02 Jan Soccer Moms Survive Rain, Look Forward to Higher Division League
After six weeks of play, many of the athletes from the Guam Football Association Soccer Moms League are looking forward to moving up and playing in the new Women’s 7-A-Side Intermediate League, set to begin Sunday at the GFA National Training Center.
“After playing in the Moms League, I decided to also join the new intermediate league to get more experience and more matches in – I also really enjoy playing with my team,” said Dolores Cruz, a Yona resident who plays for Femme Fatale, a team made up primarily of mothers from the Guam Shipyard Wolverines club. “Before the Moms league, I played for one year in high school, but that was so many years ago. With this new opportunity to play, I’ve really enjoyed it. It’s a good workout for me and it’s also good to get out there with the kids during practice.”
Cruz, and close to 200 other women in 10 teams braved the soggy Sunday weather conditions for their final, Week 6 matches of the Soccer Moms League.
“Some of the moms were asking if we were still going to play our match even in the rain,” said Christine Quinata, who plays for Pika Moms. “I think playing the sport in the rain makes the game interesting. We had to make a lot of adjustments – one of my teammates was talking about the weight of the ball feeling different because of the rain, the ball wouldn’t go as far as it usually would before, or the ball slips off your shoe and unintentionally goes sideways. It was also blurry at times with the heavy rain, but it was a lot of fun.
“We’ll definitely come back to play next season, and with all the media exposure we’ve received all season, it has sparked an interest in friends and family wanting to play for a team in the league as well,” added Quinata, who has two children who played in the Triple J Auto Group Robbie Webber Youth Soccer League – Ethan in U6 and Meghan in U10 – for the Tumon Typhoons Soccer Club.
For more information about the upcoming Women’s 7-A-Side Intermediate League, or for other women’s football initiatives, contact GFA Women’s Administrator Grace Martinez by E-mail at [email protected] or the GFA Main Office at 637-4321.
Pika Moms’ Christine Quinata attempts to break away to the goal against the Lady Bombers during a Week 6 match of the Guam Football Association Soccer Moms League at the GFA National Training Center.
The Crush Hers Clara Mortera, left, and Jennie Pham work together to try to clear the ball away from the Supersonics during a Week 6 match of the Guam Football Association Soccer Moms League at the GFA National Training Center.
Pika Moms’ Jenn Flory controls the ball in the midfield en route to the goal against the Lady Bombers during a Week 6 match of the Guam Football Association Soccer Moms League at the GFA National Training Center.
The Queen Cobras’ Angelica Dydasco takes the ball to the goal with defensive pressure from the Island Girls’ Amber San Gil during a Week 6 match of the Guam Football Association Soccer Moms League at the GFA National Training Center.
The Dededo Divas and the Heat Wave play during a Week 6 match of the Guam Football Association Soccer Moms League at the GFA National Training Center.
Femme Fatale’s Dolores Cruz runs on defense to catch up with Momster High’s Joyce Sigrah during a Week 6 match of the Guam Football Association Soccer Moms League at the GFA National Training Center.