Beverly Hills, California – Southern California was a natural destination for the first day of the NWSL press, and not only for the benefits of meeting in a warm place during the winter. The history of women’s football runs through the area, the most notable headquarters of the 1999 Women’s World Cup final, and it is a seedbed of talents such that 10 players present come from the region. However, while the athletes and media members gathered in the always picturesque Beverly Hills, it was difficult to ignore the realities of recent weeks.
Forest fires have devastated southern California since January 7, with nine fires burning at the end of Friday and covering around 50,000 acres in total. Almost 30 people have died and thousands more have been displaced, some of which stayed at the Beverly Hilton while the days had the first day of the NWSL press at the hotel.
“Being here the last days, and this is true for our ecosystem, I don’t think you can walk through the city of Los Angeles and not meet someone who is directly affected or with a degree of separation,” said Jessica Berman Commissioner. .
That includes the captain of Angel City FC, Ali Riley, who lost the house of her childhood in the Palisades fire and a few days before her wedding. The fires forced the US National Team of the USA. Lauderdale, Florida. A similar movement was not discarded for the NWSL.
“We had daily meetings about the issue of whether we had to postpone or relocate this event, which of course had been planned long before the fires,” Berman said. “We made the decision very carefully based on where we understood that the community was and this was literally less than a week ago that we were going to continue with the event.”
The decision of the NWSL to proceed as usual is one of several indicators that the recovery process is already underway in the Los Angeles area. Angel City officially began the preseason training on Tuesday, while the NBA angels and clippers resumed the game on January 14 after fire -related post -related. However, it is not simply a decision to avoid the discomfort of reprogramming: there is force in choosing normal.
“When talking with Ali, she has simply trying to deal with the fact that what she knew no longer exists,” said Alyssa Thompson, Riley’s teammate in Angel City. “I really can’t talk to her, but we are with her and I really don’t know what the dynamics of the team is now, but I bet it is nice to stop thinking about that and simply play football.”
Naturally, the return to normal was not only strengthening for players. Berman and other league officials met with different interested parties and partners during the week, some of whom were affected by forest fires but appreciated the opportunity to work.
“Part of the recovery effort of this city will be to boost tourism and make people return to an appearance of normality and in the meetings we have had during the last two days adjacent to this particular event, that has been validated,”, “, Berman said. “Yesterday I was in a meeting, as an example, with people from Amazon and the people at the meeting had lost their homes and, of course, the initial reaction is: ‘It is not necessary that you are here’, and they are like, ‘ No, I need to be here.
Diana Ordonez del Houston Dash, who was born in Riverside, California, said she was happy that the NWSL was dedicated to fulfilling her plans. The return to normal was the task we had in hand, and one that is very passionate about the league players: increase the scope of the league in a period of rapid growth for women’s sports.
“I think there was a question sign for all of us about whether we were coming here and doing this,” said Ordonez. “I’m glad we could and be sure to be here. I think that sheds light on the situation: the fact that we can be here and do this shows us the privilege that is, the life that we have a place where we can come and do These things and have fun doing them a lot, but I hope we can continue doing this will help us paint NWSL in light. [in]”To give the attention that it deserves and I hope that, in the light of the situation, we can unite with something in common, to have a good time and prepare for the season.”
The League is expected to help projects related to the recovery of the Los Angeles area, with Angel City already leading the way in the NWSL. The city’s women’s football team joined their counterparts from all the sports scene to donate $ 8 million for help efforts on January 18, and will probably continue more in the coming weeks.
Sandra Herrera contributed to this report.