The past 12 hours or so have been shocking times for the Riptide board and its members as word has trickled in regarding the dissolution of the Los Angeles Sol for the 2010 season. Most everyone is surprised. Most everyone, even the Sol-haters, are saddend. And nearly everyone is nervous about the status of the league. While the latter is ultimately in the hands and knowledge base of the league staff, I felt that it was necessary for a supporters club member to address the departure of the Sol despite them not being my club. This could be deemed an open letter to all WPS fans, not just Breaker fans or Sol fans.
The departure of the Sol from the league structure leaves a hole in one of the sunniest markets in the country. However, we as fans and supporters cannot use this news to become pessimistic about this wonderful league. A much different response is necessary to this sobering news. And no, I do not refer to the forum chatter about this team selecting that player or where Marta will end up. I, speaking only as a member of the Riptide Board of Directors, see this as an opportunity for supporters clubs league-wide. This is an opportunity to get re-energized about your particular WPS club. An opportunity to rally with each other, league-wide, in celebration of what still exists.
To the Daughters of Betsy, Laclede's Army, Chicago's Local 134, and the Freedom Fighters, I issue a challenge to increas your already high levels of passion to create unthinkable cauldrons of noise across the league. Let us together make the league sound worthy of investment. Let us show the FSC audience what WPS passion is all about. Now is not the time to mope. Now is the time to construct new chants, to make more banners, and to find someone with rhythm for the drums. We do not limp softly into the night with this news from Los Angeles. We re-motivate ourselves to do whatever we can for our respective clubs.
To those that read this that are not part of a supporters club, I have a slightly different message. By all means bring all the passion you can muster. Bring all of your friends, family, teammates to the wonder that is Women's Professional Soccer. Show them the skills of these players once and many will come back begging for more (I know I did). If someone asks you to go to a match, by all means go! Take the opportunity you have to see a team in your hometown and run with it. waiting for a time when you are "more available" could prove to be fool-hardy. WPS will continue to exist, but the fan support cannot remain at a base-level. All of us together have to work towards pushing an average of 4684 to 7000 and beyond
It is for everyone that I close with a paraphrase of a wonderful quote that is greatly applicable to this point in WPS history. For us with teams remaining, The work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, AND THE DREAM SHALL NEVER DIE!
-Matthew Magliozzi
member Riptide Board of Directors
