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WPS Sky Blue FC

Sky Blue FC Reaches Agreement with Australians Walsh, McCallum

January 6, 2009 - Women's Professional Soccer (WPS)
Sky Blue FC News Release


SOMERSET, NJ (Jan. 6, 2009) - Sky Blue FC - the NJ/NY entry into Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) - announced today that the club has secured agreements in principle with Australians Sarah Walsh and Collette McCallum for the 2009 season.

Both Walsh and McCallum are expected to be in uniform when Sky Blue FC kicks off its first season in WPS. The team will host the Los Angeles Sol on April 5, 2009 at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, NJ in its debut match. (888-SBFC-TIX - TICKETS)

The Australia Women's National Team members are the first two internationals to come to terms with Sky Blue FC for the WPS inaugural season. Sky Blue FC obtained the negotiating rights to Walsh in the WPS International Draft in on September 24, 2008. The Aussie forward was the club's first-round selection and the seventh-overall pick. A central midfielder, McCallum was picked up by Sky Blue FC as a post-draft discovery player two days later.

"The most important thing is that we have reached an agreement in principle on the main terms of the contract with Sarah Walsh and Collette McCallum," said Sky Blue FC General Manager and Head Coach Ian Sawyers. "It means that they are very excited to get here."

Sawyers is hoping that the familiarity between Walsh and McCallum will give Sky Blue FC the basis of a formidable attack. Walsh is a speedy striker with strong scoring ability, while McCallum is a capable creator in the midfield with the knack for setting up scoring opportunities. The two were catalysts for Australia's strong showing at the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup in China, where the team progressed out of the group stage and into the quarterfinal round.

"Obviously, having someone of Sarah Walsh's caliber - one of the quickest and most dangerous strikers in the world - is a huge plus," Sawyers added. "And to have the skilled play-making of Collette McCallum behind Sarah is a huge asset. The fact that Collette has the experience of knowing Sarah's game so well, having played with her on the Australian National Team, means we are provided with both talent and stability."

In joining Sky Blue FC for the inaugural WPS season, Walsh and McCallum will have the unique opportunity to participate in the kickoff of two women's soccer leagues in less than a year's span. The duo currently plays in Australia's Westfield W-League, which started its first season in October and will wrap up with the Grand Final on January 17th. Walsh missed most of the season with Sydney FC due to injury but is back for the upcoming playoffs, while McCallum played with the Perth Glory.

"I'm very excited to be playing in WPS in '09, WPS will be one of the most competitive leagues in the world, if not the most competitive league," Walsh said. "I had a pretty rough year in 2008 - I spent seven months rehabbing from a fractured tibia and that has made me hungrier than ever to play again. I'm hoping to develop further as a footballer by playing in a high-intensity environment week in, week out."

After suffering the fractured tibia in a friendly match against Canada on May 23rd, Walsh made her first appearance with Sydney FC on December 27th when she came off the bench late. Walsh - who turns 26 this coming Sunday - has been a mainstay in recent years for the 'Matildas' appearing in the 2004 Olympics and the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup. She made her debut with Australia in 2004 and has 26 goals in 55 appearances.

"My strengths are my pace and ability to put myself in goalscoring opportunities," Walsh said. "After spending years together with Collette in the Australia National Team, we bring an understanding of each other's game and in the past that has produced many goals."

Born in Glasgow, Scotland, McCallum has six goals in 47 appearances in her four years on the Australia National Team. The 22-year old will be joining her second team in the United States after playing with the Pali Blues in the USL W-League this past summer. Known as a set piece specialist and a dangerous distributor, McCallum posted five goals and two assists in eight regular season games before helping the Blues to the USL W-League championship. She appeared in all 10 games with the Perth Glory in the Westfield W-League notching two goals.

"I came to America last year and it was a great experience to see the lifestyle and the standard of football here," McCallum said. "I'm looking forward to be playing with, and against, the best players in the world. I've heard great things about Sky Blue FC and Ian Sawyers. It's going to be a big change of lifestyle for me and I hope I adapt to it well."

Season tickets and tickets to Sky Blue FC's Opening Day are available now. For more information about Sky Blue FC tickets, call 888-SBFC-TIX or e-mail tickets@skybluesoccer.com. Visit Sky Blue FC on the internet at www.SkyBlueFC.com.



Women's Professional Soccer Stories from January 6, 2009


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