Following Washington Freedom Players on Twitter and Blogs During Women's Professional Soccer's Off-Season

While the first season of Women's Professional Soccer in 2009 is complete and players from the teams have dispersed to their offseason activities before resuming in 2010, fans can follow many of their favorite players online via Twitter and blogs. As a season ticket holder to the Washington Freedom, I have particularly enjoyed following the soccer and other activities of some of the Washington Freedom players, particularly those who are having international soccer experience.

Washington Freedom players with active blogs

Rebecca Moros and Joanne Lohman are tracking their adventures training in Tokyo with Washington Freedom teammate Homare Sawa on the Japanese soccer team NTV Beliza with their blog Tokyo or Bust! Moros and Lohman share the blogging duties with regular updates, and have created an insightful blog exploring their cultural and soccer experiences. Both are greatly impressed with the hard work and quality of play of the Japanese women soccer players. They were impressed that their Japanese teammates arrive well before scheduled practice to warm up and stay well beyond practice to work on individual skills. Moros and Lohman have also faced culture shock, braving the Tokyo public transit system, Japanese food and nightlife, and even Sumo wrestling. They are also struck by Japanese soccer legend Homare Sawa's fame, noting her autographed pictures in local pubs and local residents awe struck when they mention her name. (See http://jobeccatokyo.blogspot.com/)

Cat Whitehill's aptly named blog CATalog does not highlight her offseason soccer training with the U.S. Women's National Team but shows her love for college football. She makes predictions for each week's games, trash talks about her favorite (UNC, of course) and least favorite teams, and generally enjoys being a sports pundit. Having been a soccer commentator on TV when she was recovering from injury, she also reveals her interest in being a football TV commentator someday. Cat is also a veteran Twitter user (Twitter ID CatWhitehill4), though her recent tweets are used to highlight her blog updates. (See http://catwhitehill.blogspot.com/)

Washington Freedom players who actively use Twitter

Alex Singer (Twitter id asinger_dc) has increasingly used Twitter, revealing her excitement to be going to Australia to play with teammate Lisa De Vanna's team in Perth. While she previously had somewhat cryptic two or three word tweets, often cheering her favorite football or baseball teams, she has been more extensive in discussing her trip to Australia, the team's first win, and her excitement and exhaustion after playing.

Kati Jo Spisak (Twitter id kjspisak) was the Washington Freedom player designated to use Twitter as a promotional stunt by Women's Professional Soccer during the league's first game in 2009, but has continued to make use of Twitter. She displays her sharp humor as well as sometimes groan-worthy jokes such as "What did one casket say to the other? Is that you coffin." While her tweets have been less common recently, she is the master of one-liners that work well on the Twitter forum.

While not a player, the Washington Freedom's General Manager Mark Washo (Twitter id Mwasho_dcgm) has increasingly used Twitter to note his business life, highlighting meetings with sponsors or players, and occasionally gives hints about forthcoming Freedom news such as free agent signings. He also shares some Twitter pictures, such as when the team resigned 2009 star Sonia Bompastor for 2010, and gives personal updates such as when he watched the U.S. Men's National Team World Cup qualifier in a local bar filled with supporters of the Honduran team.

Washington Freedom players who occasionally use Twitter

Ali Kreiger (Twitter id AlexBKrieger) unfortunately has not updated her experiences returning to Frankfurt, Germany to play soccer, perhaps because she is recovering from an injured foot. Sarah Huffman (Twitter id shuffman_dc) occasionally tweets about her short trip to Germany to play soccer on Kreiger's team and her subsequent return to the US. While Abby Wambach (Twitter id awambach_dc) noted in her initial tweets that she would not likely be a regular user, she has given occasional updates on her move to Los Angeles, getting a new puppy, and preparing for training with the U.S. Women's National Team.