Sky Blue Soccer News
Lindsey Named Sky Blue FC Assistant Coach
Sky Blue Soccer announced today that Kelly Lindsey has been hired to fill the role of assistant coach for the organization’s pro team Sky Blue FC – the NJ/NY entry into Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS). Lindsey joins head coach and general manager Ian Sawyers on the Sky Blue FC staff after serving as the head women’s soccer coach at Saint Mary’s College in California.
Sky Blue Honored by United Soccer Leagues
Sky Blue Soccer earned another honor from United Soccer Leagues this past weekend when Jersey Sky Blue was presented with the W-League Communications Award at the USL Annual General Meetings in Tampa, FL.
Sky Blue Soccer Hires Dorini to Direct School
Sky Blue Soccer officially announced today the hiring of Joe Dorini to serve as the Director of the Sky Blue Soccer School. In addition to overseeing the educational branch of the Sky Blue Soccer organization, Dorini will also serve as the Team Administrator for Sky Blue FC - the NJ/NY entry into Women's Professional Soccer.
Blodgett, Williams Join Sky Blue FC Coaching Staff
Sky Blue Soccer announced today that Paul Blodgett and Mark Williams will join the coaching staff for Sky Blue FC – the New Jersey/New York franchise for Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS). Sky Blue FC will kick off the first-ever WPS season in 2009.
Sky Blue Soccer Announces Alliance with Readington Travel
Sky Blue Soccer announced today a partnership with Readington Travel Soccer Club that will see the two organizations work together as Sky Blue prepares its new women's professional team - Sky Blue FC - for the inaugural season of Women's Professional Soccer in 2009.
Sky Blue FC picks Walsh, Rosana, Ester, Parker in International Draft
After receiving a strong allocation of domestic talent last week, Sky Blue FC added some international flair to its roster today when Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) held its first-ever international draft.
With his selections in the four-round draft, Sky Blue FC General Manager and Head Coach Ian Sawyers claimed the rights to Sarah Walsh of Australia, Rosana and Ester of Brazil, and Kelly Parker of Canada. Sky Blue will now begin a formal negotiation process with each selected player upon receiving permission from that player’s current club.
Today’s international draft followed the allocation of players from the United States Women’s National Team last week. In the allocation process, Sky Blue FC earned the rights to Christie Rampone, Heather O’Reilly, and Natasha Kai. The order for the international draft was based upon the strength of each team’s allocation and Sky Blue FC was deemed to have the strongest and thus picked last in today’s proceedings.
Sky Blue FC
SOMERSET, NJ (Sept. 9, 2008) - Sky Blue Soccer unveiled today the name and logo for its entry into Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) - the upcoming professional women's league. The Somerset, NJ based organization announced that its professional team will be called Sky Blue FC.
Sky Blue FC will be one of seven WPS franchises set to kick off the inaugural season in April 2009 with teams also playing in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, St. Louis, San Francisco Bay Area, and Washington DC. Sky Blue FC will play its home matches at Yurcak Field on the campus of Rutgers University in Piscataway, NJ.
For the name of its professional team, Sky Blue Soccer adopted the use of the traditional FC moniker popular in many parts of the world as a shortened version of "Football Club." The use of FC reflects Sky Blue's European ties with company owners Thomas Hofstetter and Francesco Prandoni originally hailing from Germany and Italy, respectively, and with the team's first Head Coach and General Manager Ian Sawyers - a native of England.
Cooper Snags W-League All-Eastern Conference Honors
Jersey Sky Blue defender Fanta Cooper was named among the elite of the W-League today with United Soccer Leagues selecting the team captain to the All-Eastern Conference team. Sky Blue's team leader, Cooper helped the second--year franchise to an 8-4-2 mark just missing out on the playoffs in the tough Northeast Division.
In her second season with Sky Blue, Cooper appeared in 10 games playing both center back and left back. The W-League Defender of the Year with the Chicago Cobras in 2003, Cooper led the way for a very strong Sky Blue defense that allowed just 10 goals in 14 regular season games.
Two-Goal Game Earns O'Brien Honorable Mention
Jersey Sky Blue striker Michele O'Brien earned an honorable mention for the W-League Team of the Week for the final week of the regular season. The Republic of Ireland National Team player accounted for all the scoring in a 2-0 victory over the Northern Virginia Majestics on the final day of the season.
Sky Blue wrapped up its second season in the W-League with an 8-4-2 record finishing just three points out a spot in the W-League playoffs. O'Brien closed the season with three goals - all in the final three games of the season.
Sky Blue Handles Majestics, Misses Out on Postseason
Michele O'Brien buried two goals to lead Jersey Sky Blue to a 2-0 victory over the Northern Virginia Majestics but it wasn't enough to lift Sky Blue into the W-League playoffs as the second-year franchise missed out on the postseason. Sky Blue finished the season with an 8-4-2 mark and ended up in fourth place in the Northeast Division - three points out of the playoffs.
Heading into the day's action, Sky Blue needed a loss from the Long Island Rough Riders and a victory over the Majestics to qualify for the Eastern Conference playoffs. Sky Blue did its job but so did Long Island as the Rough Riders blew out the New Jersey Wildcats 5-0 in Long Island. The victory catapulted the Rough Riders into second place behind division winners the Washington Freedom as the Boston Renegades dropped into third place.