Wildcats aim to get claws into young soccer players, fans.
By: Kyle Moylan
Following the New Jersey Wildcats’ most recent home game at Mercer County Community College, Janine and Rochelle Willis offered up a pretty good mirror image of each other.
Neither Janine nor Rochelle, twins from Canada who soon will be entering their senior years at Princeton University and playing defense for the school’s women’s soccer team, seemed very anxious to leave the field.
The Wildcats won a 7-0 exhibition over the Washington Freedom that night. This win didn’t even count among the Wildcats’ perfect 12-0 record in the W-League (a part of the larger United Soccer League). There was a much bigger picture though.
Each of the Willis sisters was surrounded by a dozen or so little girls looking for an autograph, high-five, hug or just a hello.
According to the Willis sisters, this wasn’t part of the job. This was their payment.
"We get some expense money, but no one in the league gets paid," noted Rochelle, who had scored a goal in the win.
Rochelle looked down at another little girl, signed her ball and smiled. "Well, we do get some hugs."
Added Janine, "This is great. What more could you ask for? It’s like the best summer you can have."
Adding to the summer fun is the fact that Rochelle and Janine also get to play with and against some of the best women’s soccer players in the world.
The two played for the Toronto Inferno from 2000-02 and for the Boston Renegades last year. This year has been a lot different though.
When the WUSA, the top women’s league in the world, lost its financial backing after last season, there suddenly were a couple of hundred fantastic players looking for somewhere to compete.
The Wildcats have a somewhat revolving roster as their players occasionally have to meet other commitments including playing in festivals for the WUSA as it tries to get back up and running but the team is almost a who’s who of women’s soccer.
Anne Makinen, Kelly Smith, Beth McNamara, Marinette Pichon and Bonnie Young all came over from the WUSA. Makinen (Finland), Pichon (France), Smith (England), Heather O’Reilly (United States), Dolores Deasley (Ireland), Becky Wachsberger (Ireland) and Tasha St. Louis (Trinidad and Tobago) all are part of their countries’ national teams.
"The talent is so great, it can’t help but make you better," Janine noted. "We’re playing with two of the best players in the world (Smith and Pichon). If I’m defending against them in practice, it’ll bring up my game."
Maura Gallagher, a midfielder who will be a junior at Princeton University this fall, also is overwhelmed by the talent of her teammates.
"These are the pioneers of women’s soccer," noted Gallagher, who also has the privilege of signing dozens of autographs and posing for photos after every game. "This league is definitely at a higher level this year, but it’s not just here. It (girls’ soccer) gets more serious every year. My little sister is 12 and she’s playing at such a level, it’s awesome."
The league had some drop in talent recently as several women left to join up with their national squads in preparation for the Greece Olympics. And Smith, one of the top draft picks when the WUSA started in 2001, broke her leg in a recent match. No one will ever cry for a team with Marinette Pichon on its roster though.
Pichon scored two goals and an assist in the win over the Washington Freedom. Being an exhibition game, those goals do not officially count. Nor do the goals she scored for the Philadelphia Charge in a recent soccer festival. She does have 17 goals and five assists in eight official W-League games this year though.
If those statistics sound ridiculously good for a professional soccer league, that’s only because they are.
Pichon was the MVP of the WUSA while playing for the Philadelphia Charge in 2002 and even had a bobblehead made in her likeness. She has scored 67 goals in 84 appearances for France’s national team. She scored both of France’s goals as the team went 1-1-1 at the last World Cup.
"I’m lucky, I guess," said Pichon. "Maybe I have a feeling (for where the ball will be). I just work hard and love to play.
"When it comes time to quit, it’ll be hard. But it’s not time yet."
The Wildcats’ regular-season schedule offers trips to New York, Washington, D.C., and South Jersey. Pichon travels the world, however, in search of games. But if women’s soccer is ever going to catch on as a professional sport, Pichon knows where the games will be.
"For women’s soccer, it’s much bigger here (the United States)," Pichon said. "It’s fun being here. I wish (the WUSA makes a comeback). I have my fingers crossed."
So do the Willis twins.
"I would love to play in that league," Janine said. "That would be a great opportunity for women’s soccer. It would be great for all these little girls."
Little girls wearing soccer uniforms are a staple at every Wildcats game. Before the start of every game, the girls walk out onto the field hand-in-hand with the women. The girls then work the sidelines at the games, chasing the balls out of bounds and making sure the flow of play is never interrupted. In return, the Wildcats are trying to do the same thing for the little girls.
"It’s not just enough to play, you have to show these little girls that there is something to look forward to, to strive for," Janine said.
Janine then grabbed another pen, signed another autograph and held on to that same smile.
About 15 feet away, Rochelle did the same. It was never lost on either of the Willis sisters or any woman in the league that she was part of something bigger than herself. Rochelle and Janine were just enjoying the ride.
Rochelle took another soccer ball and Sharpie in hand. She signed the ball and was thanked with about her 100th hug of the night.
"There’s definitely a lot of hope for women’s soccer in the future," Rochelle said. "Looking at these little girls, I know there is a lot of hope."
NOTES: The Wildcats were scheduled to face the New Jersey Lady Stallions at 2 p.m. Thursday, July 22, at DePaul High School. The Wildcats will be at Mercer County Community for the season finale at 2 p.m. Sunday against the New York Magic.
The playoffs will be hosted by the Ottawa Fury Soccer Club Aug. 7-8. Ottawa and the champions of the East, Central and West divisions will face off in a Final Four format.