Christie Welsh won't have to go far to play her home games in the Women's United Soccer Association(WUSA).
The 2001 Hermann Trophy winner was selected by the New York Power as the second overall pick in the 2003 WUSA draft yesterday.
Welsh is a native of Massapequa Park, N.Y., and lives just 10 miles away from Mitchel Field where she will play her home matches. By living so close to the Power's home field it should make the transition from college to the professional ranks go much smoother. Other than Welsh, there are two people very happy that the Power drafted Welsh. Her parents, Nancy and Donald, will now be able to see her home games and their daughter more often.
"We are thrilled that she is going to be on the Power and happy that she is going to be home," Nancy Welsh said.
|
She will join Tiffeny Milbrett on the Power's front line. Milbrett is the WUSA's all-time leader in points and goals. Milbrett and Welsh could give the Power a dominant front line with two pure goal scorers.
"It will be awesome, she is an amazing player," Welsh said. "I will learn so much from playing alongside her. I think it's great for my development and great for the team."
The Power positioned themselves to get Welsh in October when they swapped first-round picks in a trade with the San Diego Spirit. The trade was part of a five-player deal. It was rumored since October that the Power was targeting Welsh.
Not long ago professional soccer in the United States wasn't an option for women playing in high school or college, but now with the WUSA in its third season, college players can have a soccer career after college. Welsh knows she is very fortunate to have the opportunity.
"I just always wanted to play, stopping now would seem kind of weird," Welsh said.
Welsh leaves Penn State as the only woman in women's soccer history to be named All-American four times. She also holds nearly every Penn State offensive record for a career or season.
Even though Welsh is leaving the Lions, she won't leave the Lions' program in shambles. The program reached its first national title game last season and outside of Welsh and defender Gillian Samuel, the Lions bring back the rest of the team. Penn State women's soccer coach Paula Wilkins credits Welsh for attracting top-caliber players like Joanna Lohman and Heidi Drummond to Penn State.
"She helped [Penn State women's soccer] get to the next level," Wilkins said. "She put Penn State on the map."
The WUSA season begins on April 5 and because of this Welsh is not taking classes at Penn State this semester, but will get her human development and family studies degree next Fall semester. She is training in State College and will use the semester off to prepare for her professional debut.
Welsh and Wilkins both agree that her game should be fit for the next level. Welsh said she believes the national camps that she has frequented have helped her tremendously in preparations for professional soccer.
The 5-foot-10 forward will be coached by Tom Sermanni. Sermanni replaces former Penn State women's soccer coach Pat Farmer, who was let go by the Power in the middle of the 2002 season.
