Four Professional Soccer Teams in Maryland and Washington, D.C.

While soccer in America has not yet risen to the prominence it receives internationally, I am fortunate to live within an hour of four professional soccer teams in Washington, D.C. and nearby Maryland. Besides Major League Soccer's most decorated team, D.C. United, the Washington Freedom play near Germantown, Maryland in the new Women's Professional Soccer League, and Real Maryland (Rockville, Maryland) and Crystal Palace Baltimore (Catonsville, Maryland) play in the third-tier United Soccer League Second Division (USL-2). In fact, within one week in May 2009 I was able to see all four local teams play as the Washington Freedom and DC United played back-to-back games in a RFK Stadium doubleheader, and Real Maryland visited Crystal Palace in a derby between the two Maryland USL-2 teams. A summary of the four local professional teams and the experience that fans can expect when attending these games follows.

D.C. United (Major League Soccer, RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C.)

Entering its fourteenth season in the highest level of men's professional soccer in the United States, D.C. United remains the most decorated team in Major League Soccer (MLS) with four top finishes in the league (known as the Supporter's Shield), four wins in the MLS championship game, two wins in the U.S. Open Cup, and one win in the international championship among professional club teams from North American, Central America, and the Carribean. While DC United did not make the MLS playoffs in 2008, they enter 2009 as the defending champions for the US Open Cup, a unique 40-team single-elimination tournament among all levels of U.S. professional and amateur men's soccer modeled after England's FA Cup and somewhat similar in format to the "March Madness" of the NCAA basketball championships.

The 2009 DC United features 2006 MLS MVP Christian Gomez and 2007 MVP Luciano Emilio, all-time MLS scoring leader Jaime Moreno, Brazilian midfielder Fred, and rookies Chris Pontius and Rodney Wallace. RFK Stadium is at the end of its days having lost Washington's football and baseball teams to newer stadiums, but DC United continues to call RFK home while seeking a new soccer-specific stadium. Despite the aged amenities and oversized bowl for DC United's typical 15,000 to 20,000 attendees, local supporters' clubs Barra Brava and Screaming Eagles add character to RFK with their celebrations, songs, drums, and bouncing stands. Fans can choose to buy seats on the rowdy side with these supporters' clubs-and expect to stand for the full 90 minutes of the game-or sit on the relatively quiet opposite side of the stadium.

Washington Freedom (Women's Professional Soccer, Maryland Soccerplex, Germantown, Maryland)

In the premier season of Women's Professional Soccer, the Washington Freedom continue a tradition of high-quality women's soccer as the last champions of the former women's professional league that folded in 2003 and the 2007 champions of the intermediary amateur W-league. With a core of players continuing from the Freedom's W-league teams, the Freedom are joined by US and international stars, including U.S. Women's National Team stars Abby Wambach and Cat Whitehill, French sensation Sonia Bompastor, and Japanese National Team captain Homare Sawa. The caliber of play is suberb with the women showing tremendous athleticism as well as working hard to impress and entertain fans to promote the new league. Many of the stars of the Freedom and the league will compete in the 2011 Women's World Cup.

The Maryland Soccerplex championship stadium has been improved to add additional seats, a beer garden, fencing and décor to create a very intimate, fan-friendly stadium to watch top-caliber players up close. The stadium draws about 5,000 fans for games at the Soccerplex, with many families with soccer-playing sons and daughters in attendance. The Freedom get the opportunity to play before additional crowds at three doubleheaders in 2009 with DC United at RFK stadium.

Real Maryland (USL-2, Richard Montgomery High School Stadium, Rockville, Maryland)

USL-2 is the lowest level of professional soccer in the US, a third-tier following Major League Soccer and USL-1. Nonetheless, the games are hard fought affairs with talented young players and established veterans. Real (pronounced "ree-al") Maryland draws their name from the Spanish word for "royal" that is traditional for Spanish teams such as Real Madrid and appropriated also by the Major League Soccer Real Salt Lake. Continuing the royal theme with their nickname "Monarchs," Real Maryland enters their second season in 2009 with a whole new team, manager, and stadium following a disappointing 2008 debut in USL-2 play. Real Maryland has moved to the new turf field at Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville, Maryland. Former DC United players Ryan Cordeiro and brothers Jeff and Pat Carroll (whose sibling Brian Carroll plays for defending MLS-champion Columbus Crew) play for Real Maryland this year, and Jamaican Gary Brooks is among the league's top goal scorers. USL-2 teams often draw 1,000 to 2,000 fans to their games, making for an enjoyable experience to see professional soccer in a small setting.

Crystal Palace Baltimore (USL-2, UMBC Stadium, Catonsville, Maryland)

In their third season, Crystal Palace Baltimore is a USL-2 team affiliated with London, England's Crystal Palace team. The affiliation provides not only a common name connecting the US team with a historic English team, but provides training and other unique opportunities for the Baltimore side. In fact, the London team will come to Maryland in July 2009 to play a match against its Baltimore namesake-an exciting opportunity for the young and experienced Crystal Palace Baltimore players and their fans. Crystal Palace Baltimore plays home games at UMBC Stadium's turf field. While the local Crystal Palace supporters cannot compete with the British team's nor DC United's Barra Brava and Screaming Eagles, a small contingent of vocal supporters attend home games with drums, songs, and enthusiasm.

Both Maryland USL-2 teams will also compete in the US Open Cup beginning in June 2008. This tournament pairs 40 US-based soccer teams of all levels-professionals from Major League Soccer, USL-1 and USL-2, as well as amateur teams-in a single elimination tournament until a single team remains standing as the champion. If Real Maryland and Crystal Palace win their initial round of games, they could face each other in the second round. Major League Soccer teams enter the third round, and some USL teams have upset their major league counterparts. DC United won the tournament against a USL-1 team in 2008, and despite their low league standings in 2008 DC United successfully won two play-in games to compete in the round of 16 again in 2009.

Most weekends from late spring through early winter, Washington DC and Maryland soccer fans have at least one and often several professional soccer games to choose from in the area. With a strong base of youth soccer players, the area is one of the most prominent US soccer areas, and fans should take full advantage of supporting the sport and regional, national, and internationals athletes who play in the area.