LTA: You have been a long time critic of US Soccer. Why?
SB: Because the federation is guilty of mismanagement when it comes to women’s football.

LTA: In what way?
SB: Their mission statement is to “develop soccer at all recreational and competitive levels.” Ask any WPS, W-League, or WPSL club in the country if they have received any assistance in infrastructure development or player development. MLS lost money for years, and US Soccer directly or through its influence  subsidized it for years. Do you think they will support and rescue the WPS? The federation has been a beneficiary of the NCAA generosity in facilities development and player development. Imagine where the sport would be today if it wasn’t for the NCAA? US Soccer has done nothing for female players and infrastructure development for female players.

LTA: But we understand that US Soccer is financially supporting WPS, isn’t it?
SB: No, they are subsidizing part of WNT players salaries.

LTA: Why do you think US Soccer is not doing enough to support women’s soccer?
SB: You must realize that US Soccer is an administrative and representative arm of Soccer United Marketing. As such it focuses on the men’s game and simply does enough to keep the women’s side quiet. Today, US Soccer, outside of WNT, spends less per registered female player than the Football Association of Chile. Ask successful women’s clubs like Ajax America or New Jersey Wildcats how it benefits them to be affiliated with US Soccer. Right now, ask FC Gold Pride how it helped them being affiliated with US Soccer. Do you think what happened to FC Gold Pride would be permitted to happen to LA Galaxy? And LA has lost a lot more money than FC Gold Pride ever would. If you are an investor in the men’s game you will be subsidized when needed. Not so on the women’s side.

LTA: What can be done to change this?
SB: Nothing will be changed because change would require difficult decisions, choices and action by those involved with and fans of the women’s game. Those involved in women’s football in general are content with being neglected and being taken advantage of. It will continue.

LTA: Can you be more specific?
SB: US Soccer, SUM and their partners are interested in the bottom line, so all of us involved in women’s football would need to impact it negatively by boycotting Nike, Adidas, Gatorade, and other US Soccer partners. Don’t support the MLS. Demand that US Soccer spends at least 33% of their budget on women’s football development, supporting women’s leagues, clubs, creating infrastructure and long term player development. Without financial pressures there will be no change. But I just can’t imagine that women’s teams – youth, high school, college, W-League or WPSL would stop buying Nike or Adidas products. Can you imagine, for the good of women’s football, any US WNT players refusing Nike or Adidas endorsements? Not a chance. All involved in the women’s game are content to get the crumbs, and that is why the situation is getting worse.

LTA: But for Nike and other US Soccer partners it has to make business sense to invest in women’s soccer, doesn’t it?
SB: I agree, and that is why we need to demonstrate to them why it is a smart BUSINESS decision to support women’s football and a poor BUSINESS decision to ignore it. Companies like Nike spend more money on one basketball athlete than on entire women’s football in the country.

LTA: You must admit that basketball is entirely different from women’s soccer.
SB: Of course, but it wasn’t so in the 70s. It took a leap of faith for a number of companies to support and grow the NBA and look where it is now. The same is required for WPS, but we will have to press, and we must start with US Soccer.

LTA’s Spanish international forward Laura Del Rio has signed a contract with Boston Breakers of the USA Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS).

Madrid-born striker has recently completed the first round of the Frauen-Bundesliga in Germany with 1. FFC Frankfurt where she scored 8 goals in 13 appearances in League and Cup matches. The Breakers agreed to terms with Del Rio after her negotiating rights were acquired from the now-disbanded Los Angeles Sol for a third round draft pick in the 2010 WPS Draft.

Del Rio returns to the US where she spent two seasons with FC Indiana of the USL W-League. In 2008 Del Rio was FC Indiana’s top scorer with 15 goals and 13 assists, leading her team to the W-League Central Conference Championship, W-League National Championship Final, and the US Open Cup crown. In her 2009 campaign, the Spanish striker was first in the league with 18 goals and 4 assists and was named to the 2009 W-League All-League Team and the 2009 All-Central Conference Team.

In Boston, Del Rio will join such world-class players as Kristine Lilly, who is the most capped women’s or men’s football player in the history of the sport, as well as the finalist for this year’s FIFA World Player of the Year and England National Team Captain Kelly Smith. The coach of the team is the former FIFA World Cup and Olympic Games winning coach with the USA Women’s National Team – Tony Di Cicco.

Laura Del Rio becomes the first player from Spain, and the first player represented by LTA Agency in what is arguably one of the top two Women’s Leagues in the world.

Boston Breakers News Release:
Breakers Sign Del Rio

Boston Breakers Player Profile Page:
Breakers Del Rio Profile

Marca Article:
Laura del Río deja Alemania para volver a Estados Unidos

AS Article:
Laura del Río ficha por el Boston

FutFem News Article:
Laura del Río vuelve a EEUU

FutFem Del Rio Interview:
Laura del Río: «Si me hubiera quedado en España esto no podría haber sucedido»

Born in Philadelphia, USA, O’Rourke made her professional debut with the W-League powerhouse FC Indiana in 2008, the club with which she won the W-League Central Conference Championship, reached the League Final, and won the US Open Cup in the same year. Her no-nonsense performances earned her the selection into the 2008 W-League Championship All-Tournament Team.

O’Rourke spent 2009 season being the vice-captain of another professional team in the USL W-League, the Buffalo Flash, whom she led to the play-off spot in their first year of existence. In addition to her stellar defensive work in midfield, she notched 3 goals and 4 assists in 14 games played.

Former North Carolina State University standout and team captain, O’Rourke most recently played for Sporting Huelva in the Spanish Superliga. She was selected by Chicago Red Stars in the inaugural Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) general draft.

Profile

Name: Jessica O’Rourke
Place of Birth: Philadelphia, USA
Date of Birth: January 3, 1986
Nationality: USA
Height: 1,68 m
Position: Midfielder
Preferred Foot: Right

Earlier this year, Yallop helped American Pali Blues win the second straight USL W-League Championship by beating Washington Freedom 2:1 in the final in Maryland. She recorded all-important assists in both Championship matches.

In addition to the League success, Yallop started every game for New Zealand Women’s National Team in 2009 earning her 30th cap and helping the Football Ferns achieve great results including the first ever victory on the European soil, solid performance against World power Japan, and reaching the semifinals at a strong Cyprus Women’s Cup in March.

Yallop will again be in action for her national team as New Zealand prepare to host Australia in a pair of friendlies on the 17 and the 20 of February in Auckland, and she will look to continue her club career in one of the professional teams in Europe or the USA.

See the full New Zealand football news release about the Lion Foundation Women’s League Final here:

2009 NZ Women’s League Final