Washington Spirit
 | |
| Full name | Washington Spirit |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Spirit |
| Founded | 2012 (2011 as DCU Women) |
| Ground | Maryland SoccerPlex |
| Capacity | 3,200 |
| Owner | Bill Lynch[1] |
| General Manager | Mark Parsons |
| Head coach | Mark Parsons |
| League | National Women's Soccer League |
| Website | http://washingtonspirit.com |
The Washington Spirit is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. that participates in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). It is a continuation of the D.C. United Women of the W-League and continues to field both a W-League team and a youth team, both under the Spirit name.
History
Establishment
The foundation of the National Women's Soccer League was announced on November 21, 2012, with Washington selected as a host for one of the eight teams selected for the inaugural season.[2] In December 2012, the team's name was announced as the Washington Spirit. D.C. United Women head coach Mike Jorden was kept on as well as assistant coach Cindi Harkes. Harkes is the wife of former U.S. international and D.C. United star John Harkes.[3]
Colors and badge
In January 2013, the team unveiled its new colors and badge. The badge was designed to resemble a torch reflecting the notion of "Burning with Spirit." It also contains a crown that holds 11 stars to represent the 11 players on the field and a ball with a single star to represent the 12th player (the team's fans) placed where the fuel for the torch would be representing how the fans "fuel the spirit." All of the components of the badge are "wrapped in the Banner of Spirit for a patriotic theme honoring our flag and all of those who have given their lives and sacrificed much so we can enjoy the freedoms we have."[4]
The logo was designed by freelance designer, Pete Schwadel and incorporates the team colors of navy, red, and white further reinforcing the patriotic theme woven throughout the team's history. It also features both "Washington" and "DC" to represent the team's connection with the District and the greater Washington metropolitan area.[5]
Inaugural season
On January 11, 2013 as part of the NWSL Player Allocation, goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris (USA), defender Ali Krieger (USA), midfielder Lori Lindsey (USA), defender Robyn Gayle (CAN), midfielder Diana Matheson (CAN), defender Alina Garciamendez (MEX) and midfielder Teresa Worbis (MEX) were named to the team.[6][7][8] During the February 7, 2013 NWSL Supplemental Draft, the team selected Stephanie Ochs, Tori Huster, Jordan Angeli, Natasha Kai, Megan Mischler and Heather Cooke.[9][10]
Year-by-year
| Year | League | Regular Season | Playoffs | Avg. Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | NWSL | 8th Place | Did not qualify | 3,620 |
Stadium
The Washington Spirit play their home games at Maryland SoccerPlex located in Germantown, Maryland.[11] The stadium features seating for 3,200 with corresponding restroom facilities; and a formal press box and box office. The playing field measures 115 x 75 yards. The stadium has previously hosted a US Olympic qualifier, MLS Open Cup matches, a CONCACAF Champions League match, the ACC Men's Soccer Championships, USL and W League matches, training sessions for Argentina's Boca Juniors and the New Zealand National team. The US Youth Soccer National Championships were also held at the Maryland SoccerPlex.[12][13]
Players
Current squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Supporters
The Spirit Squadron is the name of the supporter's group for the Spirit. The group was started by three friends – Ashley Nichols, Megan Wesson and Tory Johnson. [14]Of the group's founding, Nichols said, "... with a new league we needed to show the team as much support as possible because we really want a women's pro league to stay here in the United States. So between that and wanting to also provide a fun experience for fans, we decided to create the Spirit Squadron." [15]
See also
- D.C. United Women
- List of top-division football clubs in CONCACAF countries
- List of professional sports teams in the United States and Canada
References
- ^ "Bill Lynch - LinkedIn". Retrieved 16 December 2012.
- ^ "U.S. Soccer to announce new women's professional league today". Leagues. Soccer Wire. November 21, 2012. Retrieved 14 December 2012.
- ^ Kassouf, Jeff. "New DC team named Washington Spirit". Equalizer Soccer. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
- ^ "Spirit unveil new logo with a lot of meaning". Washington Spirit. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
- ^ Linehan, Meg. "Washington Spirit revamp logo, add more VIP seats". Equalizer Soccer. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
- ^ "NWSL allocation easier said than done". ESPN. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
- ^ "Player distribution sees NWSL take shape". FIFA. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
- ^ Bell, Jack (11 January 2013). "New Women's League Allocates Players". New York Times. Retrieved 25 January 2013.
- ^ "NWSL Supplemental Draft results". The Equalizer. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
- ^ "Washington Spirit focused on offense during the NWSL Supplemental Draft". NWSL News. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
- ^ "Washington Spirit Pro Team". Washington Spirit. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
- ^ "Washington Spirit sets schedule". Washington Post. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
- ^ "The Maryland SoccerPlex". Maryland SoccerPlex. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
- ^ "About the Squadron". Retrieved 27 May 2014.
- ^ "NWSL Supporters Groups ready for the season to start". NWSL News. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
External links
- Official website
- Washington Spirit on Twitter
- Washington Spirit on Facebook
- DC Spirit Squadron on Twitter
- Dc DC Spirit Squadron on Facebook
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