San Diego Spirit
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| Full name | San Diego Spirit | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2001 | ||
| Dissolved | 2003 | ||
| Ground |
Torero Stadium, San Diego, California | ||
| Capacity | 7,000 | ||
| Owner | Cox Communications | ||
| League | Women's United Soccer Association (2001-2003) | ||
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The San Diego Spirit was a professional soccer team that played in the Women's United Soccer Association. The team played at Torero Stadium on the campus of the University of San Diego in San Diego, California. The team began play in 2001. The league announced on September 15, 2003 it was suspending operations.
The founding members of the Spirit were Julie Foudy, Shannon MacMillan and Joy Fawcett.[1] The team reached the playoffs in the 2003 season, losing to the Atlanta Beat in the semifinals.[2] Other notable members of the Spirit included Scotland's Julie Fleeting, Brazil's Daniela and Canada's Christine Latham, as well as U.S. national team players Jenni Branam, Aly Wagner and Shannon Boxx.
Year-by-year
| Year | League | Regular Season | Playoffs | Avg. Attendance | Total Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | WUSA | 5th Place | Did not qualify | 5,711 | 62,821 |
| 2002 | WUSA | 7th Place | Did not qualify | 5,883 | 58,832 |
| 2003 | WUSA | 3rd Place | Semifinals | 5,635 | 61,983 |
Players
The "founding players" of the Spirit were Julie Foudy, Shannon MacMillan and Joy Fawcett of the 1999 USA Women's World Cup team. [3]
2003 Roster [4]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Coach: Omid Namazi
Coaches
- Carlos Juarez (2001-2002)
- Kevin Crow (2002)
- Omid Namazi (2003)
League suspension
The WUSA announced on September 15, 2003 that it was suspending operations.[5]
See also
References
- ↑ Wagman, Robert. "Hamm is assigned to play in Washington as first 24 allocations are announced.". SoccerTimes. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
- ↑ "Pohlers, Hooper score dramatic goals to send Atlanta past Spirit 2-1 in overtime to Founders Cup". SoccerTimes. August 17, 2003. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
- ↑ "WUSA San Diego Announces Key Hires". PR Newswire. October 17, 2000. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
- ↑ "WUSA Teams Set Rosters". Our Sports Central. Retrieved November 14, 2014.
- ↑ Longman, Jere (September 16, 2003). "Women's Soccer League Folds on World Cup Eve". The New York Times. Retrieved 15 November 2014.