Boston Breakers are an American professional soccer club based in the Boston suburb of Somerville, Massachusetts. The team competes in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). They replace 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 Harvard Stadium and are coached by Tom Durkin.
History
WPS
Establishment (2007-2009)
Boston Breakers, 2009
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.[2] As early as May 2007, Joe Cummings was named the President and General Manager. He previously worked for the Breakers franchise in the WUSA.[3] 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.[4] The club acquired Amy Rodriguez as the first overall pick in the 2009 WPS Soccer Draft in St. Louis on January 30, 2009.[5]
2009 inaugural season
Boston Breaker, Amy LePeilbet, defends against the Saint Louis Athletica
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.[6]
Its first home match was against St. Louis Athletica on April 11, 2009, in which the Breakers lost 2-0.
[7][6] The Breakers finished the season in fifth place with a 7-9-4 record.
2010 season
2011 season
2012 league suspension
On January 16, 2012, the Breakers announced that they signed United States U-23 national team defender, Bianca D'Agostino.[8] 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.[9] Her goals made her the first ever Aboriginal to score a goal in a World Cup tournament.[10]
The league announced on January 30, 2012 that the 2012 Women's Professional Soccer season was suspended.[11] 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.[12] 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.[13]
WPSL Elite
2012 season
In 2012, the Boston Breakers joined the Women's Premier Soccer League Elite.[14] 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. [15]
NWSL
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.[16] 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.[17] The other players assigned to the Breakers were Anisa Guajardo, Adriana Leon, Sydney Leroux, Cecilia Santiago, and Rhian Wilkinson.[17]
2013 season
Stadium
Boston currently plays its home games at at Harvard Stadium, the 30,323-capacity home football stadium of the Harvard Crimson, which they also used while playing in WPS (from 2009-2011).[18]
The Breakers previously played Dilboy Stadium in the Boston suburb of Somerville, Massachusetts[19] for their 2012 and 2013 seasons, the move from Harvard to Dilboy concurrent with their league move to the WPSL Elite. [20]
Supporters
The team has a loyal fan group known as The Riptide.
Players
Current squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Head coaches
Ownership and team management
Michael Stoller is a managing partner of Boston Women's Soccer, LLC, the ownership group overseeing the Breakers.[21]
Records and statistics
| 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 |
|
Honors
Individual Player Awards
WPS Player of the Week
WPS Player of the Month
Pillars of Excellence
Two pillars at the southern part of the
colonnade at Harvard Stadium
In summer 2009, the Breakers began an annual tradition of honoring legends from the past with commemorative banners at Harvard Stadium.[28] The award's Pillars of Excellence name was influenced by the stadium's iconic colonnade. Players from both Boston Breakers (WUSA) and the WPS 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 Most Valuable Player for the regular season and MVP of the WUSA All-Star Game.[28]
Angela Hucles was inducted on May 1, 2010 during a home game against the Chicago Red Stars.[29]
See also
References
- ↑ http://www.nwslsoccer.com/News/752652.html
- ↑ Eldred, Sheila (25 January 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 (9 July 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 (17 September 2008). "Boston Breakers net stars". Boston Herald. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
- ↑ Garcia, Mark (30 January 2009). "A-Rod is No. 1 pick in WPS Draft". The Orange County Register.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Boston Breakers stats". Soccerway Women. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
- ↑ McClatchy (11 April 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. 16 January 2012. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
- ↑ "Success story". Blacktown Sun. 27 February 2012.
- ↑ "Kyah Simon joins Boston Breakers". Football Federation Australia. footballaustralia.com.au. 13 January 2012. Retrieved 29 February 2012.
- ↑ "WPS Suspends Play for 2012 Season". Women's Professional Soccer. 30 January 2012. Retrieved 29 February 2012.
- ↑ "Breakers to compete in new WPSL Elite Women’s Soccer League in 2012". Boston Breakers. 9 February 2012. Retrieved 29 February 2012.
- ↑ Tim Grainey (27 February 2012). "Flight Abroad For WPS Veterans". Soccer365.com. Retrieved 29 February 2012.
- ↑ "2012 WPSL Elite Season Preview". National Soccer Coaches of America Association. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
- ↑ "Breakers fall to Chicago in WPSL Elite semifinals". Boston Breakers. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
- ↑ http://equalizersoccer.com/2012/11/21/eight-teams-to-start-new-womens-pro-soccer-league-in-2013/
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 's-soccer-league-allocates-top-players-to-teams?cc=5901 "Women's league allocates top players". ESPN. January 11, 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- ↑ "Boston Breakers to Play at Harvard Stadium in 2014". Boston Breakers. 7 January 2014. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
- ↑ "Boston Breakers to join new professional women's league in 2013". Boston Breakers. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
- ↑ "Boston Breakers to play at Dilboy Stadium in Somerville". Boston Women's Soccer, LLC. Boston Breakers. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
- ↑ "Women's Professional Soccer League to Launch in 2009". PR Newswire. 4 September 2007.
- ↑ "LePeilbet named WPS' top defender". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
- ↑ 's_Professional_Soccer_season#Player_of_the_Week "2009 Women's Professional Soccer season".
- ↑ 's_Professional_Soccer_season#Player_of_the_Week "2010 Women's Professional Soccer season".
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 's_Professional_Soccer_season#Player_of_the_Week "2011 Women's Professional Soccer season".
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 's_Professional_Soccer_season#Player_of_the_Month "2009 Women's Professional Soccer season".
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 's_Professional_Soccer_season#Player_of_the_Month "2010 Women's Professional Soccer season".
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 "Former Breaker Maren Meinert to be Inducted Into Pillars of Excellence at May 17 Home Game". Boston Breakers. 5 May 2009.
- ↑ "Former Breaker Angela Hucles to be Inducted into Pillars of Excellence at May 1 Home Game". Boston Breakers Boston Breakers Boston Breakers. 29 April 2010.
External links
Boston Breakers |
|---|
| | | | The Club |
- History
- Players
- All articles
|
|---|
| | Stadiums | |
|---|
| | Key Personnel | |
|---|
|
Seasons (8) | | | WUSA (3) | |
|---|
| | WPS (3) | |
|---|
| | WPSLE (1) | |
|---|
| | NWSL (1) | |
|---|
| |
|
|
|---|
| | Teams | |
|---|
| | Miscellaneous | |
|---|
| | Seasons | |
|---|
|
|
|---|
| | Teams | |
|---|
| | Miscellaneous | |
|---|
| | Seasons | |
|---|
|
|
|---|
| | Overview | |
|---|
| | Men's national teams | |
|---|
| | Outdoor leagues | |
|---|
| | Indoor leagues | |
|---|
| | Cup competitions | |
|---|
| | Men's college soccer | |
|---|
| | Women's national teams | |
|---|
| | Women's leagues | |
|---|
| | Women's college soccer | |
|---|
| | Defunct men's outdoor leagues | |
|---|
| | Defunct men's indoor leagues | |
|---|
| | Defunct women's competition | |
|---|
|
Tom Durkin (2014)
Kelly Smith 
Maren Meinert
