Rooted in Seattle: How the Emerald City Played a Pivotal Role in Developing the Women’s Game
In Seattle Reign FC’s first annual Queen’s Match on Monday, August 18 against Chicago Stars FC, the club will honor the 1985 United States Women’s National Team at Lumen Field.
Four decades ago, this group of ambitious athletes from across the country came together as the first-ever USWNT, competing in the Mundialito tournament in Jesolo, Italy. While they didn’t know it at the time, they set into motion a 40-year period of the U.S. women dominating the global game.
Without the 85ers, the most iconic moments in U.S. Soccer history – winning the first-ever FIFA Women’s World Cups and five Olympic gold medals – wouldn’t have been possible.
While this story took place on a national and international stage, its origins can be traced directly back to our region. Eight of the 17 players on the roster, as well as Head Coach Mike Ryan, hailed from the Seattle area.
USWNT legend Michelle Akers, who scored 107 goals in 155 caps, was one of the many members of the 85ers that calls this region home. The Shorecrest High School alum scored the first goal in the history of the U.S. Women’s program at the Mundialito tournament before going on to win two FIFA World Cup titles and a gold medal in the 1996 Olympics.
“The whole culture [of the Seattle soccer community] and the love for the game itself, that is like the foundation of everything and I believe why I was so good. Once I left there and went to college and started playing for the USA – my development [in Seattle] was like no other in the world,” shared Akers.
Six of the 17 athletes on the 1985 team played college soccer in the region, helping establish the state of Washington as a soccer hotbed.
Cindy Gordon and Kathy Ridgewell-Williams played for Western Washington University, while the trio of Lori Sweeney, Denise Boyer-Merich came through the University of Puget Sound program. Denise Bender played for both the University of Washington and Washington State University, while Sharon McMurtry went on to play college basketball at Seattle University.
“When I went to college, I went to Western and it was the only four-year public university in Washington state that had women's soccer. We were kind of fortuitous and had the help of a lot people in the area. I think that helped push the soccer,” said Cindy Gordon.
For decades, our state has been at the forefront of the women’s game. Future USWNT and NWSL players like Hope Solo, Justi Baumgardt, Sally Menti and Morgan Weaver followed in the footsteps of the 85ers.
For members of that pivotal 1985 team that came up through the Seattle soccer scene, the Queen’s Match is a full circle moment in their story.
“Being part of the beginning in the Seattle area, being developed in the Seattle area, feeling grateful for the people who invested in my career and life, and then having such appreciation for evolution of the game,” said Akers. “Knowing that Seattle was this foundation of greatness, it's pretty special to come back and get to stand on the field and be celebrated. To have that part of history celebrated is special, because the ‘85 team hasn't been recognized and hasn't been talked about. The stories haven't been told. It's had very little acknowledgment and so to have that in Seattle for the first time is pretty special.”
Until now, the 85ers’ story has largely been lost to history. But through their pioneering spirit and endeavor, they helped build a legacy of excellence for the U.S. Women’s National Team.
And on Monday night, they’re coming home.
“It's very emotional,” said Akers. “I think because of the last 40 years of hard work, they’re still going. We were the first U.S. Women’s National Team. We kicked ass. We deserve to be recognized, and we deserve to be included in the U.S. Women’s National Team legacy. Not only that, but we are part of Seattle’s legacy as well.”
Welcome the 85ers home and see Reign FC take on Chicago Stars FC Monday night at 7:00 p.m. - Get tickets HERE.