence on Sunday, April 9. Here are the 2011 rosters … (more…)
Analisa Marquez signs with the Atlanta Beat
In less than 10 months, Analisa Marquez has been part of three Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) organizations. Monday, she officially signed with her third team, the Atlanta Beat. The former Boston Breakers defender, who started the 2011 preseason with the Western New York Flash, landed in Atlanta on a trial basis. Four days later, the team signed the former University of Arizona star. (more…)
Soccer Dad – Spring Edition
By David Bayer
In February, the usual highlight for me is when pitchers and catchers report for baseball spring training. This year, I was more excited for midfielders and backs to report for YMCA soccer practice. After our successful initiation into soccer in the fall, my wife Carey and I signed our daughter Emma up
for the spring session. Emma was in U5 in the fall and even though she’s only 4 and a half years old, we entered her in U6. Now before you label me as one of those parents who try to push their child through a sport to be a star, I’ll have to stop you. Emma’s U5 coach is the one who suggested the move up. I also checked with two WPS players (thanks Kia & Sess) for their opinions. Neither of them thought there would be a big difference between U5 and U6. (more…)
Mami Yamaguchi: “They’ve been having really difficult days every second in Japan”
Our Game Magazine spoke with Mami Yamaguchi a few days after Friday’s 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami hit Northeast Japan. Born in Tokyo, Yamaguchi, formerly of the Atlanta Beat of Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS), was in Sweden with her club Hammarby when the earthquake struck Japan. (more…)
WPS update: rosters change, preseason games continue
Sky Blue FC training in Turkey
Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) preseason is in full swing, and on Monday, teams made a number of roster moves. On a day that was supposed to cut rosters down to 28, some teams added players from their initial preseason rosters that were announced back on March 1. In other WPS news, magicJack made its preseason debut Tuesday, and Sky Blue FC landed in Turkey for the Alanya Women’s Tournament of Champions. (more…)
The Wright Stuff – New Dream Home
By David Bayer
When we last left Kylie Wright, she had signed a contract with the Atlanta Beat and was waiting for training camp to begin. In the meantime, her plans were to continue training on her own, and finish her education at UCLA. (Wow! A professional athlete with a college degree … What a concept!) She has held true to those plans. Coach Jim Galanis of the Beat has not put her on any training program yet, so she has continued her basic “touching the ball” routine. She told me, “When you have a soccer ball at your feet, anything is better than just running.” Her professors have cut her some slack time-wise, but she’s still had to finish up three papers prior to the end of school on March 16. There was one “minor” addition to Kylie’s plans. She’ll be participating in the U-23 Four Nations Tournament in Spain. Her U.S. squad will face England, Sweden and Norway. She made sure to get Coach Galanis’ blessing before accepting the roster spot. (more…)
Atlanta Beat roster slowly taking shape
Women’s Professional Soccer announced Monday that the Atlanta Beat signed both Keeley Dowling and undrafted free agent forward Katie Bethke (University of Minnesota), who recently trained with the U.S. U-23 Women’s National Team. These two signings now bring the Beat’s roster up to 12 players. (more…)
The Wright Stuff
Kylie Wright and her Grandma Peggy
By David Bayer
Okay, I’m sure many of you are referring to me as a draft genius. Of all the 900 eligible draftees I could have chosen for my “Chasing the Dream” article, I picked one who was drafted in the first round AND ended up with my local team, the Atlanta Beat…Kylie Wright. (more…)
WPS officially announces a number of magicTalk SC signings
After nearly two months of speculation and rumors as to which players would end up on magicTalk SC/Washington Freedom, Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) officially announced a number of signings Thursday and Friday. Shannon Boxx, Marian Dalmy, Ella Masar, Rebecca Moros, Christie Rampone, Lindsay Tarpley, and Kacey White have all signed with magicTalk SC. (more…)
PUMA unveils new WPS uniforms for 2011 season
Alex Scott of the Boston Breakers, Keeley Dowling of the Atlanta Beat, Tasha Kai of the Philadelphia Independence, Karina Leblanc, Allie Long of Sky Blue FC, Nikki Marshall of the MagicTalk SC/Washington Freedom, Leslie Osborne of the Boston Breakers, and Becky Edwards of the Western New York Flash during the PUMA 2011 Women’s Soccer Launch in New York, NY, on February 03, 2011.
The 2011 Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) jerseys were unveiled Thursday night in New York City by PUMA. A number of players from around the league showed off the new home and away kits as well as the new Project Pink jersey. (more…)
Four Games … 33 minutes … one shot … priceless
Nikki Weiss and Kerri Butler at the recent Atlanta Beat tryouts
By David Bayer
In my article “So Much Competition, So Few Spots,” I asked if it was really worth it for undrafted players to attend a team tryout. In the words of Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) star Kia McNeill, “There is a lot of great talent out there who underestimate themselves and automatically think they don’t have a chance at the professional level. Those players who tryout and do well attest to the fact that there is a lot of opportunity in this league … as long as they have the heart, work rate and skill.” (more…)
Sources: Hope Solo joins magicTalk SC
Former Saint Louis Athletica and Atlanta Beat keeper Hope Solo will soon be reunited with some of her teammates from the U.S. Women’s National Team, joining Abby Wambach, Christie Rampone, Lindsay Tarpley, and Shannon Boxx, on the team formerly known as the Washington Freedom, according to sources close to the league. (more…)
Business as Usual? No
By David Bayer
The sports world was transformed with the advent of free agency in Major League Baseball in the ’70s. As a fan, the player movements from team to team provided an interesting new twist. Eventually though, as a supporter of teams that weren’t spending money, frustration set in … and then anger. The rich got richer and the poor got poorer. The reoccurring themes for players leaving their teams were: a “business decision” or “best thing for my family” or “want to play on a winner.”
As millions of dollars piled up, those reasons were hard to swallow, and my tolerance of pro athletes waned. Mad at the teams and players, I decided to curtail my support of pro sports at the box office. And they haven’t missed me. And now, free agency is rearing its ugly head in the WPS. A friend (Carolyn Blank) and a pseudo family member (McCall Zerboni) have already departed from our Atlanta Beat. And there will be more changes to come. The “FA” designation still looms over more of our favorites.
So, now what? Same old story? Is it time to depart? NO! (more…)
Thor/KA announce signings of Manya Makoski and Marisha Schumacher-Hodge
Thor/KA of Úrvalsdeild, the top flight women’s league in Iceland, announced today the signings of midfielders Manya Makoski and Marisha Schumacher-Hodge. Makoski played in 2009 for the Los Angeles Sol of Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) and last year was a member of the Atlanta Beat. Schumacher-Hodge spent the first month and a half of the season with the Atlanta Beat last year before going to Finland to play for Kokkolan Palloveikot (KPV). (more…)
Positive role models keep the game fun
By David Bayer
We didn’t experience the “terrible twos” with our daughter Emma. No, she saved exerting her independence for her “threes” and “fours.” The days of performing on command were over. A new strong-minded (to put it PC) child emerged. It was impossible to predict when she would or would not decide to participate in activities. And when I say “would not,” I don’t mean a polite “no thank you,” I mean a vehement “NOOOO!!!!” So, when the time for her first soccer league sign-ups neared, we were very hesitant. We didn’t want to shell out the registration fee if she was going to pitch (no pun intended) a fit when it came time to play. (more…)
