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U.S. Gold-Medal Team Heads To Tampa

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By BILL WARD | TBO.com

Published: November 4, 2008

TAMPA - They have waited a little more than five years. And with the rebirth of women's pro soccer in this country not scheduled to launch until next spring, players like Heather Mitts and Emily Janss will have to hang on a little bit longer to once again have a full-time league of their own.

In the meantime, Mitts, Janss and every woman hoping to play in Women's Professional Soccer will keep doing what they've done since the Women's United Soccer Association suspended operations on Sept. 15, 2003: dedicate their lives to the sport.

A former University of Florida All-American, Mitts has put her career as a model and a sideline reporter for ESPN on hold. In order to recover from the ACL injury she sustained in May 2007, Mitts, now 30, knew she had to be completely focused on her sport. If she had any hopes of representing the United States in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, there was no alternative. She achieved that goal and, with the Americans' 1-0 overtime victory over Brazil in the title match, owns her second Olympic gold medal.

Mitts and her U.S. teammates come to Tampa's Raymond James Stadium on Saturday to celebrate that feat with an "Achieve Your Gold Tour" match against South Korea. The next goal for Mitts and members of the U.S. squad is to help their sport succeed professionally when Women's Professional Soccer begins play in seven U.S. cities in April 2009. Without women's soccer icons such as Mia Hamm and Brandi Chastain, that's no easy task.

"No one is ever going to be able to compare to Mia Hamm," said Mitts, who will play for the Boston Breakers in WPS. "But this women's national team just won a gold medal and we don't have one amazing player, we have 18. And we're spread throughout the new league."

For Janss and others not on the U.S. team, WPS represents a chance to restart their pro careers. Janss, a 1996 Parade All-American from Bloomingdale High and a three-year player in the WUSA, was selected by the Washington Freedom in the recent WPS draft.

"When I was playing in the WUSA, I had guaranteed myself that I would be part of that league for five years and help see it through," she said.

"My journey isn't over yet. I still want to say, 'I'm a pro soccer player in my country.' And I want other women to be able to say that, too."

Reporter Bill Ward can be reached at (813) 259-7456.

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