By Rory Carroll
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Los Angeles’ Angel City FC is getting ready to spread its wings and team members on Friday said they felt blessed to be part of its inaugural season in the National Women’s Soccer League.
Angel City enters with all the buzz of a Hollywood blockbuster after being founded last year by actress Natalie Portman, tennis great Serena Williams, Olympic ski champion Lindsey Vonn and more than a dozen former U.S. women’s national team players.
In their first media availability with reporters, team members said they relished the opportunity to be the first to wear the squad’s jersey.
“I feel incredibly blessed to be here,” head coach Freya Coombe said in a video call from the team’s training camp at Pepperdine University, which opened this week.
“I have told the players on more than one occasion, welcome to paradise as we kick off training every morning because we have amazing views of the Pacific Ocean from our current training space.
“I feel like the luckiest person alive right now to have such a fantastic group of women who are so hungry to play.”
Among those eager to take the pitch is Los Angeles native Ali Riley, who officially signed with the team on Friday.
“This is a dream I didn’t know I could have come true,” she said of her homecoming.
“I get goosebumps. This first week has been overwhelming in a good way because I’m so proud and happy to be here with my family, represent this city and do good work in the community.”
Riley, who captains the New Zealand women’s national team, said she has not even lived in Los Angeles since the team’s downtown L.A. home, Banc of California Stadium, opened in 2018.
Goalie DiDi Haracic was equally enthusiastic.
“Overall I’m stoked, I’m ready to get going, I’m ready to tuck and roll,” she said. “There’s not much else to be said except let’s get after it.”
The NWSL’s 10th season begins with the Challenge Cup on March 19.
(Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Editing by Leslie Adler)
