Be Bold For Change

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Just about two weeks ago, the U.S. Women's Hockey Team made headlines and caused a stir on social media. Why? They were going on strike.

Mere days before the International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships, the women's hockey team went on strike until their demands for better treatment were met. Taking a page out of the 2000 U.S. Women's National Soccer Team's handbook, they went on strike. The problem with the 2000 team was that their federation recruited younger players for a replacement team and sent them to a tournament in China, instead of the senior team.

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Learning from their mistakes, the hockey team called just about every semi-professional, female hockey player in the country and asked for their support in the strike. All-in-all, players called more than 500 people, while USA Hockey could only find about six players as replacements.

"Angry hockey moms and van-driving dads" along with 16 U.S. senators, NHL players, Olympic icons and much of social media rallied behind the hashtag #BeBoldForChange (Howard, 2017). In just under two weeks, after 15 months of negotiating, the Women's Hockey Team was getting somewhere and putting pressure on their federation. Their success "was a win for other female athletes in other sports who will negotiate after them" (Howard).

The result? They achieved just about everything they set forth to do; better treatment, better working conditions, and a living wage that will hit about $70,000 per player by year 2 of the 4 year agreement.

Oh, and by the way, they did play in that Championship game. And they won.

Equal Play for Equal Pay (Part II)

I know it has been quite some time since this blog has been up and running, for that I apologize. But, you know, life happened.

Speaking of life, I am in the midst of writing a paper and preparing a presentation for my communications class at university. For these assignments, I chose to focus on the wage gap in sports. This resulted in me getting increasingly angry as I read through my sources, which led to me scrolling through Instagram and trying to calm down.

I had almost lost myself in the void that is social media until I saw it. Glennon Doyle Melton posted a picture of her fiancé, Abby Wambach, with a quote from the speech Wambach gave to the United Nations about the lack of equality in sports. Sufficed to say, this did not make me feel any less angry but it did make me want to start this blog up again.

Here are somethings that I have found while doing research for my communications assignment:

1. The 25 best female soccer player made about $341,000, while the corresponding male player said his salary was around $580,000. By the time you go down the list to the 50 best player, the male counterpart made 10 times as much as his female counterpart.
2. Women's "per diem", the allotted money given to them during international games/tournaments for food, is $60 while the men get $75. Is the USSF thinking women eat less?
3. In 2016, the women brought in $23 million in game revenue, $16 million more than projected
4. When the women won the World Cup in 2015, they were awarded with $2 million. When the men got booted in the round of 16, they got $9 million.
5. And probably the most surprising and mind-boggling fact of this whole debacle, the United States Women's National Soccer Team only gets paid if the win a game. Not if they tie and certainly not when they lose. This was a big issue during the She Believes cup these past few weeks, when the USWNT lost their winning title.

https://www.si.com/planet-futbol/2016/03/31/uswnt-eeoc-wage-discrimination-equal-pay

These are also a few points I used in my presentation, which I gave today on Equal Pay Day. Seems fitting doesn't it?

WE ARE COMING BACK

Please be patient with us, we will try and get posts out when we can. We hope you enjoy and keep up with us.

Record Breaking!

Hope Solo is about to break yet another record in the world of sports!

https://twitter.com/ussoccer_wnt

Today's game against France will mark Solo's 200th cap, the first goalkeeper in international play (male or female) to accomplish this feat. The other most recent record that Solo broke? Last month Solo became the first goalkeeper (again, male or female) with 100 international shutouts. Whether you are cheering on Team USA or not, this is something worth celebrating!

Why Ibtihaj Muhammad Should Have Been Chosen As Team USA's Flag Bearer

About two days ago, Team USA chose Michael Phelps as the flag bearer for the Opening Ceremony. However, there were comments regarding other people who should have been given this honor. Namely, USA fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad, the first muslim woman to compete for Team USA while wearing a hijab.

http://time.com/4433043/team-usa-should-pick-ibtihaj-muhammad-as-flagbearer-in-rio/

Time Magazine wrote an article,  Team USA Should Pick Ibtihaj Muhammad as Flagbearer in Rio, just one day before Team USA announced that Michael Phelps was to be the flag bearer. With help from that article, and our own research, we have decided to share our reasoning as to why Muhammad should have been chosen as the flag bearer.

A flag bearer is supposed to represent what that country stands for, they are supposed to be a role model and to show unity within that team. We are not saying that Michael Phelps does not encompass these three criteria, but in light of reason events Muhammad would have tied those three things together. Especially with all the discrimination against not only Muslims, but other minorities as well, choosing Muhammad as the flag bearer would have shown that Team USA stands united against the hurtful and violent events that are plaguing the minorities of their country.

While most other Olympians are focused on only their field of expertise, Muhammad has expanded her horizons. She is the daughter of a teacher and police officer, she's an entrepreneur (she created the brand "Louella", a fashion line that gives Muslim women more clothing options), she was an All-American at Duke (for fencing, obviously), and she is courageous enough to stand up to the heinous things that have been uttered by Donald Trump. Muslim, or not, Muhammad is a huge role model for women and girls all around the country and globe.

Seeing as Michael Phelps is a 5-time Olympian, the most decorated Olympian of all time (with 22 medals), holds the record for the most Olympic gold metals, among other record breaking statistics, it makes sense why Team USA chose him at the flag bearer. However, with the recent events in this country, and around the world, Muhammad would have been a beacon for all that America stands for: unity, tolerance and freedom.

While you're at it, check out Ibtihaj's interview with Ellen:

The Aftermath of Last Night's Game

Here we are, one game down, with one win under our belt.

www.twitter.com/TeamUSA

Scoring

Now that the results are in, lets talk about scoring and how teams move forward to the metal rounds in the Olympics:

• Group Stages
• Since there are 12 national teams that qualified for the Olympics, there are three groups that consist of four countries.
• Within each group, each country will play every team in their group once.
• A win equals three points, a draw equals one point and a loss is equivalent to zero points.
• The top two teams from each group and the top two 3rd place teams all qualify for the quarterfinals.
• Knockout Stage
• The knockout stage will be played from August 13 until the 20th.
• This stage is pretty self-explanatory, each team that wins will advance and each team that loses is out for the remainder of the competition.
• If a game is tied by the end of 90 minutes, extra time will be played and (if necessary) will be followed by penalty shoot-outs.

The next USWNT game is Saturday August 6th at 4pm on NBCSN.

~ The Sisters


What's with the booing for Hope Solo?

Last night, if you watched the game, you were privy to the boos that graced Hope Solo every time she was near the ball. Why, you may ask, was the stadium booing Hope Solo?

If we keep it local to the Olympics and where the Olympics are being held this year we may find the answer. Days before the USWNT left for Brazil, Hope Solo posted on Instagram pictures of her with (and wearing) multiple different insect repellents.

www.instagram.com/HopeSolo

www.instagram.com/HopeSolo

Now some people may think it's a stupid thing to boo Hope Solo because of these pictures, but this seems like the only feasible reason for that behavior. They could also be booing her about her past troubles or because they are jealous of her standing as the best goalkeeper in the world and want to see the #1 team in the world fail.

When NBC asked Solo about the booing, she responded with "the Brazilians, they love soccer, they love football, it's part of the culture. So, I expect it, but at least they're having fun". I can respect her professionalism on and off the field, I think that is what truly makes her the best goalkeeper of all time.

I am a very big fan of Hope Solo as a goalkeeper and a leader on the pitch, however I am indifferent towards her as a person. I will cheer for her skills but I will not take sides on her personal life. I will especially cheer on Saturday when Solo plays her 200th cap for the U.S. Women's National Team, a feat only accomplished by a select few. These are my opinions on the hate being showed towards her, but know that I do not side with the "haters" or the "lovers" I just analyze and try to find answers. We may not know the exact reasoning for the booing but I can say that it is going to get old, especially when people want to concentrate on the game and not what happens behind her closed doors.

~ Yasmin 

TODAY IS THE DAY (USA vs. NZL)

www.twitter.com/ussoccer_wnt

Well my friends, today is the day.

The USWNT's and one of the first games to be played for the 2016 Rio Olympics is happening tonight at 6pm. The USWNT plays New Zealand in Belo Horizonte in the first game for their group stage. The U.S. is in Group G and will face France, Columbia and (obviously) New Zealand. For soccer, the athletes will not be staying at the Olympic Village. Instead, their matches will be placed around Brazil; the USWNT will play against New Zealand and France in Belo Horizonte, they will face Columbia in Manaus.

Here is the schedule for, and where you can watch, the first three games that the USWNT will participate in:

www.twitter.com/ussoccer_wnt

For the past few days, this game has garnered social media attention. It is trending on Facebook

and snapchat even created a geotag for the "She Believes" campaign (an initiative which spreads the message that girls can accomplish their hopes and dreams),

which we think is a major accomplishment. 

Seeing as the U.S. Men's Soccer Team did not qualify for the Olympics, it is our hope that people will watch the one soccer team that is representing their country. Just like the aftermath of the 2015 World Cup, we hope that people will start to pay more attention to women's soccer (especially since soccer is not as popular as it is in other countries).

Our predictions for tonights game:

• 4-3-1-2 formation
• Goal: Hope Solo (obviously)
• Department of Defenders: Becky Sauerbrunn, Julie Johnston, Meghan Klingenberg, and Kelley O'Hara 
• Midfield: Tobin Heath, Morgan Brian, Megan Rapinoe
• Attacking midfield: Carli Lloyd (I mean, come on! Did you see her in the World Cup?!)
• Strikers: Alex Morgan, Crystal Dunn

The actual line-up (just released):

www.twitter.com/ussoccer_wnt

Now, without further ado, get ready for the game and cheer on the ladies for our country!