The entire Chicago WPS staff was out at various Memorial Day socer tournaments over the weekend promoting our nameless team. Amber Simons, Alyse LaHue, Tiffany Martin, Carlos Clava Klimek and I promoted Chicago WPS at the Park Ridge Memorial Day Soccer Tournament over the weekend. Interaction with the tournament organizers and participants made me keenly aware of a few things (warning, unfair blanket generalizations ahead):
* All the youth payers we spoke to, girls and boys, are interested in Women's Professional Soccer.
* The older the girls, the more excited they were about the new league.
* Coaches and parents of girls teams are really excited about the launch of the League and the team.
* Coaches and dads of boys teams seem to think the women's game isn't worthy of their attention.
* It would really be nice to have a name for the team when out promoting "Chicago WPS".
* The Chicago Storm's use of a soccer tennis net, Bozo Buckets and an info table was extremely efficient.
* The education curve we face is enormous. Typical youth soccer players, coaches and parents have no idea who we are, who the new League is or even who is on the US Women's National Team.
* The opportunity we have is great, because most people in the soccer community who are aware of the new league and team want us to succeed and many are willing to evangelize on our behalf.
Next week will mark an important milestone in the team's history. More on that later this week.
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