Add to favorites Examiner Bio

It’s been there, done that for Sky Blue FC coach, GM Ian Sawyers

In less than three months some of the best female soccer players in the world will be taking the field at TD Ball Park in Bridgewater, New Jersey for Sky Blue FC's opening match against the Los Angeles Sol. Ian Sawyers, the head coach and general manager of Sky Blue FC, is formulating and finalizing plans for his team's inaugural season in Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS).

 

Two years ago New Jersey/New York Sky Blue FC was just Jersey Sky Blue – a brand new franchise in the W-League which boasted a record of 12-2 in its first season. Jersey Sky Blue decided to add a professional team, lengthened its name, and shed its semiprofessional club, recently transferring the rights of its W-League team to the Hudson Valley Quickstrike FC  in New York. “Marketing two teams in one city was going to be difficult. Quickstrike has been a phenomenal group to work with. We definitely want to use it as a time cheater to our professional team,” stated Sawyers. Sky Blue FC will direct players who will be protected in future territorial drafts to play for Quickstrike. The players will get a chance to train with the professional team every week and will constantly be in the sight and minds of the coaching staff - a coaching staff that already knows the routine of building a women’s soccer franchise from the ground up.

 

Ian Sawyers was the head coach of the San Jose CyberRays of the defunct Women’s United Soccer Association (WUSA). He turned the club into a WUSA Championship team in its first season in 2001 and was named WUSA Coach of the Year. Success hopefully begets success for Sawyers as he arduously prepares for Sky Blue’s inaugural season in Women’s Professional Soccer.

 

 Kelly Lindsey, a former player from his coaching days with the CyberRays, was named his assistant coach. Lindsey spent the past three seasons as the head coach of Saint Mary’s, was the assistant coach at the University of Texas from 2004-2005, and the University of Colorado in 2003. Lindsey also has experience playing for the United States Women’s National Team and worked with the US Under-21 National team. “She’s a great teacher and she can get her message across to the players in such a way that they want to play hard for her. Having her bring that kind of level and experience to the pro game, and her experience playing and coaching at a high level is a huge addition for us.”

 

The coaching staff, who attended the player combine that was held in December, was on the hunt for players that are both tactically and technically ready to play at the professional level. For Sawyers, it’s not always the most recognizable or best player, but the player that fits the system. “It’s more the personalities and technical abilities that match the way we want to play rather than just by position. Players need to have not only the technical component, but also have the intangible abilities that may not show up on the stat sheet," Sawyers stated.

 

Sawyers revealed the formula for success that he and CyberRays general manager, Marlene Bjornsrud devised –  team chemistry. “The team that came together the fastest in the first year would have the best chance to win. We put a lot of value on team chemistry.” The theory is easier said that done as players will be competing against each other during training camp for a spot on an 18 woman roster. Another caveat is that the national team players will be absent for part of training camp due to the Algarve Cup. These are a few of the obstacles for Sawyers who has to look at the big picture – actually having players to form chemistry.

 

Player contracts are an important step that all the franchises are fervently working on to achieve. WPS Commissioner Tonya Antonucci stated back in December that she would have liked to have finalized contracts with the US national team players association months ago. Sky Blue FC has made some headway after securing agreements with Australian National Team players Sarah Walsh and Collette McCallum on Tuesday. Walsh will be returning to the soccer field after suffering a leg fracture in May during a friendly against Canada. “Sarah’s coming off an injury so she’s going to be chomping at the bit to get out and play,” said Sawyers. Both players participated in the 2007 Women’s World Cup. Walsh played in the 2004 Olympic Games and McCallum was on the 2006 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup and 2004 U-19 Women’s World Cup teams. “McCallum is a great playmaker. I would love to see Walsh and McCallum work together with the team. Hopefully they have a telepathic understanding."

 

Ian Sawyers can’t rest on his laurels. He still has a long road ahead before the starting whistle of the inaugural match on April 5. Sky Blue FC has set high expectations for itself and the finalized agreement with two top international players is just one step. “We want to be one of the top professional teams in the world. Not just in the States. We’ve got to make some important steps to make that a reality.”

 

For more info: Women's Professional Soccer, Sky Blue Soccer,