By Michael Mroziak
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wbfo/local-wbfo-973546.mp3
Elma, NY – Later this month soccer fans worldwide will turn their attention to Germany, where the FIFA Women's World Cup begins on June 26th.
Several of the women who will play in this tournament are also playing professional soccer right here in Western New York.
Attend a Western New York Flash practice at Sahlen's Sports Park in the Town of Elma and you will witness some of the best female soccer players in the entire world. Many of them are now on leave from the Flash, representing no less than four nations participating in the FIFA Women's World Cup, which begins June 26 in Germany.
The most recognized name on the Flash roster is Brazil's Marta, who previously represented her homeland in the 2007 Women's World Cup. While she may command the most media attention, she is just one of several internationally experienced players on the Flash roster.
Among Marta's peers is Christine Sinclair, who has played for Canada in two Women's World Cups and the Olympics, and is her homeland's all-time leading goal scorer.
"We're ranked 6th in the world which is the highest we've ever been," said Sinclair in an interview with WBFO. "We feel for the first time that we can beat any team in the world if we play well."
Also heading to the Women's World Cup from the Flash are Caroline Seger, who will play with Sweden, and Alex Morgan, a 21-year-old rising talent from Diamond Bar, California. The latter told WBFO that while Flash teammates are good friends, they'll put those bonds on hold for a month when it's time to represent their respective nations.
"I think we've kept it pretty friendly so far, maybe a comment here or there," said Morgan. "Once the World Cup gets going, maybe we'll have some Facebook nasty messages or some funny tweets or text messages going on."
The Flash, in its first season in Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) is owned by Joseph Sahlen, better known in the Buffalo area for his family's meat company, Sahlen Packing Company. Sahlen's previous ventures into soccer include construction and operation of Sahlen's Sports Park and his first women's pro team, the Buffalo Flash. One of the challenges Sahlen faced when launching the WNY Flash last winter was finding a home stadium. With the WPS requiring a 5,000-seat facility, Sahlen explored the possibility of assisting in the expansion of the soccer facility at Niagara University, but no deal could be reached. The University at Buffalo's football stadium was deemed too big, while efforts to explore hosting games at Buffalo's All-High Stadium were, according to Sahlen, ignored.
Rochester, meanwhile, had a stadium already built and available. First opened in 2006 as PAETEC Park, the Rochester venue has since been renamed Sahlen's Stadium. Playing in Rochester, which has a history of supporting soccer, has paid off so far for Sahlen and the Flash, which enjoyed a crowd of more than 8,000 fans attending a home game there in late May.
Knowing the shaky history of women's pro soccer in the United States (the Women's United Soccer Association, for example, folded in 2003 after just two seasons and over $100 million in losses), Sahlen is willing to forge ahead with the Flash because it offers him the opportunity to expand his family company's brand beyond Buffalo.
"We've got some synergies going on there and some flexibility in making investments in that area, in marketing and that sort of thing," said Sahlen. "We can justify a loss in that area for the exposure that we are getting with the stadium and the team over there."
One selling point the Flash likes to use is the character of the players involved. A far cry from the multi-million dollar salaries of baseball, football, basketball and hockey, women's pro soccer is played, Flash officials say, by players who are truly passionate about the sport. In other words, fans will enjoy a game played by players who care about the game and not the dollars.
However, soccer fans in Buffalo will need to settle for driving out to Rochester to enjoy Flash games, or watch them on Fox Soccer Channel, if it's available in the fan's household.