Boston Sports Then and Now

Breakers break camp.

After only four days of pre-season training camp under the “bubble” at Harvard University, Boston Breakers coach Tony DiCicco and his staff have made their first cut downs from the opening roster of 32.

On Thursday afternoon the Breakers released four players from their pre-season roster, including Anna Caniglia (Nebraska), Samantha Diaz-Motosas (University of South Carolina), Rebecca Mays (Southern Illinois), and Carly Peetz (Nebraska) from training camp.

Peetz was a sixth round pick (number 52 overall) in the WPS Draft held in January, while Caniglia, Diaz-Motosas and Mays participated in camp as undrafted free agents. Read the rest of this entry →

Reynolds was one of five Broncos selected in the 2010 WPS draft

The following is part of a weekly series in which writer Todd Civin presents the lighter side of the Boston Breakers of Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS).

The league is built based on the down-to-earth nature and approachability of its athletes. “Getting Silly with the Breakers” is a fun-filled way to create a comfortable bond between the fans and the professional athletes who are the Boston Breakers.

A special thanks to Erica Hunt, the communications director for the team, as well as the players themselves for making this approach possible.

Only two days removed from her first official full team workout as a professional soccer player, I suspect that there are still a lot of things going through the mind of Boston Breakers’ rookie defender, Katherine Reynolds.

A new team, a new city, new teammates. and her first training camp is an awful lot of adjusting for any of the 65 newbies attempting to make the squads of the eight Women’s Professional Soccer teams. Read the rest of this entry →

Breakers' Jordan Angeli

The league is built based on the down-to-earth nature and approachability of its athletes. “Getting Silly with the Breakers” is a fun-filled way to create a comfortable bond between the fans and the professional athletes who are the Boston Breakers.

A special thanks to Erica Hunt, the communications director for the team, as well as the players themselves for making this approach possible.

Boston Breakers rookie defender, Jordan Angeli, tweeted the following last night in anticipation for her initial day as an official member of Women’s Professional Soccer, “First day with the Breakers tomorrow.”

For most little girls the thought of starting work as a professional soccer player, would probably be mind boggling. For the little red headed girl from Lakewood, Colorado, the thought is a lesson in dedication and perseverance.

Angeli, who was named the 2009 West Coast Conference (WCC) defender of the year while playing for the Santa Clara Broncos, has waited for this day for six years after being forced to red-shirt the 2007 and 2008 seasons due to debilitating knee injuries.

Angeli, who scored twelve goals as a sophomore in 2005, suffered a torn ACL in her left knee before her senior season in 2007. After months of grueling rehab, the same ligament gave away as she prepared for her second senior season in 2008.

Third time is a charm they say as her injury is now a distant memory. She came back as strong as ever during her “third” senior campaign, leading the Broncos to a 14-7-2 record.  While starting all 23 games for Santa Clara, she led the team in goals (7), points (17), and game winners (4) while scoring the game-winning goal in overtime on two occasions (Sept. 6 at Georgetown, and Oct. 18 at St. Mary’s). Read the rest of this entry →

Sarah Walsh is a Boston Breaker.

A post by Boston Breakers GM Andy Crossley on Big Soccer.com was confirmed by a press release moments ago from Breakers’ Director of Communications Erica Hunt, announcing the signing of Australian National Team forward Sarah Walsh.

In order to make room for the forward from Down Under, the Breakers waived Canadian forward Christine Latham.

“Sarah has fantastic speed and attacking abilities,” Head Coach Tony DiCicco said. “She loves to get behind defenses and has the ability to score herself and create goals for her teammates.”

DiCicco added, “Her leadership and experience will also provide a lot to our success. I look forward to coaching her and I think the Breaker fans will love her work ethic and abilities.”

Walsh joins England National Team players Alex Scott and Kelly Smith, Brazilian forward Fabiana, and Spain’s Laura Del Rio as Boston’s league-maximum five international players, prompting the waiving of Latham.

Walsh was originally drafted by Sky Blue FC as the seventh pick overall in the 2009 International Draft. She appeared in five games and scored one goal and one assist before being traded to Saint Louis Athletica on June 26, 2009. She played in 11 games for Athletica, starting in six, and notched a goal and two assists.

Walsh, 27, has a wealth of experience in international competition. She has been a member of the Australian National team since 2004, appearing in the 2004 Olympics in Athens during which her team made it to the Finals, the 2006 AFC Women’s Asian Cup, and the 2007 World Cup in China, where she scored a goal in the group-stage opener against Ghana.

Read the rest of this entry →

Alyssa Naeher is a Boston Breaker.

The league is built based on the down-to-earth nature and approachability of its athletes. “Getting Silly with the Breakers” is a fun-filled way to create a comfortable bond between the fans and the professional athletes who are the Boston Breakers.

A special thanks to Erica Hunt, the communications director for the team, as well as the players themselves for making this approach possible.

Though perhaps not as well known a name as some of her rookie peers entering Women’s Professional Soccer this season, Boston Breakers goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, holds the distinction of being the first keeper taken in the 2010 WPS College Draft.

Truth be told, Naeher carries the honors of being the highest drafted shot stopper in WPS history to date, as the first back stop wasn’t selected until the third round of the 2009 WPS draft (Karen Bardsley, Sky Blue with the 18th overall pick).

So while names like Tobin Heath, Lauren Cheney, Kelley O’Hara and Whitney Engen may be likely to battle for Rookie of the Year honors, the pride of Seymour, Connecticut can go about her business knowing that she holds a unique place in WPS history. Read the rest of this entry →

Jennifer Nobis

A funny (not funny, ha, ha, but funny unusual) thing happened to Boston Breakers forward Jennifer Nobis on the way to her second season in Women’s Professional Soccer. The former Missouri standout tore her ACL two weeks ago while jogging.

That’s right, jogging. A professional athlete who can simultaneously juggle a round sphere while texting on her Droid Touch and flossing her teeth, tore her ACL while jogging. Not to poke fun at the affable forward from Quincy, IL, but I think this is the comedic equivalent of Dick Van Dyke flipping over his ottoman as he enters his living room at the start of each show.

Visions of Lucille Ball stuffing her bosom with chocolates or slurring her words while drunk on Vitameatavegamin. Now that’s funny. A pro-athlete tearing their ACL while jogging? Not so much. Read the rest of this entry →