Rampone has been a member of Sky Blue FC since the inaugural season of the NWSL.
It’s no secret that soccer in the United States has seen its share of growing pains over the years. Trying to achieve a similar popularity of other sports like the National Football League, Major League Baseball, and the National Basketball Association is no easy task. While soccer in the U.S. might lack the history of those other sports, it without a doubt excels in passion from the club supporters and soccer enthusiasts who are eager to see the game grow in this country.
The National Women’s soccer league will enter its fifth season this April, becoming the longest standing women’s professional league to date in the United States. Much like Major League Soccer in the states, the NWSL has continued to show signs of growth over the past several seasons.
Sky Blue captain Christie Rampone gathers with her teammates after their final preseason match (Photo by Christopher Parker).
After logging a full 90 minutes in Sky Blue F.C.’s final preseason tune-up on Sunday afternoon, a 3-0 victory over the Penn State University women’s team, Sky Blue captain Christie Rampone was quick to praise the progress of the league.
“The speed of play and vision of the players on the field has gotten to a new level which makes the league more competitive,” Rampone said. “This is really the first year coming into preseason that, it’s been kind of quiet because of how competitive it has been. Coach has a lot of tough decisions to make, it’s almost more positional than your best 20 now.”
Since the match, Sky Blue has solidified a final roster, with Rampone set to lead the back-line. The Sky Blue F.C. faithful will also be excited to see both Sam Kerr (AUS) and Kelley O’Hara (USWNT) listed as forwards for the upcoming 2017 season. A duo that will be a problem for any opposing back-line in the league.
This upcoming season will feature several other United States Women’s National team players week in and week out, without an interruption of a World Cup or Olympic campaign this summer. Fans will also have a chance to watch their favorite players and teams on television, after a historic deal between the NWSL and the A&E Network. Lifetime will partner and broadcast games all season after a three-year deal was struck between the league and network.
“It’s huge, Rampone said. “Being able to play in a league that’s on television brings stability, and now the fans can connect with the players which is great.”
Another boost for the NWSL is the recent CBA reached between the UWSNT and U.S. soccer. The agreement will lead to U.S. soccer paying for the NWSL salaries of all allocated players, and for the future improvements of NWSL standards.
Along with the overall excitement that goes with getting the season started, Rampone was confident that the NWSL will continue to grow in the upcoming seasons.
“We don’t want to grow too big too fast, we don’t want to water down the league and the games because right now I think they are very competitive,” Rampone said. “As long as it slowly increases in adding teams and adding numbers. I think when the next generation realizes they can play pro, you will see more commitment from those players in college to try and transition into the NWSL.”
Sky Blue F.C. will open its season away at Seattle this Saturday at 10:00 p.m. EST.
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