Boston Breakers
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| Nickname(s) | Breakers | ||
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| Founded | 2000 | ||
| Stadium | Jordan Field | ||
| Capacity | 4,000 | ||
| Owner | Boston Women’s Soccer, LLC | ||
| Head Coach | Matt Beard | ||
| League | National Women's Soccer League | ||
| Website | Club home page | ||
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Boston Breakers is an American professional soccer club based in the Boston neighborhood of Allston.[1] The team competes in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). They replaced the original Breakers, who competed in the defunct Women's United Soccer Association, as the Boston area's professional women's soccer team.
The Breakers currently play their home games at Jordan Field, in Boston, MA, and are managed by Matt Beard.
Contents
History[edit]
WUSA[edit]
Establishment (2000–2003)[2]
The Boston Breakers began play in the WUSA in 2001. The team held a "name the team" contest that fifteen-year-old Laura DeDonato of Easton, Massachusetts won with the name "Boston Breakers." [3]
In the final season in the WUSA, the Breakers had their best record (10-4-7) and placed first in the regular season before losing to the Washington Freedom in the semifinals.[4]
Awards[edit]
The Breakers won the WPS Community Service Award and held league-leading attendance in 2002. Honors received in 2003 included:
- Maren Meinert – WUSA MVP
- Maren Meinert – All Star Game MVP
- Maren Meinert, Dagny Mellgren, Kristine Lilly – All-WUSA, 1st Team
- Angela Hucles, Kate Sobrero, Karina LeBlanc – All-WUSA, 2nd Team
- Joe Cummings – Executive of the Year
- Pia Sundhage – Coach of the Year
WPS[edit]
Re-establishment (2007–2009)[edit]
The formation of Women's Professional Soccer was announced on September 4, 2007, during which time it was also announced that a franchise had been awarded to Boston.
The Boston Breakers franchise was officially unveiled on October 26, 2008. At the time it was the only professional women's sports team in Massachusetts.[5] As early as May 2007, Joe Cummings was named the President and General Manager. He previously worked for the Breakers franchise in the WUSA.[6] In September 2007, Tony DiCicco was appointed as the club's first head coach.
During the WPS national team player allocation on September 16, 2008 the Breakers acquired Heather Mitts and former Breakers players, Kristine Lilly and Angela Hucles.[7] The club acquired Amy Rodriguez as the first overall pick in the 2009 WPS Soccer Draft in St. Louis on January 30, 2009.[8]
2009 season[edit]
The Breakers played their debut match in the inaugural season of Women's Professional Soccer against FC Gold Pride in Santa Clara, California losing 2-1.[9]
Its first home match was against St. Louis Athletica on April 11, 2009, in which the Breakers lost 2-0.[9][10] The Breakers finished the season in fifth place with a 7-9-4 record.
2010 season[edit]
2011 season[edit]
2012 league suspension[edit]
On January 16, 2012, the Breakers announced that they signed United States U-23 national team defender, Bianca D'Agostino.[11] Australian national team forward, Kyah Simon, was acquired by the Breakers in anticipation of the 2012 season as well. Simon scored two goals against Norway in the 2011 World Cup, which advanced Australia to the quarter-finals.[12] Her goals made her the first ever Aboriginal to score a goal in a World Cup tournament.[13]
The league announced on January 30, 2012 that the 2012 Women's Professional Soccer season was suspended.[14] On February 9, 2012 the club announced it would compete in the newly formed WPSL Elite for the 2012 season, with the expectation that it would rejoin the WPS for the 2013 season.[15] The semi-pro league has no restrictions on the types of players, whether they be professional or amateur.
After the WPS suspension, goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher returned to her former club, Turbine Potsdam, after playing for the Breakers during the 2010 and 2011 seasons.[16]
WPSL Elite[edit]
In 2012, the Boston Breakers joined the Women's Premier Soccer League Elite.[17] The team finished in first place clinching the regular season title with an 11-3-0 record, the best season in the franchise history. They lost 3-1 against the Chicago Red Stars in the WPSL Elite semifinals.[18]
NWSL[edit]
In November 2012, it was announced that the Breakers would be one of eight teams in a new women's professional soccer league sponsored by the United States Soccer Federation, the Canadian Soccer Association and the Mexican Football Federation.[19] On January 11, 2013, the league held its player allocation for the national team players, with Boston receiving seven players, including two returning former Breakers Heather O'Reilly and Heather Mitts.[20] The other players assigned to the Breakers were Anisa Guajardo, Adriana Leon, Sydney Leroux, Cecilia Santiago, and Rhian Wilkinson.[20]
2013 season[edit]
The 2013 Boston Breakers season is the club's eighth overall year of existence, fourth consecutive year, and first year as a member of the National Women's Soccer League. They played 22 games, finishing with 8 wins, 6 draws, and 8 losses. They did not qualify for the post-season playoffs, and finished the season at fifth place in an eight team league.
2014 season[edit]
The 2014 Boston Breakers season is the club's ninth overall year of existence, fifth consecutive year, and second year as a member of the National Women's Soccer League. They played 24 games, finishing with 6 wins, 2 draws, and 16 losses. They did not qualify for the post-season playoffs, and finished the season at eighth place in a nine team league.
2015 season[edit]
The 2015 Boston Breakers season, is the club's tenth overall year of existence, sixth consecutive year, and third year as a member of the National Women's Soccer League.
Stadium[edit]
Boston currently plays its home games at Soldiers Field Soccer Stadium during renovations to Harvard Stadium, the 30,323-capacity home football stadium of the Harvard Crimson, which they also used while playing in WPS (from 2009–2011).[21]
The Breakers previously played Dilboy Stadium in the Boston suburb of Somerville, Massachusetts[22] for their 2012 and 2013 seasons, the move from Harvard to Dilboy concurrent with their league move to the WPSL Elite.[23]
Supporters[edit]
The team has a loyal fan group known as the Riptide[24] and an official supporters group called the Boston Armada.[25]
Players and coaches[edit]
Current squad[edit]
As of November 10, 2015:[26]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Head coaches[edit]
Matt Beard (2015–)[27]
Tom Durkin (2014)- Cat Whitehill (2013) (interim)
- Lisa Cole (2012–2013)
- Tony DiCicco (2009–2011)
Ownership and team management[edit]
Michael Stoller is a managing partner of Boston Women's Soccer, LLC, the ownership group overseeing the Breakers.[28]
Records and statistics[edit]
| Year | League | Pos. | Playoffs | W | L | D | Pts. | GF | GA | Home | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | WPS | 5th | Did not qualify | 7 | 9 | 4 | 25 | 18 | 20 | 4-3-3 | 3-6-1 |
| 2010 | WPS | 2nd | Super Semifinal | 10 | 8 | 6 | 36 | 36 | 28 | 5-6-1 | 5-2-5 |
| 2011 | WPS | 4th | First Round | 5 | 9 | 4 | 19 | 19 | 24 | 4-3-2 | 1-6-2 |
| 2012 | WPSLE | 1st | First Round | 11 | 3 | 0 | 33 | 28 | 9 | 6-1-0 | 5-2-0 |
| 2013 | NWSL | 5th | Did Not Qualify | 8 | 8 | 6 | 30 | 35 | 34 | 5-3-3 | 3-5-3 |
| 2014 | NWSL | 8th | Did Not Qualify | 6 | 16 | 2 | 20 | 37 | 53 | 5-7-0 | 1-9-2 |
| 2015 | NWSL | 9th | Did Not Qualify | 4 | 13 | 3 | 15 | 22 | 43 | 4-5-1 | 0-8-2 |
Honors[edit]
Individual Player Awards[edit]
- Amy LePeilbet, WPS 2009, 2010 Defender of the Year[29]
Player of the Week[edit]
| Year | League | Week | Player | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | WPS | Week 3 |  Kelly Smith |
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| 2010 | WPS | Week 17 | Kelly Smith |
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| 2011 | WPS | Week 9 |  Meghan Klingenberg |
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| 2011 | WPS | Week 10 | Alyssa Naeher |
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| 2011 | WPS | Week 18 | Lauren Cheney |
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| 2013 | NWSL | Week 4 | Sydney Leroux |
[30] |
| 2013 | NWSL | Week 7 | Lianne Sanderson |
[30] |
| 2013 | NWSL | Week 13 | Sydney Leroux |
[30] |
| 2015 | NWSL | Week 17 | Alyssa Naeher |
[31] |
Player of the Month[edit]
| Month | League | Player | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2009 | WPS | Kelly Smith |
[32] |
| April 2009 | WPS | Kelly Smith |
[32] |
| July 2010 | WPS | Jordan Angeli |
[33] |
| August 2010 | WPS | Kelly Smith |
[33] |
Pillars of Excellence[edit]
In summer 2009, the Breakers began a tradition of honoring legends from the past with commemorative banners at Harvard Stadium.[34] The award's Pillars of Excellence name was influenced by the stadium's iconic colonnade. Players from both Boston Breakers (WUSA) and the WPS/WPSL Elite/NWSL entry are considered.
Maren Meinert became the first inductee during a halftime ceremony on May 17, 2009 when the Breakers hosted the Washington Freedom. During her final season in 2003 Meinert was named the WUSA's Most Valuable Player for the regular season and MVP of the WUSA All-Star Game.[34] Angela Hucles was inducted on May 1, 2010 during a home game against the Chicago Red Stars.[35] Kristine Lilly was inducted during halftime of a match against the Philadelphia Independence May 23, 2011.[36] Leslie Osborne was inducted during halftime of a home game against Sky Blue FC.[37]
| Inducted | Player | Position | League | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 22, 2015 | Leslie Osborne |
Midfielder | WPS/WPSL Elite | 2010-12 |
| May 23, 2011 | Kristine Lilly |
Midfielder/Forward | WUSA/WPS | 2001-03, 2009–10 |
| May 1, 2010 | Angela Hucles |
Midfielder | WUSA/WPS | 2001-03, 2009 |
| May 17, 2009 |  Maren Meinert |
Midfielder/Forward | WUSA | 2001-03 |
See also[edit]
- List of top-division football clubs in CONCACAF countries
- List of professional sports teams in the United States and Canada
- Boston Breakers (WUSA)
References[edit]
- ^ "Breakers History". Boston Breakers Women's Professional Soccer. Retrieved June 8, 2015.
- ^ "BREAKERS HISTORY – Boston Breakers". BostonBreakersSoccer.com. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
- ^ "WUSA gets Power". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
- ^ "Breakers History". Boston Breakers (WPSL Elite). Retrieved October 20, 2012.
- ^ Eldred, Sheila (January 25, 2009). "Call It a Comeback With women's pro soccer ready to strike with a new league, Boston Breakers head coach Tony DiCicco, 60, believes that, this time, failure is not an option.". The Boston Globe.
- ^ Belson, Ken (July 9, 2009). "Women's soccer sets the bar low; New league tackles daunting times with start-up mentality;". The New York Times (Cambridge, Massachusetts). p. 11.
You have to have some pioneer spirit, said Joe Cummings, the president and general manager of the Boston Breakers, who worked for the franchise in the old league, too. If you're not willing to make the sacrifices beyond the white line, this is not for you.
- ^ Daniels, Mark (September 17, 2008). "Boston Breakers net stars". Boston Herald. Retrieved March 1, 2012.
- ^ Garcia, Mark (January 30, 2009). "A-Rod is No. 1 pick in WPS Draft". The Orange County Register.
- ^ a b "Boston Breakers stats". Soccerway Women. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
- ^ McClatchy (April 11, 2009). "BRIEF: Women's Professional Soccer: Schmedes, Breakers set for second game". Odessa American (Texas).
- ^ "Breakers Sign Midfielder Bianca D'Agostino". Norwood, Massachusetts: Boston Breakers. January 16, 2012. Retrieved March 1, 2012.
- ^ "Success story". Blacktown Sun. February 27, 2012.
- ^ "Kyah Simon joins Boston Breakers". Football Federation Australia. January 13, 2012. Retrieved February 29, 2012. More than one of
|website=and|work=specified (help) - ^ "WPS Suspends Play for 2012 Season". Women's Professional Soccer. January 30, 2012. Retrieved February 29, 2012.
- ^ "Breakers to compete in new WPSL Elite Women’s Soccer League in 2012". WomensProSoccer.com. February 9, 2012. Retrieved February 29, 2012.
- ^ Tim Grainey (February 27, 2012). "Flight Abroad For WPS Veterans". Soccer365.com. Retrieved February 29, 2012.
- ^ "2012 WPSL Elite Season Preview". National Soccer Coaches of America Association. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
- ^ "Breakers fall to Chicago in WPSL Elite semifinals". Boston Breakers. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
- ^ http://equalizersoccer.com/2012/11/21/eight-teams-to-start-new-womens-pro-soccer-league-in-2013/
- ^ a b "Women's league allocates top players". ESPN. January 11, 2013. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
- ^ "Boston Breakers to Play at Harvard Stadium in 2014". Boston Breakers. January 7, 2014. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
- ^ "Boston Breakers to join new professional women's league in 2013". Boston Breakers. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
- ^ "Boston Breakers to play at Dilboy Stadium in Somerville". Boston Women's Soccer, LLC. Boston Breakers. Retrieved April 4, 2012.
- ^ https://twitter.com/The_Riptide
- ^ http://www.bostonbreakerssoccer.com/ABOUT/bostonarmadasg/index_E.html
- ^ "Boston Breakers Roster". BostonBreakersSoccer.com. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
- ^ "Coaching Staff". BostonBreakersSoccer.com. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- ^ "Women's Professional Soccer League to Launch in 2009". PR Newswire. September 4, 2007.
- ^ "LePeilbet named WPS' top defender". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
- ^ a b c "2013 NWSL Player of the Week & Month". Pitchside Report. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
- ^ "2015 NWSL Player of the Week & Month". Pitchside Report. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
- ^ a b 2009 Women's Professional Soccer season#Player of the Month[better source needed]
- ^ a b 2010 Women's Professional Soccer season#Player of the Month[better source needed]
- ^ a b "Former Breaker Maren Meinert to be Inducted Into Pillars of Excellence at May 17 Home Game". Boston Breakers. May 5, 2009.
- ^ "Former Breaker Angela Hucles to be Inducted into Pillars of Excellence at May 1 Home Game". Boston Breakers Boston Breakers Boston Breakers. April 29, 2010.
- ^ Kassouf, Jeff (May 23, 2011). "Boston Breakers 1-1 Philadelphia Independence: Breakers draw as Lilly is honored". The Equalizer. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
- ^ http://www.bostonbreakerssoccer.com/home/872260.html
External links[edit]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Boston Breakers. |
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