Brandi Chastain: Reality TV Superstar

Current Women's Professional Soccer athlete (and former WNT superstar) Brandi Chastain is now adding reality TV star to her resume.

ABC announced today that Chastain is one of the athletes starring in its new reality show, The Superstars. ABC will premeire the show, an all-around sports competition series, on Tuesday, June 23 at 8PM ET/PT. Other athletes participating include Lisa Leslie, Bode Miller and Terrell Owens.

Click here for more info on the show.
Good luck Brandi!!

Bay Area Women's Sports Initiative

Four years ago FC Gold Pride star Brandi Chastain, Olympic gold medalist Julie Foudy, and former GM of the San Jose CyberRays Marlene Bjornsrud founded the Bay Area Women's Sports Initiative (BAWSI). Its mission is to "create programs and partnerships through which women athletes bring health, hope and wholeness to the community."

Recently, the FC Gold Pride team made BAWSI one of the FC Gold Pride Charities, its community-based nonprofit organization that looks to mentor young girls through participation in soccer-related events. Just last week, the Gold Pride visited Bowers Elementary School in Santa Clara, CA to talk about soccer, exercise, and health. I believe handing out free tickets to the opening day game was also in the agenda! Here are some pictures of the event (courtesy of BAWSI):

Spilger Seeing Green

Chicago Red Stars defender Natalie Spilger protects more than just the goal...she also is a defender of the environment.

Spilger who grew up in the suburbs of San Diego was selected as the 2nd draft pick (16th overall) by WPS's Chicago Red Stars. Spilger, who previously co-captained the Stanford University women's team and played internationally in Sweeden, earned her Masters degree in Construction Engineering Management and her Bachelors' in Civil and Environmental Engineering.

While attending the 2007 GreenBuild Expo in Chicago, Spilger was inspired by speaker Paul Hawken (an environmentalist, author and entrepeneur) to make the green movement "cool and sexy", and to unify all those who cared for the planet. Out of that desire, Spilger created GreenLaces, an organization that "supports earth-friendly causes and provides a solution for a better planet through a simple promise and a pair of green laces."

Spilger asks, through her organization, that everyone make one promise to the earth. GreenLaces asks you to imagine what the world would look like if everyone changed just one thing. Take for example Spilger's promise:

"I, Natalie Spilger, promise to never purchase a non-re-usable plastic water bottle, unless in an emergency situation." - GreenLaces.org

GreenLaces has already garnered support from WPS athletes like Brandi Chastain (who is also on the Board of Directors), Hope Solo and Heather O'Reilly. Spilger has also, just recently, been featured in Chicago Athlete as its 2009 Green Athlete of the Year.

Interested in hearing Natalie Spilger tweet from the sidelines at her first game in a Red Star's jersey this Saturday? Click here!

WPS: Lets Get It Started

Tomorrow, Women's Professional Soccer will introduce itself to the world. It will make a simple statement -- women's soccer is here to stay.

Though the league's predecessor, the WUSA, only lasted 3 years, WPS is committed to making sure women's professional soccer sticks this go-round. "The quality of each and every team is instantly better (than the WUSA days)," Milbrett says. "The game has grown so much."

With that said, let's take a look at our teams: (in the order I see them placing this season)

Chicago Red Stars
If this team works as hard as its star player, Lindsay Tarpley, the Red Stars will fair well in this league. Tarpley will have great support in her US WNT teammates Megan Rapinoe and Carli Lloyd. Rapinoe, the 2008 West Coast Conference player of the year, has the potential to make big things happen offensively for the Red Stars. Lloyd, who will be the controlling force in the midfield, is a smart, skillfull player who has great vision on the pitch. Other players to watch out for are Brazilian forward Cristiane and Sweedish midfielder Frida Ostberg. This is a great team with a dynamic leader in coach Emma Hayes. They also get my vote for the most "connected" team.

Los Angeles Sol
I'd hate to be the one to tell Marta that she is looking at a repeat of the '08 Olympics, but I think she's going to see silver again this year with WPS. She may be the world's best female soccer player, but she can't do it all. Don't get me wrong, Sol is solid. With players like Shannon Boxx, Aly Wagner, Stephanie Cox, Camille Abily and Han Duan, the team will go far. Coach Abner Rodgers plays a possession-focused game and that is something the US WNT players on the team understand from the get-go.

Sky Blue FC
Christie Rampone brings leadership and stability. Heather O'Reilly brings speed and a brilliant right foot. And Natasha Kai, well, she's bringing her spunk and (hopefully) a lot of goals. Coach Ian Sawyers has called this team a melting pot, though I think most teams in WPS are. With 6 international players on its 21-person roster (and a whole lot of W-League stars), SBFC is going to bring exciting soccer to its fans week after week. Sawyers, who was WUSA's coach of the year in 2001, led the San Jose CyberRays to a championship in its inaugural season and I think he'll make a good run for the championship this year with Sky Blue.

St. Louis Athletica
Ok, so his English may not be that great, but Athletica coach Jorge Barcellos sure knows his soccer. Barcellos, the former Brazilian Women's National Team coach, will be bringing his fast flowing, attacking style of play to the WPS. He really values technique and understands the importance of strength and physicality in the modern game. He handpicked a team filled with skill and speed. Oh, did I mention he also snagged the world's best goalkeeper, too? With US WNT players Lori Chalupny and Hope Solo, coupled with 2-time MAC Herman Trophy winner Kerri Hanks, and Brazilian midfielder Daniella, this team is stacked.

Boston Breakers
One name -- DiCicco. Now, this is a coach who knows how to field a team. He's got Kristine Lily. He's got Kelly Smith and Alex Scott. He's got A-Rod. If that wasn't enough, he also has former National Team players Angela Hucles and Heather Mitts. Oh, I'm not done yet. Have I mentioned WUSA veterans Kristen Luckenbill and Nancy Augustyniak Goffi? Or how about Canadian forward Christine Latham? This team is deep with a capital D.

Washington Freedom
Luckily for Coach Jim Gabarra, the Freedom got a head start on the competition. When the WUSA folded in 2003, Gabarra and the Washington Freedom continued on as a W-League team. Come draft-time for the WPS, Gabarra was able to keep 12 players from his W-league team for his WPS roster. Talk about an advantage! US star Abby Wambach and Australian foward Lisa De Vanna will anchor the Freedom offense while US WNT player Cat Whitehill will bring her extensive experience to the back line.

FC Gold Pride
Fact: "Only a small percentage of the world’s wines get noticeably better with age, but those that do are worth the wait." I think the same of soccer players. At 40 and 36, Brandi Chastain and Tifeny Milbrett will prove to be worth our wait. We haven't seen much of them in the past few years, but now that they are back I'm sure we'll see some new tricks. FC Gold Pride also has former US WNT denfensive midfielder Leslie Osborne. Osborne has been recovering from her 2008 ankle and knee surgeries and doesn't feel quite at the top of her game yet, but is confident it will come back quickly. Other players of note are former UCLA midfielder and MAC Herman Trophy finalist Tina DiMartino, and Brazilian teammates Formiga, Adriane and Erika.

This WPS season is going to be full of top-flight soccer and I, for one, am ready for it to get started!

The Old Ladies Make Gold Pride Roster

Brandi Chastain, 40, and Tiffeny Milbrett, 36, have made the FC Gold Pride roster!

Brandi Chastain who was chosen in the seventh round (45th overall) by the FC Gold Pride returns to the game after stepping away from soccer (never officially retiring) in 2004. I, for one, am more than excited to have another member of the Fab 5 back on the pitch and playing with that same spirit that inspired the thousands of fans who watched the 1999 Women's World Cup.

Chastain has always been a favorite of mine. I, of course, aspire to have those abs, but more than that, I admire her determination. Some may not know this, but early in her career she started as a bench player and at one point was actually cut from the US Women's National Team. Instead of giving up, like many would do, she rallied -- she worked on her fitness levels and continued playing soccer in Japan until she had a chance to prove herself again. When she got the opportunity she blew her coach away as a defender, and years later she became one of the most recognizable faces in women's soccer. Now she's back at it and bringing a new perspective to the game.

Milbrett, another former US WNT player, actually had to attend tryouts to be invited to preseason camp!

Millie, who was a member of the '96 gold medal team, also played for the WUSA's New York Power. When the WUSA folded, she began playing in Sweeden and more recently for the Vancouver Whitecaps Women. Milbrett is one of the most explosive players this game has ever seen--you never know what to expect. One second she's at midfield, the next, she's put one in the back of the net and you're left wondering what happened in between.

Hats off to Coach Montoya for realizing age is just a number. Chastain and Milbrett will prove to be valuable assets to the team and I am truly looking forward to seeing them back on the field -- doin' what they do best.

My First Love

I was 5 years old the first time I stepped onto a soccer field. I'm not sure if it was the smell of fresh-cut grass, the sweet taste of oranges at halftime, or the touch of the ball against my laces, but I knew that day that I was in love with soccer... and would be forever.

It has been a love affair with its share of ups and downs. Some of my most cherished memories have been with a ball at my feet, but at the same time, so have some of my biggest heartaches.

I have been able to travel the world because of soccer. I have developed life-long friendships with teammates and coaches. And one of the most important things Ive learned from the game is that I can keep going long after I can't -- a life lesson that pushes me to new levels with every step I take.

The game has introduced me to the strongest group of female athletes in the history of sports : Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, Brandi Chastain, Joy Fawcett and Kristine Lily. These women, my childhood heroes, fought for equal rights for women in athletics. They fought for a game they loved. And because of them, I, along with so many other girls, got the opportunity to fall in love with the world's favorite game.

Over the last few years I watched their women's professional league form, then fail, then rise up again from the ashes into a new league, Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) which launches this month. I have watched the Women's National Team (WNT) dominate the world, and also have seen it at its worst (both on and off the field) in 2007.

Women's soccer, no matter how many times it falls, always seems to rise up even stronger. It is a testament to the heart and soul of its players and to those who support it. Those who play and follow women's soccer are some of the most passionate people you will ever meet.

For the past 20+ years I have played many roles in the world's favorite game -- player, coach and fan. And as I'm sure you can imagine, the game looks very different from the sidelines. So, as a lifelong friend of the sport, I will share my opinions on the state of women's soccer in the US --- its players, its leagues, its management and of course, its fans.

Hope you enjoy!!!