By Karina Martinez-CarterThe Daily Northwestern
Women’s soccer assistant coach Danielle Slaton had her first full-time job lined up before graduation day at Santa Clara University.
Slaton was to play for the Carolina Courage, one of the eight full-time professional women’s soccer teams unified under the fledgling Women’s United Soccer Association.
It was a dream job – to play a sport she knew loved alongside the some of the world’s elite female athletes and to inspire younger children at the same time, especially girls.
But today, that job is only that: a dream.
The league lasted three years, Slaton played for the latter two, before it “suspended operations” because of financial reasons.
Now there’s talk of WUSA’s “re-launch” according to Julie Foudy, a founding member of the league and player representative in a July interview with ESPN.
Slaton, who said she is “cautiously optimistic” about WUSA’s second run, failing to secure and retain corporate sponsorships was a key contributor to the league’s demise.
“We need a better business plan,” Slaton said. “We have to be more conscious about our resources and ensuring that all the necessary checks and balances are in place. It’s a matter of getting everything together and making sure that we have the right timing; we only have one chance to get it right the second time because people won’t give us a third chance.”
The league rode the tide of popularity following the 1999 National Team’s World Cup victory, remembered most fondly for Brandi Chastain tearing off her jersey and revealing her black sports bra in celebration of her game-winning penalty kick.
Senior Tori Bohannon said the spirit of that victory and its effects are still present, making her believe that WUSA could succeed its second time around.
“Even though it’s not operating now, WUSA is still very encouraging for my teammates and I,” Bohannon said. “We know a lot of people, including assistant coaches, who were previous players.
“I’m really hoping that when it comes back it doesn’t fail; there are a lot more girls playing soccer nowadays and a lot of people would love to see it work. You never know what the story would be if it existed.”
Bohannon added that a professional league such as WUSA is necessary for the athletes who aspire to one day play for the U.S. National Team.
“Nowadays there’s definitely a disconnect between playing in college and playing pro; there’s really no next level between the two. WUSA is a nice extension – a way to connect them and allow women to keep playing. It’s sad to reach 21 and have to stop playing a sport you’ve known and loved since you were five.”
