For the third time in history, women’s soccer will attempt a professional-level league and Portland is one of only eight cities in the United States hosting a team – Thorns FC. The newly formed National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) has the financial backing of the national federations of the United States, Mexico and Canada and the credibility that accompanies that affiliation. Members of each national team will be paid by their federations to play in the league.
The inaugural eight teams are the Boston Breakers, the Chicago Red Stars, FC Kansas City, the Portland Thorns FC, the Seattle Reign FC, Sky Blue FC from Piscataway Township, New Jersey, the Washington Spirit and the Western New York Flash.
Aside from the Western New York Flash, which was allocated two American players, each of the teams was allocated seven national team players (three Americans, two Canadians and two Mexicans). Each of the teams then drafted four college players during the inaugural NWSL College Draft on Jan. 18, 2013.
The Thorns FC will be coached by an impressive former player – Cindy Parlow Cone. Parlow Cone played college soccer at the University of North Carolina where she was a four-time All-American and member of three teams that won the NCAA Women's Soccer Championship. Parlow Cone began training with the U.S. Women's National Team in March 1995, making her first appearance (and scoring her first goal) in a January 14, 1996 friendly against Russia. She started all six games for the United States during their 1999 World Cup victory, scoring two goals. She was also a member of the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympic teams, as well as the 2003 Women's World Cup team.
When Parlow Cone retired from international play she did so with 158 matches, played for the USA and 75 career goals, good for fifth all-time. She was the youngest ever player to earn her 100th cap, and at 18, Parlow Cone was the youngest-ever Olympic gold medallist for the USA (and won two golds, in 1996 and 2004) as well as the youngest-ever Women’s World Cup champion (1999). She brings to the women of the Thorns FC a depth and breadth of excellent and accomplished play.
The inaugural season of the Thorns FC will be forever be marked by a season of “firsts”. This is the first professional women’s soccer team in Portland, Oregon; this is Parlow Cone’s first time acting as head coach; this the first time these newly formed teams will compete and this is the first time the Thorns will play together and play Parlow Cone’s style of play. As head coach, Parlow Cone is responsible for a new team, in a new city, in a new stadium in a new League and when asked to speculate about the upcoming season, the Thorns FC toughest matches or contenders, or even to speculate about the first home match against the Seattle Reign FC, Parlow Cone simply remarked, “It’s all on paper at this point.”
As one of only eight cities in the United States with a NWSL team, Portland is sitting on the cusp of an exciting shift in women’s sports. Early season ticket sales are solid reaching the 6,100 mark, which is a very encouraging number of season tickets and it underscores the passion that the city of Portland has for the sport. It shows the fans' desire to help promote and support this new league and new team. Come out to root on the Thorns FC at their home opener on Sunday, April 21 at 2PM and watch as history flips the switch on professional women’s soccer!
Link to the schedule: http://www.portlandtimbers.com/thornsfc/2013-thorns-fc-schedule
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