Long live the Boston Breakers

This week, the NWSL made it official: Boston Breakers will cease operations. They leave  wonderful legacy.

When you grow up in Boston, many things become normal: Getting an iced coffee from Dunks with extra cream, extra sugar throughout every season/climate shift, understanding that Tom Brady is in fact God, and priding yourself on the fact we have really good sports teams (most of the time.)

When I was a little girl sure I went gaga for the Celtics, especially during the Big Three era of Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, and of course a day hardly went by without slugging back a cream with some coffee, but there was something more that made me love home, and love Boston.

The Boston Breakers. I used to go to Breakers games with my dad and friends. They played at Harvard Stadium at the time, the field circled with incredibly steep stands that psychos ran up and down, risking their lives for a good calf burn every day.

The Breakers were in the WPS then (2007-2011, before the league ceased operations in 2012), and players like Arsenal legends Kelly Smith and Alex Scott were on the team. I specifically remember one game, when Marta, five-time FIFA Women’s Player of the Year was in the WPS playing for the Western New York Flash against the Breakers. My childhood was centered around going to Breakers games, training with the development teams, idolizing the impact Kristine Lily had on the organization and admiring the coaching of the late, great Tony DiCicco.

Next: Why you should care about the NWSL College Draft

Earlier this week, the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) announced the Breakers ceased operations for the 2018 season. The news came on Sunday, and NWSL Managing Director Amanda Duffy said the league will move forward with the nine teams playing a 24-game schedule.

“We do not doubt the fan support or interest in women’s soccer in Boston or New England, and the measure taken by the Breakers organization does not reflect the passion we have seen from our fans,” Duffy said in the press release.

As for the players, a dispersal draft took place on Tuesday, Jan. 30, which assured the option of a team for each player in the Breakers organization. 2017 NWSL College Draft No. 1 overall pick Rose Lavelle was scooped up by the Washington Spirit for the first pick, followed by Sky Blue FC who selected 2018 NWSL College Draft No. 2 overall pick Savannah McCaskill. At No. 3 Seattle Reign FC selected Meagan Oyster, with Midge Purce going No. 4 to Portland Thorns FC and goalkeeper Abby Smith joining the new franchise Utah Royals FC as the fifth overall selection.

This week has been incredibly emotional for everyone involved. The Breakers were the only team left that existed through the league’s 11 seasons (from WUSA, to the WPS to the NWSL.) The history in the blue and white jerseys was special beyond words, and with the organization folding of course questions about the health of the league followed. Was this abrupt ending to the grandmother of the league’s teams a sign of other sides folding?

Duffy reassured the media and everyone following the announcement that the league was fine but only brushed the surface when explaining why the Breakers folded. According to The Bent Musket, Duffy said “The league is evaluating our governance structure. And we’ll be taking steps to ensure we’re not in any position again that could potentially put the league in a worse position.”

Duffy also told The Bent Musket’s Stephanie Y that despite the folding, “Everything is very positive.”  I’m not sure how that can be given the abruptness of it all, but as a longtime Breakers fan and Boston gal, I can only hope another team finds a way to the area.

So many questions remain unanswered. Why did Boston go through the draft if they were about to cease operations? Who, if any MLS teams, were interested? And not to play the bitter Breakers fan, but why us? It’s an end to an era, but given how popular soccer is in the Boston area and the success of several youth and developmental teams, it would make sense to explore adding another team in the near future. The Breakers may have not had the same bragging rights as the Pats, nor the same fanbase as the Bruins, but the history there, the games under the lights at Harvard Stadium, watching the greats like Angela Hucles and Lily play there … I’ll treasure that forever.