Commonwealth of Baker Park Sports News

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

The story of the season in the NSWL was the ascendancy of Brentford Ladies to the top of the standings, fighting off rivals Castleford Ladies to the title, as well as Far Hills Ladies in the running for most of the campaign. At the other end of the table, it was a difficult pill to swallow for Llewellyn Turnpike as they couldn't avoid relegation, along with Jamestown City--preseason favorites to take their second title in 4 years--who couldn't find enough offense to escape the drop.

Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
 1 Brentford Ladies FC             30   16   7   7    59   51   +8    55
 2 Castleford Ladies FC            30   17   3  10    26   20   +6    54
 3 Far Hills Ladies FC             30   12  10   8    52   43   +9    46
 4 Haskins Blues Ladies AFC        30   13   6  11    60   48  +12    45
 5 Ridge Raiders Ladies FC         30   12   9   9    48   47   +1    45
 6 Great Northern FC Ladies        30   11   9  10    56   49   +7    42
 7 Sherwood Forest Ladies FC       30   11   8  11    55   50   +5    41
 8 Greenlea United Ladies SC       30   11   7  12    46   53   −7    40
 9 Middletown City FC Women        30   10   8  12    43   46   −3    38
10 Raven FC Ladies                 30   11   5  14    36   43   −7    38
11 Newmarket Ladies SC             30    9  10  11    47   50   −3    37
12 Broadview AFC Ladies            30   10   7  13    39   45   −6    37
13 Shiloh FC Ladies                30    9  10  11    38   44   −6    37
14 Leiderkranz Ladies SC           30    7  14   9    52   54   −2    35
15 Jamestown City Ladies FC        30    8  10  12    31   35   −4    34
16 Llewellyn Turnpike Ladies FC    30   10   3  17    28   38  −10    33

In the Second Division, Forest Park Ladies bounced straight back into the 1st Division after being relegated a season ago, while their partners in relegation, Clayton City Ladies just missed out on making it clean sweep, and had the added ignominy of seeing their arch-rivals from Westwood pip them to the other promotion spot.

Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
 1 Forest Park FC Ladies           30   14   9   7    41   30  +11    51
 2 Westwood Sprites Ladies FC      30   13  10   7    52   41  +11    49
 3 Meadowdale Ladies FC            30   14   6  10    64   51  +13    48
 4 Clayton City Ladies FC          30   14   6  10    58   56   +2    48
 5 Southend AC Ladies              30   13   8   9    44   38   +6    47
 6 Ellesmere Woods Ladies FC       30   12  10   8    52   53   −1    46
 7 Shirley Metros Ladies FC        30   12   9   9    48   40   +8    45
 8 Lady Crusaders FC               30   11   7  12    44   48   −4    40
 9 Lima United FC Women            30   11   6  13    54   59   −5    39
10 Hamiliton Wanderers Ladies SC   30   10   9  11    40   40    0    39
11 St Stephens Ladies SC           30   10   7  13    51   54   −3    37
12 Caledonia Ladies FC             30    8  12  10    51   53   −2    36
13 E Endborough Ladies FC          30    7  14   9    34   39   −5    35
14 Riverside City Ladies FC        30    9   7  14    34   39   −5    34
15 Linden Ladies FC                30    8   8  14    58   69  −11    32
16 Lynchana Women's FC             30    5  10  15    48   63  −15    25

In the FAC Women's Cup, it was the surprise run of Liberty Township Ladies-who came through the First Round on the way to becoming the first associate member (semi-professional) club to play for the Women's Cup since 1980 (Caledonia County Ladies)--that sparked a huge interest in the final, as well as 2nd Division Lima United Women forcing a replay in every round and penalties in the semi-final before falling to the eventual winners.

Second Round

Great Northern FC Ladies 2–1 Brentford Ladies FC
Paintersville Ladies 1–3 Raven FC Ladies
New Richmond Ladies 0–0 Lima United FC Women
Greenlea United Ladies SC 3–1 Shirley Metros Ladies FC
Broadview AFC Ladies 2–0 Far Hills Ladies FC
Caledonia Ladies FC 0–2 Sherwood Forest Ladies FC
Leiderkranz Ladies SC 3–2 Ridge Raiders Ladies FC
E Endborough Ladies FC 1–0 Pembroke Ladies FC
Haskins Blues Ladies AFC 2–3 Hamiliton Wanderers Ladies SC
Middletown City FC Women 4–1 Llewellyn Turnpike Ladies FC
Meadowdale Ladies FC 2–0 Forest Park FC Ladies
Jamestown City Ladies FC 0–0 Castleford Ladies FC
Westwood Sprites Ladies FC 4–2 Clayton City Ladies FC
Shiloh FC Ladies 0–2 Liberty Twp Ladies
Newmarket Ladies SC 5–3 Ridgedale Ladies
Georgetown AC 0–2 Jacksonville Ladies FC

Replays
Lima United FC Women 2-0 New Richmond Ladies
Castleford Ladies FC 3-2 Jamestown City Ladies FC

Third Round

Meadowdale Ladies FC 3–3 Broadview AFC Ladies
Greenlea United Ladies SC 2–0 Middletown City FC Women
Liberty Twp Ladies 2–0 Hamiliton Wanderers Ladies SC
Great Northern FC Ladies 5–6 Newmarket Ladies SC
Leiderkranz Ladies SC 3–2 Westwood Sprites Ladies FC
Raven FC Ladies 2–1 E Endborough Ladies FC
Sherwood Forest Ladies FC 0–0 Lima United FC Women
Castleford Ladies FC 1–2 Jacksonville Ladies FC

Replays
Broadview AFC Ladies 2-2 Meadowdale Ladies FC (3-2 AET)
Lima United FC Women 2-2 Sherwood Forest Ladies FC (4-2 AET)

Quarterfinals
Liberty Twp Ladies 2–1 Leiderkranz Ladies SC
Jacksonville Ladies FC 3–3 Greenlea United Ladies SC (3–3 AET) (2–4 pen.)
Lima United FC Women 3–1 Newmarket Ladies SC
Broadview AFC Ladies 0–1 Raven FC Ladies

Semi Finals
Greenlea United Ladies SC 2-2 Lima United FC Women (2-2 AET; Greenlea win 4-3 on pens) (at Salisbury)
Ravens FC Ladies 1-1 Liberty Twp Ladies (1-1 AET; Liberty Twp win 4-3 on pens) (at Middlebourne)

Final
Greenlea United Ladies SC 3-0 Liberty Twp Ladies (at St Warren)

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

One on One With: Trevor Richmond--Part 5

Frank Armitage
The Mail on Sunday Chief Soccer Writer

When we had the opportunities to talk about soccer--just the two of us, without interruption--the discussion ranged from the broadest topics (the future of the FAC, the state of the game at the professional level) to the very personal (Richmond's thoughts on managing at the club level again, his own pros and cons of his job).

FA: "you don't seem like the role you're in is something that's unfulfilling or boring to you. If one of the big clubs came to you with a job offer, what kinds of things would you weigh in a decision to take the job or stay with the FAC?"

TR: "long term stability. I've got these 3 extraordinary little humans who are my whole life, and I want to be able to spend the kind of quality time with them that I have now. As a club manager, where you have so many roles that have to be juggled, it's easy to see a lot of your family time sucked into the job and then you feel like you've missed out. The offer to leave Jamestown dropped into my lap at just a time where I could see that the advantages from a family standpoint were a lot more secure than staying at the club; not that I was unhappy or they were unhappy with me, but if we were going to push through to the very pinnacle, it was going to be a lot of time devoted to the club that you never get back."

FA: "at what point did David (Carlson, FAC Executive Director) first contact you to discuss the job?"

TR: "it sounds strange, but I really didn't know Dave that well at the point when he was hired. I knew people who were friends with him, but I don't recall us having much interaction previously.
Pam (Scott, Women's National Team Manager) knew him far better than I did, which is why she got her job before I was hired. But he called me out of the blue in early 2012, like right after New Years. He said he was going be in town and he'd like to stop in and say hi. I told him I'd be happy to meet with him and show him around the club. We ended up having a drink and dinner and we talked about youth development, which I knew was his area of expertise. And that was the meeting."

FA: "Did you get any sort of vibe, any sort of feeling that he was making an evaluation of you?"

TR: "No, not at all. I told my wife that I thought that he was just on a courtesy visit, and maybe because of the proximity to (the FAC Training Center) we might be a good club for short term youth development."

FA: "So when was the next time you met?"

TR: "Of course we were in the fight for the title and then we were into the last 8 of the Cup also. He came to a couple of our matches, and just stopped in afterwards for the obligatory handshake and hello. The next time I spoke with him on the phone must've been close to the end of the season...the National Team had just come back from their spring tour. He said he'd like for me to come up on the Tuesday after the final league matchday. I told him I couldn't guarantee I'd be able to come, but I would put on my calendar."

FA: "Of course the way things worked out, you finished as runners-up on the final day. So you're probably already thinking about next year and what you'll need to win the title."

TR: "Right. Monday we have the last team meeting, everyone is saying their goodbyes and talking about how quickly it will be until we are back to training for next season. Then I have meetings with players who are out of contract to tell them whether will be letting them go or offering them a new deal. It's always a bit of an emotional roller coaster, because players you like personally might have to be cut loose. And at the end of this long day, my assistant reminds me I have this meeting at the FAC tomorrow."

FA: "probably the last thing you wanted to think about."

TR: "exactly. My immediate mental reaction is to tell her to call and cancel, but I figure it's only half a day lost, so I'll go. I drive up, David comes and shows me the facilities and I'm introduced to the VIPs--Mr Vacchio, who was the Chairman at the time, the rest of the board. Then David and I go into a conference room, along with Jerry McLemore, who was at that time the Technical Director.

FA: "doesn't seem like a routine get to know you meeting."

TR: "exactly. I know Jerry pretty well so I figure there is some sort of youth team proposal they want to talk about. David asks me how many National Team Matches I've seen in the last 12 months, either on video or live. I admit none of the ones played on the last tour, but most of the ones from the year before. So we start to talk about the particulars; my impressions of the players who were selected, the tactics, the overall impression of the skill level. Then we start talking about my opinions of the level of skill development across the league and the youth system. And here's poor Jerry, the one who is responsible for these things, sitting on the edge of his chair waiting to see if I'm going to throw him under the bus."

FA: "tough situation to be in where you're talking about someone you know right in front of them, and you're expected to be constructively critical."

TR: "exactly. I remember looking pensive and then leaning back in my chair with my hands behind my head as I gathered my thoughts. And then I closed my eyes as I started to answer. (he reconstructs the moment before proceeding) I said if we started to teach 9, 10, 11 year olds to be technically proficient in every phase of the game tomorrow--passing, dribbling, movement, shooting, marking, heading, position--and stuck with it as a national program for youth players, we will have a generation that will be competitive with almost anyone in 5 to 6 years time."

FA: "so how did they react?"

TR: "I opened my eyes and sat up straight just in time to see David make a few scribbles on his legal pad. Then he asked, without looking up, what I thought we should do in a short term to bridge the gap between the senior level team and these age group players who would need a few years."

FA: "I bet I know generally what your answer was."

TR: (laughter) "I hope so, or I don't know who I'm talking to. I said that plugging particular players into roles and positions that maximized their ability, and who had pace and could run for 90 minutes, within the right tactical setup would buy time for 18-30 months. Jerry looked confused and David didn't react at all."

FA: "that sound like a first draft of the FAC Development Charter."

TR: "I suppose that's what it was. We talked a lot more generally after that, then Jerry left after about 90 minutes, and David and I talked about a whole range of things that I realized later were essentially the parameters of the job I ended up taking."

FA: "so let's wrap up the process. You left from the Training Center thinking....what?"

TR: "how tired and hungry I was. And what I needed to do at the office when I got back. I made the mistake of stopping at home first, thinking I would unwind and then head down to the club. I never made it. (laughter) Robbie was just a few months old and I sat down with him and did the daddy stuff you do, and rocked him to sleep, and zoned out. It was 10 or 11 at night when I jolted up from a dream, to realize that Robbie was nowhere to be found. Karen was in the kitchen and I walked in and apologized. She just smiled and assured me that everything was OK. I got to the office the next morning about 7:30 am and about 2 hours later, I had a call from David. He offered me the job as manager of the National Team and Technical Director on a 5 year contract. I asked about Jerry, wasn't the TD his job? He explained that Jerry understood that the next manager would be in charge of the Technical Department and in fact he had already secured another job. He told me to think about it for a couple of days and get back to him."

FA: "Did you think there was a reason why you shouldn't accept?"

TR: "every 5 minutes. But there wasn't one single thing that outweighed the opportunity to manage your countries' national team. Karen never made an argument against taking the job, and that ended up being good enough for me."

continued in part 6

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

One on One With: Trevor Richmond--Conclusion

Frank Armitage
The Mail on Sunday Chief Soccer Writer

our discussion about the first days on the job continues.

FA: "did you have a chance to speak with Jerry (McLemore, the FAC Technical Director prior to Richmond's introduction) after you made the decision to accept the job?"

TR: "Oh yeah, I spoke to him before and after the press conference that afternoon. He wished me good luck, said he had no hard feelings. And afterwards he & I talked in his office for about an hour. He gave me an overview of people on the staff who worked with youth development and a few names of people at clubs who were good contacts. I asked him if I could call upon him for advice in the future and he said he wasn't leaving this job with any regrets or ill feelings, said he respected Dave for being upfront with him from the beginning. In fact about 2 years ago I told Dave I wanted Jerry to do an independent review of the development program, and he thought that was a great idea. Jerry spent a few weeks with us and submitted a thorough & fair evaluation. We had him and his wife as guests of the official FAC delegation for the World Cup, I thought it was the least we could do to thank him for his time and help."

FA: "so just one last area on this topic. You were hired and Pam (Scott) had been hired previously to you. At what point did Dave sit down with both of you and start to carve out the setup?"

TR: "As I recall, Pam was out of the country, or was somehow not available, so it was probably two weeks. I didn't know Pam that well, although I knew she had a huge reputation, and I'd asked Shelly Cornwall (then-manager of Jamestown City Ladies) what she thought about Pam. Shelly said she thought Pam might be the best all around coach in the women's side of the sport--tactically brilliant and an excellent eye for talent.
So when Dave had us get together to formulate a long term plan, I was really eager to discuss the big picture ideas for the FAC. And right from the start, the ground rules of how we come to decisions as a team fell into place; Dave will lay out a topic and she & I will weigh in with our ideas. If there is a wide variance in opinion, we'll talk it out from the most general terms down to the specifics. It didn't take us very long to realize that we had differing ideas on some parts of national team and youth development, but we weren't afraid to talk it out and find some consensus. That's really been the key to our working relationship ever since. We respect each other, we understand where the other comes from, and in a way it's like arguing with your spouse: you don't make it personal, and you don't go to sleep angry. (laughs) Pam and her family have become great friends to our family over time. In fact we usually have them here in the summer, but I they had an overseas trip planned this year."

FA: "now I want move away from the past and talk about the present and the future. The sport has made a huge leap into the mainstream of multiverse competition--a youth team championship, a runner-up finish in the Baptism of Fire & qualifying for the World Cup on the very first attempt, a feat so rare that it is almost talked about in reverent tones. Are we going too far, too fast? Are we reaching a peak that's not going to be sustainable down the road?"

TR: "that's an interesting way of looking at it. I think that we are in between where we've come from and where we are headed. We've believed and hoped that we had the physical talent and technical ability to compete with anyone, and these first forays into the meat grinder of the multiverse calendar have shown that our beliefs are pretty solid. I think what we are seeing is the players who are coming through--those players I talked about who started under our program 7-8 years ago--are showing the way. Under 18 champions on the first time out? With a coed team for the very first time out? As for the senior team, most of guys have been in the system for 3-5 years continuously, and we always believed that we had a good talent pool. And a few of them are at the upper limit now of their national team careers. I think we might hit a bump in the road for the next WC, we might have to ride out the storm for a few years."

FA: "so, lowered expectations for the next World Cup cycle?"

TR: "I'd call it lowered allowable minimum. We're not going to go in saying 'oh it's ok if we don't qualify' but we're not to push panic buttons or make radical departures from our fundamental basis. We'll roll with the punches and evolve the National Teams accordingly."

FA: "you say teams, so you're still going to continue separate men's and women's sides?"

TR: "yes. We are contemplating the logistics of possibly hosting a tournament for women's national sides, or possibly expanding to include all male sides from countries that have a majority of the national team who are female, to use the team from Cassidagua as an example; they probably have enough male players to have an all-male team. It's in the study phase, it wouldn't be something we would consider until after the next WC cycle. It would be a limited tournament--no more than maybe 16 or 20 sides. But we feel like we want to open up the country to other nations to come and visit."

The weekend came to a close far too fast. Trevor and I spent over the 3 days & nights probably 8 hours together in conversation that I recorded, not even including the first days' fishing expedition. So obviously this isn't even a fraction of our talks; a lot of what you don't see here were things that really should've been off the record, or conversations about people who don't need their names exposed. I'd also guess that maybe an hour's worth of our recordings were just us off on completely unrelated tangents as they came into our heads.

We left out on Monday morning, after all the fond farewells; the kids gave both Laura and I genuine hugs and said they hoped we could come back again. I had been correct when I figured that my wife and Karen Richmond would get along great, they seemed like life-long friends saying goodbye. Trevor shook my hand and gave me one of those male "half hugs" that almost have become standard greetings, but I didn't think his was just a routine gesture. "Thanks for spending these three days with us Frank. I enjoyed your company immensely. You should definitely mark your calendar for this time next year, we would love to have you back."

Laura drove the first leg again, and she was feeling revived and happy. "That was one of the nicest weekend getaways I've ever been on, don't you think?"

I couldn't say anything to the contrary. "I think we should try and make more time to do things like this more often." I looked over and smiled at her. She nodded her head in agreement.

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

University of Endover

Location--Endborough, Endover

Founded--1888

Colors--Blue andWhite

Enrollment--27,605 undergraduate/4175 post-graduate

Nickname--Wildcats (generally called the Blues until the mid-1920's, the campus newspaper began the reference to Wildcats for the aggressive play of the team and the name was made official in 1931)

The University of Endover was the second state institution of higher learning in the Commonwealth. It was created by statute in 1888, but it took several years for the school to come together; Endborough had many small secular and sectarian colleges that had been formed in the first years before the Commonwealth, and it was planned that some of these colleges would be enticed to become part of a larger collegiate style university--similar to Oxford and Cambridge--with the right enticements. It wasn't until 1897, when the major establishments had come into the fold, that the university really had an identity of its own.
While undergrads still identify with their own constituent college, the overall spirit of the general varsity sports unites the school; the football, men's & women's soccer and rugby teams play their home fixtures at Scotland Stadium, which seats 27,000. Basketball, volleyball, gymnastics, and wrestling teams play at Englehart Gymnasium, built in 1939 with seating for 11,000.

University of Endborough

Location, Endborough, Endover

Founded--1902

Colors--Orange andWhite

Enrollment--15,915 undergraduate/2150 post-graduate

Nickname--Giants (another name coined by a newspaper story. Usually called the "U's" or the Orange, their victory over University of the Commonwealth in a dominant performance in 1930 led a writer to proclaim the Giants of Endover. Became the official name in 1937)

The second city's branch of the University of the Commonwealth didn't really get a representative enrollment in relation to their bigger state rivals until they had been an educational establishment for nearly 20 years. For a long time between 1924-1952, had the lowest enrollment of all of the UC branches, but began to see an influx of new students as the 1950's & 60's progressed.
The football, soccer and rugby teams play at Ludlow Road Park, which seats 14,000 while the basketball and volleyball teams call the 7,000 seat Burwell Activities Center home.


Endborough College

Location--Endborough, Endover

Founded--1888

Colors--Black, Gold & Red

Enrollment--8,800 undergraduate/ 200 post-graduate

Nickname--Germans (the exact origin is layered in different stories; as the one college that did not choose to come under the auspices of the University of Endover, they were generally derided and mocked by their larger rival. While the state school adopted their Scottish influenced colors and symbolism, EC retained their origins as a primarily women's college for German immigrants; hence, when discussing the teams from "the other place", Endover usually called them "The Germans"--strange that it was considered derogatory when a few colleges within the University also had German roots--and the name stuck.)

Endborough College has several distinctions--it is the second oldest institution of higher learning in the Commonwealth, it is the largest private college in the country and is generally considered one of the most prestigious schools to gain entrance to. It predates the University of Endover by 6 months, and remained steadfast in their resistance to the repeated attempts to bring it under the control of the University. Among the other city establishments that opted to consolidate into state control, EC was always considered the least sectarian but also the most singular in the ethnic makeup of their student body. It was coeducational from its founding but the enrollment was largely female until the early 1950's.
The main athletic facility on campus is the 9,400 seat Main Gymnasium, which has hosted EC sports since 1933.

Commonwealth Military Officers Academy

Location--Endborough, Endover

Founded--1907

Colors--Burgundy & Black

Enrollment--1,440 undergraduates

Nickname--Cavaliers (while it might seem more appropriate to call themselves "Cadets", the name chosen was one that was popular from the beginning of athletic competition at the Academy.)

The Officer Training Academy of the Commonwealth was established two years after the Naval Officer's School was opened. The relatively new National Army had brought many of its operations to Endborough to take advantage of the still largely unsettled areas in the northeast of the Commonwealth where they could train.
The Academy is the smallest member of the UAC, but have a strong tradition of success in several sports. The football, soccer and rugby teams play at Alexander Memorial Stadium, capacity 18,000 and the basketball, wrestling and gymnastics teams host matches at Harris Hall, with a capacity of 3,700.


Endover State College & University of Science & Technology

Location--New Richmond, Endover

Founded--1935

Colors--Red & Black

Enrollment--7,200 undergraduates/ 320 post-graduate

Nickname--Red Devils (the wearing of red shirts during the early forays into intercollegiate sports of Endover State saw them being called the 'Reds", but a contest in 1948 to choose an official nickname ahead of the school's debut at football found "Red Devils" the most popular choice. Not attributed)

Endover State College was established in 1935, as some citizens became concerned that the University of Endover wasn't producing students with training in practical or applied sciences; the state House of Representatives came up with a bill to establish a dedicated college for sciences and mathematics, and chose to put it outside of the city, in New Richmond.
The football and soccer teams play their home contests at Lytle Five Points Road, which seats 10,572 and the basketball and volleyball teams compete at the Fleming Gym, capacity 3,000.

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

University of Ezra

Location--University Park, Ezra

Founded--1894

Colors--Forest Green and White

Enrollment--30,440 undergraduate/4250 post-graduate

Nickname--Bulls (mainly a description of the aggressive style of play of the early football teams, who generally tended to try & overrun opponents in straight forward charges; became the official nickname in 1919)

The University of Ezra was the third state institution of higher education established in the Commonwealth, and from its earliest origins became most identified with their College of Medicine and the Quayside Medical Center; within 30 years of founding, nearly 1 in 3 physicians in the country were graduates of the University.
The 25,000 seat Alumni Stadium--original construction completed in 1921--is the home of the football, soccer and rugby teams; the actual field is the same piece of ground that the first Ezra-Osheana football game in 1911 was played on.
Basketball, volleyball, gymnastics, wrestling and indoor track compete in the 16,000 CCB Center, opened in 2010, which replaced the McClean Arena, which seats 6,900.


Ezra State University

Location--Southend, Ezra

Founded--1903

Colors--Violet and Gold

Enrollment--13,500 undergraduate/800 post-graduate

Nickname--Railroaders (the area was established mainly as the southern terminal of the Western & Southern Railroad; when the Northern States Company established a terminal at the extreme northwest junction of its lines, and the State of Osheana chose to place their normal school extension near that junction, the Ezra State Congress decided to make a similar grant to fund a college for the purpose of teacher education and agricultural extension near the W&S terminus. The area became known as College Station, and the students became more closely associated with the rail industry [many children of employees of the W&SRR were given admission to the school] than those at the Osheana institution.)

As mentioned, Ezra State was founded for the purpose of teacher training and agricultural education. It had a broader acceptance policy than the University did, and the rapid rise in enrollment in a short period of time saw the community adjacent to the campus grow faster than any other population center in the Commonwealth between 1911 & 1919.
The football team began hosting opponents at a park that was used by students and faculty for recreation and relaxation; when permanent seating was erected, the local community demanded a park area of their own and finally the town board established a joint college/community park to the south of the campus. The area that became Old College Park was officially designated as an athletic site for the use of the college in 1927. it has gone several phases of expansion through the years and now accommodates 19,600 spectators for university varsity sports and the home matches of Southend AC.
Kavanaugh Arena is the main indoor venue, which seats 7,900.

Commonwealth Naval Officers Academy

Location--West Newport, Ezra

Founded--1905

Colors--Dark Blue & Silver

Enrollment--1,760 undergraduates

Nickname--Buccaneers (several variations on seafaring names were used in the early 1910's; "Mariners", "Pirates", and "Swabbies". By 1921, the current name became widely accepted by the student body and was officially declared in 1923)

Naval Officer candidates in the early years of the Naval Service of the Commonwealth got most of their practical training on the job, as midshipmen on warships that had been acquired over the first several years after the establishment of the Commonwealth. However, the program of acquisitions of ships commissioned specifically for the use of Baker Park meant that the number of officers needed in the short term couldn't be fulfilled by the usual training regimen that was traditional. The Naval Officers School was established to provide a standardized curriculum for potential junior officers within a shorter time period than the previous method.
The Navy football team began competition in 1920 and played their games on a field next to the school; by the mid 1930's they had moved to the home of West Newport FC. It wasn't until the 1960's that they started to play the home games across the river in Newport. Newport City Stadium, seating 25,000, is the current home of the Navy team. Their basketball, wrestling and volleyball teams play matches at Ardmore Field House, which seats 2.970.

University of Ezriquay

Location--Ezriquay, Ezra

Founded--1908

Colors--Scarlet & Yellow

Enrollment--11,800 undergraduate/1950 post-graduate

Nickname--Golden Eagles (in the early years of competition, teams wore bright yellow shirts' and the eagle was a natural name for the teams as it sounded well and fit headlines; the name was made official by a student vote in 1937)

The University of the Commonwealth branch at Ezriquay was established at the same time as the Coolville branch was founded; there was significant opposition to having another major university to compete with the state institution across the river. But it didn't take long for the school to find a niche not served by the State Department of Higher Education, and the federal government's backing proved to be a major help in drawing prospective students.
The football, soccer, track and rugby teams utilize the nearby Queen Victoria Stadium with a capacity of 37,475 and basketball, volleyball, gymnastics and wrestling compete at the 8,000 Carver-Nolan Arena on campus.

University of Middletown

Location--Middletown, Ezra

Founded--1921

Colors--Blue & Gray

Enrollment--9,780 undergraduate/430 post-graduate

Nickname--Greyhounds (a reference to the dark gray shirts worn by the rugby and football teams in the 1920's. Name became permanent in 1933)

The branch of the University of Ezra established at Middletown sought to provide an opportunity for residents in the northern part of the state the same opportunities at a higher educational level available to the rest of Ezrans. It was granted self-governing status in the 1980's and has grown its programs in technology and industrial engineering since that time.
Barnitz Stadium is the spiritual home of Rugby Union in Baker Park, and has been the home of the UM football, soccer, and rugby teams ever since, as well as Middletown City FC; it was first used in 1926 and has been developed into an all-purpose athletic facility over the subsequent years, currently seating 21,000. The Douglas Multipurpose Center was completed in 2005 to replace the antiquated Hewitt Hall Gym. The capacity of 9,700 is nearly 60% more than the facility it succeeded.

Ezra Technical & Technology University

Location--Maineville, Ezra

Founded--1956

Colors--Black & Yellow

Enrollment--5,200 undergraduate/275 post-graduate

Nickname--Hornets (choice in campus wide selection in 1957, not attributed)

Ezra Tech was originally established to be a junior college for those students looking to continue post high school education in applied sciences; a change in the mission of the school came just 4 months prior to the scheduled opening. It has grown steadily as a place where cutting edge technology is developed and expanded.
The main athletic facility on campus is the 2,400 seat Recreation Center.

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

University of Osheana

Location--Dalton, Osheana

Founded--1895

Colors--Crystal Blue & Tangerine

Enrollment--31,300 undergraduate/3850 post-graduate

Nickname--Goshawks (although it was the state's original university, they came about their name only after the founding of the State Normal School in the northern part of Osheana; those students identified themselves as "Falcons". The student body at U of O wanted something unique along the same lines and the name became official in 1916)

The establishment of a university outside of the capital of Oceana was controversial and unpopular; the decision was quickly validated as there was ample room for growth and it was accessible via the main rail line, as well as the early roadway system. It also contributed to the growth of the area where it was established, providing a natural stopping point on the way south to Middletown and beyond the river.
The venue that hosts most major outdoor activities is Jones Stadium, with a capacity of 24,600 while the primary indoor athletic facility is the Joseph Leighton Center, completed in 2011 with seating for 12,000.


Osheana Capital University

Location--Oceana

Founded--1902

Colors--White & Black

Enrollment--9,500 undergraduate/470 post-graduate

Nickname--Ospreys (another group of students who wanted to have a powerful bird as a symbol, the osprey was chosen by a vote of the student body; not attributed)

Osheana Capital was the branch of the University of Osheana that the citizens of the capital coveted from the original founding of the state university system. However it has always been a poor relation to it's sister schools to the north and south and also in comparison to the University of the Commonwealth branch in the city.
The football and soccer teams call Mann/Stevens/Ewing Stadium on campus their home, with a capacity of 14,800 (it is usually called by opposing fans by the less polite moniker of "the MESS") and it houses its basketball, volleyball, gymnastic and wrestling squads at the 4,975 seat Capital Center.

Osheana State University & Normal College

Location--State University Borough

Founded--1903

Colors--Brown & Orange

Enrollment--20,320 undergraduate/1,000 post-graduate

Nickname--Falcons (as mentioned, it was the Normal School's students who identified themselves with the powerful bird of prey before their rivals could stake a claim, as it was known as a predatory animal that often took on larger opponents.)

Osheana State was established at the northern terminal of the Great Northern Railway Company, to give a jumpstart to building a more permanent population in the area. It was the passenger station that was first called "State University" and it has been learned by the masses through the years that there is no one single place that is officially called by that name, although the general area administered at the borough level carries that appellation.
The football & soccer teams play at Falcon Stadium on campus, with a capacity of 20,000 and the school is proud of its' most recent capital project, the 13,600 seat Leonard Jenkins Center, opened in 2015.

University of Oceana

Location--Oceana, Osheana

Founded--1906

Colors--Red & White

Enrollment--12,400 undergraduate/1,300 post-graduate

Nickname--Cardinals (staying with the bird theme, although it's decision was tied more to the choice of the sister UC branch in Ezriquay to call themselves "Eagles".)

Established simultaneously with the Endborough institution, it saw growth more rapidly and sustainably. The founding of a medical college was the beginning of breaking the monopoly in the western part of the country held by the University of Ezra's School of Medicine for physician training.
The football and soccer teams play at Selvey Commons, adjacent to the campus; it is unusual in that the shape is a horseshoe with one end completely open. The Ronald Timmons Gym seats 4,500 for basketball and other sports.

Osheana Aerospace & Technology University

Location--West Chester, Osheana

Founded--1917

Colors--Garnet & Charcoal

Enrollment--5,900 undergraduate/600 post-graduate

Nickname--Rockets ("air" was always prominent in the mission of the school; it was Aeronautic & Technical when it was established so reaching for the sky was a natural.)

The school was founded as a place to develop the study of the newly discovered science of flight, especially as it was being used to great effect in the war at that time. The school has been at the forefront of the advancement of the domestic airplane and aerial warfare industries ever since.
The team plays it's home football games at Boundary Station park, with a capacity of 10,200 it is one of the smallest stadiums in the UAC. The Dailey P.E. complex is host to basketball and volleyball, with a capacity of 3,900.

Oceana City College

Location--Oceana

Founded--1946

Colors--Red & Green

Enrollment--4,150 undergraduate

Nickname--Dragons (a connection to the colors and the Welsh influence in the city)

Oceana City College was founded as a 2 year school for the rapid education of returning servicemen from the war. It gained 4 year degree status in 1961, but still is primarily a general studies school, with no graduate programs available on site.
The 2,500 seat Founders Gym is the home of the OCC athletic teams.

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

High School and Secondary Schools have participated in interscholastic competition that predates intercollegiate athletics in the Commonwealth. Each state runs its own championships and competitions, however they have developed generally accepted rules and procedures that allow for interstate competition.

Baker Park Secondary Schools Interscholastic Activities Association
Founded--1901
The largest state association covers the largest geographical area; it's not only involved in just athletic competitions, but also in sanctioning orchestral, band, speech & debate and drama events.

Endover High School Sports Council
Founded--1899
The oldest of the seven state governing bodies, it has largely been dominated by Endborough leagues, with outlying areas generally not being able to devote the same resources to interscholastic activities on a comparable scale.

Ezra Interscholastic Association
Founded--1903
The EIA has had a competitive balance from the earliest times; the split of members between geographic north-south competition has meant that the more populous areas have not been able to establish a dominance.

Osheana Interscholastic Sports & Activities Board
Founded--1905
Like its Baker Park neighboring body, the OISAB handles both sport and other extracurricular competition within the state.

St Leon Interscholastic Athletic Commission
Founded--1901
St Leon's governing school sports body was ahead of its time; the state had only a few far-flung districts for public education and the competition was limited to an extremely small membership. After 1946, the system expanded and more schools joined to provide a wider array of options in athletic events.

Midalia High School Athletic Association
Founded--1906
The MHSAA was another organization that was established before it was actually needed. The capital contained more high schools than the the rest of the state combined for nearly 30 years. After St Warren and the smaller western boroughs began to increase their populations after 1950, the balance shifted away from Coolville.

Lynchana High school Sports Association
Founded--1914
Lynchana grew at a more slower rate than the other states, therefore its need for a unified scholastic governing body was not considered until the various districts had all reached a point where multiple secondary schools were required.

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

We'll have a brief peek at the oldest professional competition in the Commonwealth, the Baker Park Baseball Association.

For a country primarily founded by British ex-pats, cricket had a very brief reign as a popular sport in the Commonwealth. It was the other innovation derived from that game which made a more immediate impact on newly settled citizens of Baker Park.

There are 20 clubs that make up the BPBA League:

Northern Section

Eastern Division:
Springfield Cobras
Mansfield Vulcans
East Liverpool Spirits
Endborough Gold Sox
Coolville Griffons

Western Division:
Jacksonville Power
Lima Retrievers
Belle Haven Capitals
West Chester Wasps
Oceana Diamonds

Southern Section

Eastern Division:
St Warren Orioles
Fairport Flames
Shirley Pioneers
Marshallton Bombers
Alton Aces

Western Division:
Middletown Harlequins
Ezriquay Giants
Belle Haven Royals
Richmond Renegades
Hamilton Robins

The regular season is 148 games, each team playing the others in their division 12 times and the teams in the opposite division in their section 8 times; they play the clubs in the opposite section 6 times over the course of the season. The best record in each section is given a bye and the 2 other division winners and the next 2 best records, regardless of section, face one another in a five game series, the winners moving onto the semi finals for a seven game series. The championship is also a seven series.

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

(BPNS) Oceana, Osheana--The Baker Park National Soccer Team hosted their first match of the international season at Collins Park here, in front of 42,743. Prior to kickoff, there was a short presentation to celebrate the FAC's 200th national team victory, which occurred in the final match of last year's AOCAF against the Busoga Islands.

The pace of the match was loose and there were flashes of excellent play on both sides. Manager Trevor Richmond used his substitutes freely in the second half, with only GK Kyle Moyer, D Kris Day and M Nick Haller--making his first appearance in the squad in over a year--seeing action for the full 90 minutes.

The match was the first time the BP side have hosted an opponent at the Park Stadium in nearly 10 years, and the support of the crowd will make the venue a possible home field selection for the next qualification cycle of the World Cup.

Baker Park--Moyer; Brown (Stephens 54'), Day (C), Enzikomibo (Ramsey 45'); N Haller, Patel (Mason 55'), Taborn (Ismail 62'), Navarro (Yeomans 45'), Shaw (DiPietro 58'); Jones (Schmidt 62'), Agahambri (Wagner 54')

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

© Sporting Times Weekend 2018
BP makes its' mark in Banijan Soccer League
by Fiona Devlin, Staff Soccer Writer

The first experiment of Commonwealth players going abroad to compete in a league with a higher profile than the NSL seems to have gone as well as anyone--either in Baker Park or Banija--could've expected.

In the last off-season transfer window, two National Team regulars were signed to contracts to ply their trade in the Kingdom of Banija; forward Alex Sandoval left Ezriquay United in a N$2.5 million move to Busukuma Athletic Club, in the capital city of Banija, and winger Nick Haller completed a N$1.5 million deal with Kitara Athletic Association.

Both players proved their worth to their respective clubs--perennial underachievers both--and opened eyes as to the quality of technical ability and athletic skill that the Commonwealth is developing.

Sandoval's move to Busukuma AC was a bit of a leap of faith; the capital club are considered one of Banija's "Big 5" clubs, but had no championships to show for it. They began a bit slowly, but by the time season had reached the halfway mark, the club were in the thick of the title chase. Sandoval ended the season as BAC's leading goal scorer in the league, with 19 tallies, good for 5th best, but became a fan favorite as the club held off all comers to bring home their maiden trophy in the BSL.

Haller's experience was similar, although his production was an added benefit to the side; his 15 scores for KAA put him just behind Sandoval's total in 7th place for the Golden Boot, and the club were able to clinch 6th place--their best ever finish--and the improvement qualified them for the BSL's spot in the Vilitan Cove International tournament next season.

The BSL recognized both BP men at their annual season ending banquet; Sandoval and Haller were second & third respectively in voting for the first Most Outstanding Newcomer Award.

Both players spoke about their experiences with STW following their return for off-season break.

Sandoval mentioned the discussion he had with National Team manager Trevor Richmond prior to his departure as being instrumental in how he approached the campaign.
"Trevor called me and said to not think about anything except club play for at least 4 months. He told me that I was not going to be squeezed out of the squad just because I was overseas; that I had a great future ahead of me in the National Team, but he wasn't going waste time calling me in for one-off friendlies."

Haller had a similar discussion with Assistant Manager Shane Newman. "Shane came by my place to touch base and we talked for 30-40 minutes. He told me that Trevor had plans for me, and he wanted me to go and hone my skills for awhile, to ignore any talk about why I wasn't being called into the side. He said 'I know it's going to be a let down to see the team playing and you're not there, but keep the faith.' I've always believed in Trevor and the staff, they have never tried to mislead or sting me along. I know I'll be in the side when my time comes."

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

Open Cup a success, WC qualifying on the horizon

Frank Armitage
The Daily Mail Chief Soccer Writer

The work at FAC headquarters has turned back to domestic issues following the completion of the first Baker Park Open Cup and now focus shifts to preparations for the upcoming World Cup 81 qualification series. FAC Deputy Director Allison LeFleur sat down to discuss the near term future and reflect upon the the BPOC.

FA: "Allison, congratulations to you personally and to the entire staff at the FAC for putting on a wonderful tournament. It seemed to be quite a hit among the supporters and the sides that participated."

AL: "Thank you Frank, we're all excited about how things worked out. We drew far more interest that we could've imagined 6 months ago and the way the competition played out was nearly perfect in terms of the practicalities."

FA: "You haven't really been this visible to most casual fans before now, you've always been behind the scenes and supporting David (Carlson) and the staff. How was this a change for you in terms of your workload?"

AL: "Well, I got to delegate more things than I normally would be able to, so in one respect that was a plus. But the everyday management of the details was about the same as it would've been if I had been in my usual role."

FA: "All of us who deal with you on a regular basis know you are primarily involved in the logistics and planning for the National Teams' travelling in other countries. Did that help you in arranging the same sorts of assistance for the competing nations in the BPOC?"

AL: "Oh yes, and the relationships I've developed with some of the other national bodies made a lot of that smoother than it would've been. As the host, you know the best places for teams to establish training bases that are most convenient for their purposes, and how to handle transportation. I'm actually the one who came up with the idea of having the groups stay in one specific area for the matches, to streamline problems and make the experience easier for the teams and the fans as well."

FA: "The format was certainly different than what other tournaments use, did you get any feedback from others about whether it went over well?"

AL: "I think the consensus I gathered was the knowledge that you were going to be playing a fixed number of matches and that you would have a definitive period of time to arrange hotels, transportation, etc, was a positive thing. The idea that if you had some bad luck or just didn't perform well during the group matches didn't mean you were banished back to home, but you had an opportunity to redeem yourself, and of course it provided an opportunity for coaching staffs to use their roster fully."

FA: "Let's talk for a minute about the upcoming World Cup. I'm sure you must have thought it quite fortunate that both of the co-hosts--Banija and the Free Republics--sent teams, although you've had dealings with both nations in the past. But in the shorter term, how many of the venues that hosted matches will make the short list for hosting qualifying matches?"

AL: "We were pleased that we could have the representatives from both nations come here (FAC Development Center) to tour the facility and meet with our staff, probably not something that every potential qualifier can claim. We learned a great deal of info that will be of use if we happen to make the Finals. As for the stadiums, we couldn't have been happier about the attendances at the matches. The crowds I really kept an eye on were for those games where there didn't really appear to be a 'marquee' draw for local supporters, and of course all 3 of them were actual sellouts on walkup ticket sales. So we have decisions to make that will be difficult. I will say that we will almost certainly host games at Oceana and Endborough in the qualifying cycle, but I don't even want to speculate until we get closer to the draw."

FA: "As for the National Team itself, I know you don't generally have much input or real interaction with the whole process of the roster, but is there some general background you could share?"

AL: "(laughs) That's my next goal, to pick the team. What we've been experiencing among the senior coaching staff is a lot more cooperation and collaboration between the men's and women's coaches, and I think as we go forward into this cycle you're going see a lot more of that for the National Team..."

FA: "For example, Pam (Scott) being on the coaching staff itself?"

AL: "I don't know Frank. That's a question you'd have ask one of them, (Carlson, Scott or Trevor Richmond) as they make those decisions, and usually without asking me my advice."

FA: "Allison, I thank you for your time, and congratulations again. I hear you're getting a well deserved holiday?"

AL: "Oh God yes. (laughs) Everyone here has insisted that I take at least 2 weeks vacation, and leave the country, if possible! (laughs again). I've enjoyed the time Frank and thank you very much."

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

Frank Armitage
The Daily Mail Chief Soccer Writer

Part 1 of 2

Just a few days shy of its actual 48th birthday, the beloved, yet unloved monster that is Keller Field--the one time putative Olympic Stadium, the monument to the capital city's dominance over the rest of the country--came alive in a way that few people who have ever been part of crowd for an event here have ever felt.

Even the meanest critic of the old girl would've had a hard time not getting a bit of a thrill when the majority of the nearly 56,000 on hand belted out the final lines of the last verse of "Guide Me, O thou Great Jehovah", which was long ago traditionally sung by Baker Park fans at the end of victorious international soccer matches; the practice had drifted into obscurity until one man took it upon himself to revive it ahead of the Coldfield match in Newport, a match following a three match streak that had seen the Commonwealth drop points with a loss and two draws.

Jack Sutton remembered the times his dad took him to see matches at Hillsborough--where Jack is still a season ticket holder and life member--and the opportunities that arose to buy tickets for national team matches whenever they played in Belle Haven; he recalled that the end of every match which was a Baker Park victory, the (usually) all male general admission stand would spontaneously break into the fourth verse.

When I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of death and hell’s Destruction,
Land me safe on Canaan’s side.
Songs of praises, songs of praises,
I will ever give to Thee;
I will ever give to Thee.

Sutton recalls his father telling him it was one of those superstitious things, giving thanks for win, which weren't always that frequent.
He started a thread on the main FAC Official Fan website to get people aware of this lost tradition, and asked anyone to pass the word that he wanted to try and revive it if BP were victorious against Coldfield.

He was more than a little surprised when several people around him, and many others in different areas of the ground, began to sing as soon as the 4th official showed how much stoppage time remained after 90 minutes. Soon, a lot more of the fans still in the stadium joined in, and Sutton knew that he had gotten his message delivered.

But it was the anti-climax of the 2-0 victory against Darmen that Sutton said made the hair on the back of his neck stand up; the result, the joy of everyone in the crowd to Baker Park qualifying, as group winners, for their second straight World Cup Finals and the sheer volume that people sang started to overwhelm him. He said he got choked up all over again when he got home and saw the final minute on the recording of the match on TV, where the announcers were silent and the full force of how loud it actually was came through.
__________________________________________________________________________________

It wasn't only the spectators who let their emotions run free. In the dressing room, while the mood was jubilant and festive, a few players were dealing with their feelings for different reasons.

For Jackie Thomas, she was overcome with joy that she would get a chance to participate this time around, as she had been injured during qualifying for WC 80 and missed out. Thomas had felt like some people had questioned her durability and commitment in the intervening 4 years, and she was happy that she had proven those doubters wrong and had the strong support of the squad and staff.

For Evan Ashcroft, he regretted that two men he was personally and professionally close to--Ian Coverstone and Ali Salih--weren't going to be a part of the final squad, although both men had sent him encouraging messages and told him they had no regrets at all and that he should take the opportunity show he was an excellent player in his own right.

For Annabeth Westmoreland, she too was overwhelmed by the idea that she was going to have a chance to play in the World Cup. She actually retreated into the physio's room and about ten minutes later, she was seen being embraced by assistant women's manager Kate DiMarini and her onetime club teammate, Valerie Agahambri.

It truly was the ultimate victory for the 21 year old Middletown City Ladies star, probably more than she could've imagined just a couple of years ago. She had, over the last 6-9 months, completely rehabilitated her image and reputation (both unfairly tarnished by her actions as a 15 year old).
No player or coach in the national team setup could praise her high enough; she was absolutely diligent in training, she took criticism and suggestions in equal measure, she didn't try to be a "big-time Charlie" and she knew her place & showed her respect & deference to the senior members of the squad. And, yeah...she was an absolutely all-around, fantastic talent and had instincts on the pitch that no 21 year old should be allowed to have.

Nearly everyone in the squad, including those who didn't dress for the match, felt the pain of someone they were friends with or respected who wasn't there. It has been speculated that Baker Park are well down a path that is going to see the bulk of the players who have been stalwarts for Trevor Richmond and Pam Scott through the years making their final stand during this qualifying campaign--and now, trip to the Finals.
If the transition to the up & coming generation is imminent, don't let anyone tell you that the younger players are hoping it's sooner rather than later; one of the several dividends that have come from the split squad qualifying concept is the lessons of being a player for Baker Park that the veterans have passed along to the newer players, and the desire that those taking in these lessons have expressed for wanting to know everything that their elders can pass along.
___________________________________________________________________________________

Is there a question that the idea to move the National Team concept to a mixed-gender configuration has been nothing but an unqualified success?

You'd be surprised how fast you can empty a room of sportswriters by tossing that grenade out into the middle of the crowd.

I decided that I would conduct an experiment during the course of the WCQ campaign. I came up with a single sheet of questions that asked for specific opinions--about gender issues, about beliefs, about being a professional soccer player in the Commonwealth--and I asked a few players each week if they would take the questionnaire and answer it honestly, and under no circumstances would I identify anyone who chose to have a strong opinion. I didn't want everyone in the dressing room working on their answers at the same time so I kept to just few people at a time.

I gave every one of the same promise--I wouldn't look at any of the answers until after the final match. I'm proud to say that not one player in the initial player pool declined to participate, I don't know if that is a reflection on their trust in me, or on the character of each individual.

I personally don't feel that asking people to express their feelings by designating a numerical equivalent to it is instructive at all. All the questions I asked were able to be answered in a few words or in a paragraph.

So, what did I discern?

(part 2 coming in the The Mail on Sunday)

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

Songs of Praises: A Review of the National Team's Epic Adventure

Frank Armitage
The Mail on Sunday Chief Soccer Writer

part 2 of 2

The results I gleaned from the 50 different questionnaires given to the National Team members that I asked to participate in my survey gave me an insight to the feelings and attitudes of the 30 men & 20 women who made up the two squads that competed in the qualifying for the World Cup.

To their credit, not one of the players answered the questions with just the barest minimum of effort; there were well thought out opinions and honest assessments on every single sheet. The first question I asked was straight to the point--Has the decision to have a coed National Team been a positive or a negative? Why?

No one came out and said that it was a bad decision; a few gave explanations that said the overall result had made the entire system stronger, but worried that some good players (both male and female) were pushed to the margins because of the numbers involved.
Unfortunately, I agree with that observation. It speaks volumes to the understanding of the FAC leadership that they made an attempt to provide an opportunity to the women by having the Baker Park Open Cup squad strictly female; if there is an opportunity to find outlets for all-male teams to be able to participate in competitions, it surely would bring an added dimension to player development and evaluation.

The next question was in a similar vein but from a different angle--Do you personally have reservations about playing in a side where the manager is a different gender from your own?
The short answer replies fell into three basic categories: "Not at all", "Absolutely no difference between the two", and "never crossed my mind/not even an issue".
The replies that went into more detail specifically pointed out the qualities and strengths that both Trevor Richmond & Pamela Scott brought to the team, and the advantages of having mixed-sex coaching staffs that seemed to be all on the same page,

I'll admit that I did sneak in one gender specific question, which meant I had to make sure of which paper I was handing out to the players I approached. It was the two sides of the same issue--Do you have complete confidence in the player along side of you if they are a woman (men)/Do you feel that the male player along side of you has complete confidence in you? (women).

Some of the most detailed and lengthy answers on the sheet came from this question. From the men, the answers were almost all along the same line: "I was skeptical at the beginning, but came around to realizing that there was no difference", "proved me wrong within a day or two", "questioned my own judgement/ability/decisions at times" and "the experienced pros were just as reliable as club teammates".
On the women's side, there was a small minority who weren't completely convinced, but for the most part, the flip side of the men's answers were the rule: "when you proved yourself in training, you were accepted", "if you made the guy look good with a pass or a cover, they saw you as a peer", and "when you dished out or took physical contact without a second thought or complaint, you'd find the guy would have your back."

I've skipped over a few other questions, because the answers weren't as detailed or they were all pretty universal, but the very last one I'll share with you, as it sums up the men & women who wear the Black and Gold uniforms perfectly: At the end of your career, what do you want people to remember you most for--your club achievements or your National Team achievements?

All 50 responses were identical--They wanted to be remembered for the honor they had wearing the National Team shirt; they almost all mentioned their pride at representing Baker Park for their own various reasons--because their forebearers came here to start a new life, because their parents or grandparents were immigrants who were welcomed and accepted into the society, or because they had someone in their family who had served in the military, and this was as close as they could come to honoring that service.
___________________________________________________________________________________

It's difficult as a journalist to keep a disinterested distance from people you cover on a regular basis; my earlier series on vacationing with Trevor Richmond and his family should be a good example of the line that we sometimes have to be aware of crossing.

I am the longest tenured writer covering the National Team in the Commonwealth, which is probably not a surprising statement to most people, and I don't bring it up as some sort of ego boost.
I have written about and interviewed almost everyone within the National Team setup at some point; I have an enormous amount of respect for all of them and I hope that they all have at least a neutral opinion of me at the very least.

As a soccer nation, the Commonwealth of Baker Park have made a massive leap over the last 5 years. Beginning with our age group teams previewing our potential, our performance in the Baptism of Fire 67 propelling us into the consciousness of the multiverse soccer establishment, our surprising playoff win to qualify for World Cup 80--on our first attempt, a monumental achievement--pushing us further into the ranks of respected soccer nations, and now the accomplishment of qualifying for our second consecutive World Cup Final--as the winner of our group with only a single defeat over 18 matches--has lifted our soccer pedigree far beyond what it was when I first began covering the sport.
In those days, winning was a big deal to the players, and it wasn't something assumed going into any match. Fast forward 160 matches later (I've not covered every single one of them, but as a historical reference that is more than one third of all of the matches Baker Park have played in their history) we are now a soccer nation that gets respect and we have a visionary director of the FAC, David Carlson and two outstanding managers in Trevor Richmond and Pamela Scott who share the same vision to thank for that.

We will probably not win the World Cup, that would be a pipedream without any real basis that could be relied on. World Cup 82? That's a different goal altogether and don't think it's not entirely possible if we continue progressing at the same rate as we have previously.

Until I report from the World Cup, thanks for reading.

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

Heads held high, Bees return home
Frank Armitage
The Daily Mail Chief Soccer Writer

Part 1 of 3

The flight back to Belle Haven following the conclusion of the Commonwealth National Team's stay in the Free Republics was not a solemn, somber experience; to the contrary, it was a spirited celebration by the players, for the benefit of the players.

They had done their ritual of disappointment & regret in the dressing room of the FreedomCola Stadium in Borotia following the 1-0 loss to South Covello in the first knockout round. Even on the pitch, as they accepted the cheers and adoration from the approximately 17,000 supporters who filled the South Stand at the venue, there were smiles, hugs, and acknowledgement of the fans and their role in making this trip to their second World Cup Final memorable for all. They only showed their sorrow and pain once they had gone back to change out of their uniforms for the final time this tournament.

Once the CommAir charter Airbus A330-200 left the ground, the mood shifted to one of happiness and accomplishment; these 24 players knew that no matter the end result, they had been part of something that was special and they would join the exalted realm of teams that people would talk about proudly for years to come--the Heroes of 1954-55, the il Bombi team, the early 80's and late 80's teams under George Charleston, and of course the previous incarnation that qualified for World Cup 80.

They were now part of lore they had learned about growing up, and they were just fine with that.

As we boarded and got settled in prior to takeoff, I asked Sasha Henderson, the FAC Director of Media Relations, if would be possible for me to get a chance to have an interview with a player I really wanted speak to. As is her usual custom, she was happy to see if she could arrange it. When I said I wanted to talk to Annabeth Westmoreland, she gave me a look like I'd asked to have a brief word with Queen Elizabeth II.

"I won't make a promise, Frank. I'll ask her. But she is extremely wary of talking to anyone in the media." I said that I understood and couldn't blame her one bit. "At least say that I will be completely fair to her. You know me."

I was fortunate that as the senior writer covering the team, I got a choice of where I wanted to sit and my own row that I didn't have to share. I generally sat in the middle seat, so anyone walking by who wanted to stop and chat could just plop down and engage in a conversation.

Not long after they made the announcement that the cabin doors were closing and we would be leaving the gate, Sasha appeared, and then Annabeth came into view. "Frank Armitage, Annabeth Westmoreland." She smiled, reached out with her hand, which I shook & she sat down on the aisle seat and buckled the seatbelt. I wondered if she wanted to switch seats so she wouldn't be as conspicuous to the others in this cabin, which was the equivalent of business class.

"I appreciate the offer, but I don't like to be near the window. I'm glad you asked to speak with me. Everyone reads your stuff and you are like a legend."

I wasn't sure how I was supposed to respond, but I glided right past the obvious compliment. "Thank you for agreeing to be here. I'll say to you the same thing I tell every person I interview--if you say something, and then decide that you don't want what you've said printed, I'll honor that."

About that time the pilot said we were preparing to taxi towards our runway. "I understand Mr Armitage, I appreciate that."

"Please call me Frank if you'd like. You're a professional soccer player, I'm not going to treat you like a school girl."

She smiled and nodded her head like that was something she was happy to hear. "Thank you, Frank."

_________________________________________________________________________________

Once we had leveled off after takeoff, I started out with a few questions I like to call "comfort zone talk". It gets the subject at ease and into a relaxed, conversational mode. "What's the biggest adjustment you had to make after leaving Ridge Raiders Ladies and signing with Middletown City?"

She discussed the usual things you expect--getting to know new teammates, new staff, a different city and a new place to live. And then she threw out an unexpected reply. "Being away from my family."

To really get a good idea about 'AB'--as almost all her teammates, coaches and fans call her--you have to understand her underlying motivation. She was the first born to her parents--David, Professor of Biology at University of Southern Baker Park, and Julie, contracts lawyer turned stay at home mom for several years--and worships both as the smartest people she has ever met (she twice brought up the fact that regrets not going to college instead of signing pro forms at 18). She was certain she was going to be an only child, until one day when she was 9, her mom picked her up from school--"we didn't live that far, I always walked to and from"--and drove to her favorite treat shop for banana splits. She was almost halfway through when Julie broke the news that she was pregnant. "I was happy, elated, excited. And then for some reason, after we got home, I was sad, angry, disappointed."

Her own big sister instincts overtook her misgivings when her brother Sam was born. "It was like my mom and I fought over who was going to take care of him. I'm absolutely glad she won!"

Less than two years later, another addition--Hannah--joined the family. At this point, Annabeth was clearly showing signs of talent beyond her age at soccer. "I wasn't one of those kids who spend all day long with a soccer ball at my feet. I liked girly stuff. Dolls, jumprope, hopscotch, dancing, being silly. I hardly ever thought about soccer until it was time to sign up."

Her father was supportive, but not pushy when it came to soccer. "We had a talk during a drive we took over to Clayton one Saturday afternoon. He asked me things like did I really love playing, was I wanting to spend more time on it. I was really not even thinking about those sorts of things. I enjoyed my life, I loved playing with the little ones, I loved spending time with mom & dad and Sam and Hannah as a family. I was just on the verge of being a teenager--12-13. Little do you realize..."

She played one more season in purely recreational league soccer, although there were discussions about moving her up an age level, or putting her on an all boys team. "It's funny to think that 8 1/2 years ago people thought I was too good to play against girls and I should be moved over to the boys league. And here I am today playing alongside guys wearing the National Team shirt!"

When she turned 14 and was eligible for a part-time youth team contract, her parents balked at the advances made by several nearby clubs. "They were more concerned with my education and home life. We didn't need money. I played for the high school team instead."

Jamestown's Montrose HS were happy that Westmoreland had shunned the offers; in her freshman year they tripled their victory total from the season before and fell in OT in the quarterfinals of the Baker Park SSIAA Division 1 tournament, while she was voted to the 2nd Team All-Star squad--the first and only time a freshman has achieved that honor.

(continued in part 2)

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

Post WC flight a chance to reflect
Frank Armitage
The Daily Mail Chief Soccer Writer

part 2 of 3

At the end of her freshman year in high school, Annabeth Westmoreland was once again courted by pro clubs looking to sign her to a youth contract. Although she is right handed, she has always been a stronger dribbler & passer with her left foot, a trait considered fairly uncommon by sport scientists; think about how many left footed kickers you've seen play in football, and whether you took it for granted that they were left handed naturally.

This attribute, along with the fact that she stood 5'11 (after a growth spurt between her 13th and 14th birthdays) and had the visual acuity to see the field while dribbling at full speed, made her a highly sought prospect. However, she again spurned offers and went back to start her second season with Montrose.

While remaining an amateur, she still attracted the attention of the FAC and was invited to take part in a two week camp and series of matches with the Under-15 Ladies team just prior to the start of the school year. She stood out in her first real experience in playing with others similar in skill and ability.

What should've been the best year of her young life turned out to be the one year she'd rather forget. In the very first match of the school campaign, she was injured during a corner kick when another player stepped on her right foot. Although she finished that game, it would be another 5 weeks until she was cleared to play following the diagnosis of a hairline fracture of the fifth metatarsal. She grew impatient with only being able to watch, and that frustration built up to her having fits of crying at home, and not being focused on school work, which was biggest worry of her parents. "I was an 'A' student except for that first half of my sophmore year. My parents weren't having any of that nonsense, though."

She came off the bench in her first full game back after the injury (the high school rules allow for more frequent substitutions and the ability for players replaced to return later on) and she was happy that there was no soreness after the match.

Her moment of infamy came with just 2 games left in the season, as the team traveled to Belle Haven to face off against Greenwell High. "I still to this day don't know what that girl had against me. Maybe it was jealousy, but why are you upset with someone who has played less than 30 games since the beginning of the previous season?"

She had gotten the best of the opposing full back for much of the match, and in the 63rd minute, Westmoreland won a corner, which she took. "She's standing off, ten yards back from the flag, and I run up and hit an outswinger into the box."

From there, the story has become a convoluted mess of selective memory, general outcry and unfair accusations, but AB has never wavered from her description of the events.
"I'm following into the box and next thing I know, I'm on my back. She has just clotheslined me and the ref & the assistant didn't see anything until I jumped up." At that moment, she just reacted instinctively. "I shoved her with both hands to the ground and ran over to stand above her, and I'm screaming. I swear on my life I don't even remember what I actually said, but I'm sure it fairly profane."

At this point both teams have rushed into the fray, the officials trying to separate the sides and restore order. Her teammates are grabbing her from 3 sides and she was still in a state of pure anger. "Someone said I screamed out 'I'm gonna kill you, bitch', which could be true, but I have never in my life, up to that point or since have said that to another person, not even just joking."

The immediate aftermath was swift--a straight red card for Annabeth, and nothing for her attacker. She was led toward the locker room, but had to suffer the abuse of the hometown fans who screamed profanities and threats at her.

The one video recording of the match is inconclusive, as the camera follows the ball into the box and doesn't catch the incident. But the fact that it happened in Belle Haven and that parents from Greenwell made a lot of noise about the incident meant the story got more play nationally than it probably would have if it had occurred somewhere else, and because the local people controlled the narrative, Westmoreland's reputation has been dragged through the mud for years in the aftermath.

A straight red card in the high school game carries an automatic 3 match suspension, so Montrose losing in the first round of the playoff 9 days later meant their season was over and Annabeth had the remaining game carried over to the next year. Little did anyone realize at that moment, she had played her last high school game.

"I cried on the bus all the way back to Jamestown. Nothing the others could say or do could console me. And the fact was we won, so I basically brought a big bummer down on the whole squad."

Her parents had not gone to the game, so it wasn't until her mother picked her at the school that she knew what had transpired. "The coach jumped off the bus really quickly and walked over to my mom and explained what had gone down. By the time I made it over to her I had just stopped crying, and she didn't even say a word, she hugged me."

When story hit the national papers and wires, she gave her side of the story to local news & people did rally around her at home; her schoolmates supported her, the principal issued a statement, her teammates wrote her number on the heels of their soccer boots.

But she didn't so much as look at a soccer ball for the next 6 months.

(concluded in part 3)

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

As a public service...no, as way to get some people to read my stuff revolving around my obsession with a few of the characters left over from the Banijan Cival War arc from WC 80, there are a whole series of "chapters" that can be followed on my dispatches page. The stories are as follows, in chronological order:

SPECOP Piranha (WC80 era)
Beyond Piranha (post WC 80 era-WLC subplot)
Change of Scenery (pre WC 81 qualifying)
On the Horizon (pre WC 81 qualifying)
Fortune Favors the Bold (pre WC 81 qualifying)

https://www.nationstates.net/page=dispatches/start=21/nation=commonwealth_of_baker_park

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

The End of the Trip
Frank Armitage
The Daily MailChief Soccer Writer

part 3 of 3

Following her anti-climatic end to the soccer season, Annnabeth Westmoreland completely forgot about the game. She made the choice to go out for the track team in the spring and ran the 400 meters, and competed in the long jump. When the school year was over, she didn't know that her life as a high schooler was. for all intents, over.

She still had the attention of the youth team staff at the FAC, but she declined an invitation for another camp and tour with the Under 17 team that summer. She listened to offers from clubs offering youth contracts, but she wanted to choose the club that had the best academic reputation; she and her parents made several visits and asked difficult questions. Unspoken in her mind was the ability to travel home at weekends and other times.

She eventually settled on signing with Ridge Raiders Ladies, because she was comfortable with the setup and they gave her the assurances she was looking for.

"I needed that experience at Raiders. It was really the turning point for me. I learned so much about myself and the way to approach being a pro."

She made her first team debut at the end of her 1st academy year, and and she was determined to finish her schooling, which limited her appearances as an 18 year old in her second. She signed a 4 year pro deal a month after she made perfect scores on her HSE.

We'll fast forward to the chance to play for the Under 21's at the DBC. "Jen (Prescott) has been a wonderful mentor to me, and when she asked if I was willing to come and play for her with the 21's, I didn't hesitate, even though I'd already earned a senior cap. It was great opportunity, and the experience was terrific; everyone was so welcoming and the squad had such a good chemistry."

Soon she was recalled to Women's Team for the Baker Park Open Cup, and she slotted into a role that was satisfying and comfortable. "Pam (Scott) asked if I would play the wing, because she had Mandy (Amanda Hayes) to play the center left. That was what I played at Montrose, so I said sure."

When she was called into the Qualifying Team camp, she wasn't certain what role she have. "I knew that the whole midfield was pretty solid, but Pam sort of experimented with me in the middle and in the slot. I liked being right behind the forwards, it was a completely different responsibility than I've ever been exposed to."

Her versatility and work rate locked her place in the final roster in to the obvious assessment of everyone. "Naroun (Patel) came up to me on cut day and said he had no doubt that I deserved a spot ahead of him, which made me feel terrible for him, and I cried a bit. He told me to go and play like the star that I was. It was one of the most touching moments I've ever experienced."

I hadn't expected to get more than 20 or 30 minutes total, but she laid bare her soul to me for over an hour. I remarked to her that she probably wanted to go back up front and join in on the festivities that we could hear from our seats. "This whole journey has been something I never dreamed could've happened 5 years ago. I am not that comfortable talking about myself to journalists, but I'm glad that I took this time, Frank". She stood up and reached out to shake my hand. "Don't be a stranger, and thank you". She disappeared back through the curtain into the forward cabin.

I could hear the rest of the squad laughing, singing, enjoying themselves up until we started on our final approach. Once on the ground, as we deplaned and headed for the gate, I saw a few others who I've had the chance to interview at length and we exchanged pleasantries. As the traveling party started to head off in their separate directions, I thought back to the very first match of the qualifying campaign, in Freeport. We had all come a long way since that trip, farther than any of us had been before. I wondered if we'd have the same happy memories four years from now, how much farther there was to travel.

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

Hockey Establishment Announces New Venture
(CPA) Mansfield, Baker Park--The upcoming season in the Commonwealth Hockey Association will also see an additional outlet for those who can't get enough of the action on ice.

In cooperation with the Banija Hockey Federation, the Commonwealth Hockey Federation and the CHA have approved an agreement which will see a team located in Mansfield which will compete in the Greater Banjian Hockey League alongside other clubs located in other nations both within and outside Atlantian Oceana that have substantial ex-pat communities of Kingdom citizens.

CHA Commissioner Tom Stork welcomed the addition exposure for the sport to a wider regional and multverse audience. "We were approached by the GBHL and the BHF for a waiver to allow a club to be located in Mansfield--a growing center for immigrants from the Kingdom of Banija--to participate in the Kingdom's domestic competition. The players for the new team will comprise Banijan nationals, as well as a few of our own local players who haven't been registered as professionals with the CHF, and the Mansfield Maroons have been willing to accommodate game dates for the new team here at the Bartlett Arena."

CHF Chief Executive Paul Miller said he was enthusiastic about the joint venture. "Hockey is a sport that has a following in Banija, in spite of the obvious obstacles that you might expect in a country that doesn't have a natural winter sport infrastructure. The Banijan diaspora to other nations that has occurred over several years has exposed the ex-pat populations to pick up an affinity for the game. The CHF is happy that we will be able to help develop not only those who have emigrated to the Commonwealth, but also to expand interest in the sport among our minority communities as well."

The Maroons and the CHF will have minority ownership interest in the new venture, although they will not have any say in personnel or player decisions. "We are providing an upfront investment in this team, because we are committed to it's success, but our role will be strictly as investors without any management input", said Miller.

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

The NSWL embarks on its 42nd season, and for the first time, a team from the league will take part in an outside competition in addition to the regular 30 game slate.

Defending champions Brentford Ladies were nominated by the FAC to be the sole representative in the UICA Series B Champions Cup, which is open to associations who elect to compete with a club from a division below the top of the pyramid.

The FAC believes that by having the NWSL's best face other clubs from around the multiverse, it will bring a higher profile of the league to potential players from other nations and increase the level of competition within the domestic league.

Brentford Ladies will not know their opponents for the home & home tie until the domestic season is underway, as they have been exempted from the first two qualifying rounds and will enter at the 3rd Preliminary Stage.

It has been one of the most interesting transfer periods in league history, as there has been two-way traffic between foreign players coming in and established stars heading for new adventures.

At the top of the signing news is the blockbuster deal that sees World Cup sensation Annabeth Westmoreland leaving Middletown City Ladies after just two seasons in a Commonwealth record CBP$12.8 million transfer, to ply her trade for Vanorian side Hondo FC, one of the top clubs in Valanora.

Another player who was the subject of a lot of rumor regarding her future was Brianne Whitestone, who was said to have a great deal of interest from an unnamed club in Cassadaigua; in the end no offer came from that nation, but Hinodjian side Mashu Hallowenia came in with a CBP$9.5 million offer that Ravens Ladies couldn't pass up under any circumstances.

League clubs sought out players who could provide a difference making edge from foreign leagues; Brentford Ladies specifically looked to get veteran leadership ahead of their UICA challenge and signed Rebecca Clive, an established striker from Brenecia. Both promoted sides got in on the act as Forest Park Ladies took on a pair of Nepharians, Liesel Ironhewer and Jackie Commerce, and Westwood Ladies snatched a fellow countrywoman in Joanna Chancellor.

A couple of Second Division sides looking to make a promotion push entered the transfer market as well, with a 4th Nephara national, Helvetica Scaffoll, coming to terms with Southend Ladies, while Meadowdale Ladies got the signature of promising defender Alundra from Daiman.

Whether this will herald a new influx into the NSWL from other nations remains to be seen but all of the new faces should make immediate impacts on their respective new clubs.

The battle for the Championship will probably be a 3 or 4 team battle--the champions will try to become the first repeat winners in 13 seasons while negotiating an overseas series of matches, while Castleford, Far Hills and Haskins Blues will each look towards the strengths of their sides a year ago--the best defense, the most stable starting XI and the highest scorers, respectfully--to mount a challenge. Sherwood Forest, Greenlea & Ridge Raiders look to be serious dark horses, while Ravens and Midd City will need to figure out how to repair the blowout of their lineup if they don't want to be in the dogfight at the tail end of the table among Shiloh, Leiderkranz and Newmarket.

1. Haskins Blues Ladies
2. Far Hills Ladies
3. Castleford Ladies
4. Brentford Ladies
5. Sherwood Forest Ladies
6. Greenlea United Ladies
7. Forest Park Ladies
8. Ridge Raiders Ladies
9. Broadview AFC Ladies
10. Great Northern Ladies
11. Westwood Sprites Ladies
12. Newmarket Ladies
13. Ravens Ladies
14. Middletown City Women
15. Shiloh Ladies
16. Leiderkranz Ladies

Coming up from the 2nd Division is harder than ever for many of the contenders. Except for the 3 'L's', it is possible to predict that 2nd through 12th might not end up separated by more than 10 or 12 points by seasons end.

1. Shirley Metros Ladies
2. Meadowdale Ladies
3. Ellesmere Woods Ladies
4. Clayton City Ladies
5. St Stephens Ladies
6. E Endborough Ladies
7. Southend AC Ladies
8. Jamestown City Ladies
9. Riverside City Ladies
10. Hamilton Wanderers Ladies
11. Lima United Women
12. Caledonia Ladies
13. Lady Crusaders
14. Linden Ladies
15. Llewellyn Turnpike Ladies
16. Lynchana Women

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

Warriors claim prize foreign recruit
by Aaron Hardison
UC Correspondent for The Times

Now that the NSCF season has concluded, University of the Commonwealth's football program can begin laying the groundwork for the next domestic campaign.

There are many holes to fill as the seniors who have been at the center of the success UC has attained in their two NSCF forays and the UAC competition, where they have also shown outstanding play, will be moving on.

While the fruits of the Warriors' recruiting won't be clearer until close to the end of the school year, there is already one solid commitment who will be new to the roster.

Lamin Kah, the #1 rated high school recruit in Banija, has signaled his intent to cast his lot with UC and will play his football at College Hill. At 6'4" and 228 pounds, Kah is a physical specimen not usually found on the football fields of Baker Park at the wide receiver position.

Coach Scott Newell discussed how a player with such a high profile in another nation would end up in black & gold. "Obviously we have started to pay a bit of attention to some of the nations we have been playing for the last couple of years, to see what types of talent we might be able attract here. (Kah) wasn't even on our radar insofar as thinking we could land him. It turns out he has some relatives who have come in from Banija and live in Mansfield, and through a third party we were put in touch with them; they told us that Lamin was giving thought to leaving for another country to pursue his college education. We asked if they could relay a message back to say we'd be happy to have him come for a visit, to coincide with our game against Northern (Moravica)."

Luckily for Newell, the relatives were those of an uncle to whom Kah's family are close to, and the stark difference between the Commonwealth and the Kingdom in terms of climate and geography got the young mans attention right away. "He said that he really was excited to see a place where there's a completely different type feel, in terms of not always being humid and warm."

Following the day long campus visit ahead of the NMU-UC contest, the young man from Busukuma's Cass Technical HS got a behind the scenes look at a typical football event, Baker Park style.

Newell again, "when he left, we certainly had a good feeling about how positively he reacted to the day's activities, but I still had pretty low expectations."

Following the Warriors loss to Cold Hill in the first round of the playoffs, Newell concentrated on other end of season chores; but a call less than 2 weeks later got his attention. "Horace Browning (former NMU coach and now AD) phoned me for a general how are you call, and he laughed & said 'Scott, you've really upset the apple cart' and then proceeded to tell me that Lamin had cancelled his plans to attend the NMU-Loyola (semi-final) game. We knew that Loyola was really high on him, but I didn't really take the news in the way that I think he (Browning) was telegraphing to me."

He understood the ramifications the next afternoon, after returning from lunch and a meeting with his own AD, he had 11 messages from reporters across Banija. Lamin Kah had announced he was going to continue his education and football career at the University of the Commonwealth.

"I immediately told my secretary to call the staff and have them come into the office, and then I returned the first message that had been taken."

After he spoken with several reporters from the Kingdom, Newell took a minute to think about what this whole episode had taught him.

"Never count yourself out until someone says no."

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

AOCAF recap, busy future on the agenda at FAC
Frank Armitage
The Daily Mail Chief Soccer Writer

Reporting from Charter Township:

FAC Executive Director Dave Carlson spoke with the media today about the state of the National Team and what was in store for the governing body in the near term.

Pam Scott led off the briefing with a discussion of the recent AOCAF tournament in Mriin, which saw the side advance to the quarterfinals. "It takes a few days to be able to look at things objectively, so I'm comfortable saying that I'm extremely happy with the progress we made. Obviously I did not like the ending, but I think the reality was always going to come to fore. We faced a side that we know have loads of talent, and they brought a lot of their first team players. I don't know if we are just not placing the same amount of emphasis on the tourney, but I wouldn't say that we were inferior or just playing for funsies. Equestria are a class side, class players and staff, and we didn't rise enough to the challenge on the night. But look at it this way, we were in the last 8 of maybe the second toughest competition in the multiverse to win."

Following Scott, Carlson made a few remarks on his satisfaction with the AOCAF squad and that the management staff had nothing but positive things to say about the players. He then moved on to the developments in the pipeline.
The DiBradini Cup is next up on the calendar and a bit shuffling was required to get the right staff into the right spots. "Liam (Sullivan) would've been the natural choice to take the 21's, but we have tasked him with the management of the side that will go to the Olympics. We made a conscious decision to go with a men-only team, and to utilize a lot of players who have just lost out on the chance to play in the DBC, so we are in a way splitting the 21's into two camps. Jen (Prescott) of course should've been the alternative, but we talked her into providing some experience and support for Will Barnard, who will lead the under 18's when we get to the SWC. This meant that we needed a manager for the DBC 21's and we called Tony Weiss out of his cave and offered him a new tracksuit and a choice of assistant, not in that order. (laughter)"

"Darren Kirby will work with Liam as his #2 and Zoe Montgomery will be Tony's assistant. I think it's become pretty clear that we are striving to give all of our age group staff equal opportunities to lead teams, because we think it helps the players to hear different perspectives and experience different personalities, and we think it benefits our coaches and reinforces the teamwork we have developed among the staff."

Asked about the Olympics, Carlson said that there are horizons to be explored for both gender specific sides. "We're confident that Ally (LaFleur, FAC Deputy Executive Director) has gotten back to at least 7 hours of sleep a night, so we will start preparing for the next Open Cup, and we thought that we needed an outlet for a male-only team. Maybe over time we will start to designate specific competitions for coed, women and men teams. You saw from the last qualifying cycle, we have a lot of talent, and we don't want to lose potential players because they feel as though they don't have a shot at making rosters."

Carlson also touched briefly on the negotiations for new broadcasting rights for both the FAC and the leagues. "Obviously there is a lot of discussion about the current situation. What benefits and downsides are there to spreading the distribution of TV games across more than the current rights holders (CBC and CommSports)? The board and the League are studying the proposals for both national team and cup broadcasts and league rights."

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

MOE on SPORT

Commonwealth ready for its closeup?
Moe Carlton
The Daily Mail Sport Columnist

There's a low level buzz in many corners of Baker Park right now, and you'd have to scratch the surface to get down to the root cause; but make no mistake, there is going to be wealth of activity for the sport fan in the very near future.

At the top of the list is the upcoming 13th Olympic Summer Games, to be held in the Federation of the Free Republics, that quirky nation with never ending referenda and elections open to all, where the National Soccer Team played in the previous World Cup. The OCC made a controversial decision to limit the size of delegation for this first time appearance, but there is no question that our best foot is being put forward on the multiverse stage.

Included in the broader Olympic team that will represent the nation, the FAC will send an all male side, primarily made of up of players with limited senior team experience between the ages of 20-24. The UAC & the BP Lacrosse Association will send a team to take part in a demonstration tournament and BP Basketball are sending a team of women to compete as well.

Speaking of the ladies in lacrosse, the National side that surprised many in their World Championship debut are currently preparing for another attempt to square off against the multiverse's finest; Coach Brittaney Franklin awaits the final details of the tournament arrangements before announcing her roster, but there will be some overlap of players between the WLC and Olympics teams.

As for the lady cagers, they have already found success coming through as the champions of the inaugural Kriegiersien Cup, where they came away with the best 4 game record against the host nation, Darmen, West Phoenicia and the Alpine Republic.

The majority of the remainder of the Olympians will consist of the very best the Commonwealth has to offer on the running track and in the swimming pool; in addition, four young up & coming boxers will get their first experience in the amateur multiverse fight scene.

If that wasn't enough to keep you interested, the FAC is preparing the latest edition of the Under-18 National Team for the 7th Sporting World Cup/U18 World Championships, which will be hosted in the Equestrian States.

These are heady times for sport in this country; our successes on the soccer and football fields means that the expectations of other nations that we face have risen equally.

For all of those putting in the hard work leading towards these competitions, we say "Good Luck!"

Moe on Sport appears twice a week in The Daily Mail and every other week in The Mail on Sunday.

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

NSL Season in Review--Pt 1 (weeks 1-11)

The National Soccer League Championship season was another exciting year with twists & turns, surprises & disappointments, and in the end, a final day head to head showdown for the title.

St Warren City entered the campaign as the defending champions, which saw them earn a spot in the UICA Champions Cup; they entered the competition in the 2nd Preliminary Round, where they were matched against United Philibiscoastal from Omerica. A 2-1 victory at MacIlwaine Park had Saints looking hopeful of moving on, however a 2-0 loss in the return fixture saw the champs crash out; a consolation was that they earned a spot in the Globe Cup, with the benefit of skipping 2 Preliminary stages in that tournament.

Champions Cup
2nd Preliminary Rd
St Warren 2-3 United Philibiscoastal (OME) 2-1/0-2

Clayton City, the FAC Cup winners, and Monmouth Park, making a second straight UICA appearance, both began their quest in the Globe Cup with ties in the 1st Preliminary Round; CC drawing Mercedini side Acoflosa United, while Park earned a matchup with Royal Puncakpura from Eraman. Both NSL clubs had the first leg at home and both came away with one goal defeats, which left work to be done on the trips abroad. Monmouth were left frustrated by a scoreless affair, while Clayton City was unable to keep pace against the Mercedinis, falling 3-1.

Globe Cup
1st Preliminary Rd
Clayton City 3-6 Acoflosa United (MRC) 2-3/1-3
Monmouth Park 1-2 Royal Puncakpura (ERM) 1-2/0-0

Two clubs introduced new managers, as Hillsborough turned to Nick Griffith from Great Northern, and Shirley Metros hired Terry Mathias away from Greenlea, after he led them to promotion from the Conference. Both were asked to right the ship at clubs that have struggled for results in recent years.

Richmond Station marked their return to the top flight for the first time in 26 years with an opening day home encounter with arch-rivals Newport City, and a 2-1 victory was just what Station's fanbase ordered. Fellow new boys Mansfield C&W also got a home fixture on day 1, but fell 3-2 to Clayton City.

CC's abysmal start a year ago made news for the first third of the campaign, but they appear to have flipped the script, a 2-1 win over St Warren giving them 2 wins to start the season.
Monmouth Park stumbled badly early on, as their 1-0 win over Hillsborough on matchday 5 marked the first goal scored in the league for the side. On a bright note, they had only allowed 2 against them.

Westwood Sprites made their debut in the Globe Cup in the 2nd Preliminary Round where they faced Olympia FC from Eastfield Lodge, and grabbed the important away goal in the first leg in addition to a clean sheet. Unfortunately they were unable to repeat the performance at Highview, falling 2-1 to lose the tie on—you guessed it—away goals.

2nd Preliminary Rd
Olympia FC (EFL) 2-2 Westwood Sprites 0-1/2-1 (Olympia win on away goals)

The same Olympia side were the opposition for St Warren City as the 3rd Preliminary Round saw Saints return to UICA action. The champions fared far better than Sprites, as they built upon their first leg 3-0 home victory to double that score at the Olympic Stadium in Eastfield.

3rd Preliminary Round
St Warren 9-0 Olympia FC (EFL) 3-0/6-0

Richmond Station extended their unbeaten run from the start of the season to 7 when they squeaked past C&W in Mansfield, but luck changes quickly in the NSL, as they proceeded to lose 3 straight before reaching the one third post with a win over Ezriquay United, which allowed them to pull back into a tie for 2nd.

Pld   W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Southend AC               	 11    6   4   1    25   16   +9    22
 2 Richmond Station FC      	 11    6   2   3    17   12   +5    20
 3 St Warren City FC         	 11    6   2   3    20   16   +4    20
 4 Learfield FC             	 11    6   1   4    24   19   +5    19
 5 Shirley Metros FC         	 11    5   4   2    18   16   +2    19
 6 Dalton Town FC           	 11    4   5   2    23   22   +1    17
 7 Marshallton Athletic SC   	 11    4   3   4    24   24    0    15
 8 Midtown Athletic Club    	 11    4   3   4    23   23    0    15
 9 Monmouth Park FC         	 11    3   5   3    14   13   +1    14
10 New Bremen FC             	 11    4   2   5     9    9    0    14
11 Newport City FC           	 11    4   2   5    23   24   −1    14
12 Corinthians               	 11    4   2   5    19   21   −2    14
13 Asbury Park FC           	 11    3   4   4    23   25   −2    13
14 Hillsborough FC           	 11    4   1   6    17   22   −5    13
15 Westwood Sprites         	 11    2   6   3    22   22    0    12
16 Clayton City SC           	 11    4   0   7    21   28   −7    12
17 Eqriquay United FC       	 11    2   4   5    17   21   −4    10
18 Mansfield C&W FC              11    2   2   7    20   26   −6     8

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

NSL Season in Review--Pt 2 (weeks 12-23)

With only 3 points separating 7th from 16th, the middle portion of the schedule would be the critical period for many clubs. As this coincided with the busiest time in the fixture list—December sees 5 matches before the halfway winter break—any side that string together a run of good results could jump right into the title race.

St Warren resumed their trek towards the Globe Cup as they faced St George University from Salsteed in the Playoff Round, securing advancement following an 11 goal tie.

Playoff Round
St Warren 6-5 St George University (SAL) 4-1/2-4

Their next step was a faceoff versus Dwile Warriors, Apox's largest club. Following a home leg loss, Saints couldn't keep Dwile off the scoresheet after having secured the needed away goal, and fell out of the UICA events for this campaign.

Qualifying Round
St Warren 1-2 Dwile Warriors (APX) 0-1/1-1

In spite of their scoring woes, New Bremen were keeping pace on the strength of their defense which had allowed only 11 tallies by week 15. Much of the table remained constant upto Christmastime, with the lower half of the table shifting little, aside from a surge by Clayton City to get into the top 10, which followed their elimination from the Cygnus Cup at the hands of SW Stahlberg from Siovanija & Teusland.

Cygnus Cup
Preliminary Round
SW Stahlberg (STL) 2-1 Clayton City 2-0/0-1

At halfway, three clubs shared the lead, while three more lurked closeby.

Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
 1 Learfield FC            	17   10   2   5    36   26  +10    32
 2 Richmond Station FC   	17   10   2   5    28   18  +10    32
 3 St Warren City FC         	17    9   5   3    29   22   +7    32
 4 New Bremen FC           	17    9   3   5    23   13  +10    30
 5 Southend AC               	17    8   5   4    33   25   +8    29
 6 Dalton Town FC           	17    7   8   2    41   35   +6    29
 7 Shirley Metros FC        	17    7   6   4    28   26   +2    27
 8 Clayton City SC           	17    8   0   9    32   36   −4    24
 9 Westwood Sprites         	17    5   7   5    31   31    0    22
10 Asbury Park FC             	17    6   4   7    33   37   −4    22
11 Newport City FC           	17    6   3   8    32   32    0    21
12 Monmouth Park FC      	17    4   7   6    20   23   −3    19
13 Marshallton Athletic SC   	17    5   4   8    31   36   −5    19
14 Hillsborough FC           	17    5   4   8    29   37   −8    19
15 Midtown Athletic Club     	17    4   6   7    27   30   −3    18
16 Corinthians               	17    5   3   9    27   34   −7    18
17 Eqriquay United FC        	17    3   5   9    26   34   −8    14
18 Mansfield C&W FC          	17    3   4  10    28   39  −11    13

Before the resumption of league play in mid January, St Warren had one final competition to attempt to qualify for the group stage. Facing off against another Siovanijan side, Olympia Borogard, St Warren dropped their home leg again, leaving much work to be done on the return fixture. Another one goal loss ended their extracurricular excursion, leaving them able to concentrate on defending their crown.

AOCL
Preliminary Round
St Warren 2-4 Olympia Borograd (STL) 1-2/1-2

The managerial changes were producing mixed results, as Metros showed an improved cohesiveness, while at Hillsborough there were still some bugs needing to be worked out, as they again hovered around the relegation zone.

Monmouth Park saw their season slipping away, as run of 11 matches that saw them take only 6 points slid them down to 16th, as Asbury Park was going in the opposite direction; 8 straight wins put AP in tie for the top with the holders and the still rampant Richmond Station, who looked prepared to go the distance.

Just 11 matches remaining with the logjam at the top overshadowing C&W's floudering return to the Championship and the struggles of United and Newport at the tail end.

Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
 1 Richmond Station FC       23   12   4   7    36   27   +9    40
 2 St Warren City FC         23   11   7   5    39   32   +7    40
 3 Asbury Park FC            23   12   4   7    48   43   +5    40
 4 Dalton Town FC            23   10   9   4    52   47   +5    39
 5 New Bremen FC             23   10   7   6    30   18  +12    37
 6 Shirley Metros FC         23    9   9   5    38   30   +8    36
 7 Learfield FC              23   11   3   9    40   38   +2    36
 8 Westwood Sprites          23    9   8   6    45   40   +5    35
 9 Clayton City SC           23   11   2  10    46   48   −2    35
10 Midtown Athletic Club     23    9   7   7    40   37   +3    34
11 Southend AC               23    8   8   7    35   30   +5    32
12 Marshallton Athletic SC   23    8   5  10    45   48   −3    29
13 Hillsborough FC           23    8   4  11    44   51   −7    28
14 Corinthians               23    7   4  12    36   45   −9    25
15 Eqriquay United FC        23    6   6  11    39   46   −7    24
16 Monmouth Park FC          23    4   9  10    21   28   −7    21
17 Newport City FC           23    6   3  14    38   48  −10    21
18 Mansfield C&W FC          23    3   7  13    34   50  −16    16

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

NSL Season in Review--final (weeks 24-34) & FAC Cup recap

With 7 matches left, Metros appeared to be the first side to capitulate, as they dropped away from the frontrunners, and Station also hit a wall, with only 1 point in the previous 4, Bremen also fading & St Warren reclaimed the top spot after ending Asbury's 11 match unbeaten streak with an emphatic 6-2 home win.

Learfield, Dalton and Midtown AC began to make chase with just 5 to go and Mansfield, who had been 10 points behind 17th 3 matches prior, now had hope of escaping the drop. Metros made it clear they weren't finished after they defeated St Warren on matchday 30 to close within 6 points and C&W jumped ahead of Newport with a win over the Sky Blues.

Richmond Station slumped to an eighth loss in succession on matchday 32, and both the title chase and the relegation fight were too close to call. St Warren, Asbury Park and Dalton were covered by just 4 points, while at the bottom, Monmouth, Newport & Mansfield were separated by only 2.

The penultimate day had all the drama one expects from the NSL: Station broke their losing streak by holding Learfield to draw, which eliminated the Oceana club, while Midtown kept their slim chances alive with a 4-1 win over Saints and Dalton set up a final winner take all match with a 3-3 stalemate against Mansfield, meaning C&W could still stay alive with a win next week and both Newport & Monmouth losing.

The final table fell into place with St Warren defeating Dalton and Newport beating Midtown, which meant that MAC settled for third and Newport were spared the drop, at the expense of Monmouth Park, who went from Champions to 2nd Division in just 2 years.

FINAL TABLE

Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 St Warren City FC         34   17   7  10    62   53   +9    58
 2 Dalton Town FC            34   14  12   8    74   68   +6    54
 3 Midtown Athletic Club     34   14  10  10    62   55   +7    52
 4 Asbury Park FC            34   15   7  12    68   67   +1    52
 5 New Bremen FC             34   14   9  11    39   29  +10    51
 6 Learfield FC              34   15   6  13    60   58   +2    51
 7 Hillsborough FC           34   15   6  13    69   68   +1    51
 8 Shirley Metros FC         34   13  11  10    56   48   +8    50
 9 Southend AC               34   12  12  10    61   56   +5    48
10 Corinthians               34   14   6  14    62   65   −3    48
11 Westwood Sprites          34   12  10  12    66   65   +1    46
12 Richmond Station FC       34   13   6  15    42   43   −1    45
13 Clayton City SC           34   14   3  17    64   71   −7    45
14 Eqriquay United FC        34   12   7  15    61   66   −5    43
15 Marshallton Athletic SC   34   11   9  14    63   65   −2    42
16 Newport City FC           34   11   4  19    54   67  −13    37
17 Monmouth Park FC          34    8  12  14    32   40   −8    36
18 Mansfield C&W FC          34    9   9  16    59   70  −11    36

Green--Champions Cup
Blue--Globe Cup
Red--Relegated
_______________________________________________________________________________



Five clubs from outside of the Championship remained in the FAC Cup after the Third round, all from the 2nd Division: Coolville United, Llewellyn Turnpike, Crusaders FC, Nor-Dale & Riverside City. Turnpike ousted the Cup holders Clayton City on their way to the semi-finals, but an all Ezriquay Final was wait awaited the crowd at Sportsman's Park for the 112th edition. Midtown Athletic Club took the prize after winning the shootout.

Fourth Round
Marshallton Athletic SC 1–3 Hillsborough FC
New Bremen FC 0–0 Richmond Station FC
Asbury Park FC 3–5 Coolville United
Clayton City SC 3–6 Llewellyn Turnpike SC
Crusaders FC 1–2 Shirley Metros FC
St Warren City FC 1–5 Midtown Athletic Club
Monmouth Park FC 2–1 Nor-Dale AFC
Eqriquay United FC 2–1 Riverside City FC

Replay
Richmond Station FC 0–0 New Bremen FC (1–0 AET)

Fifth Round
Shirley Metros FC 2–2 Eqriquay United FC
Richmond Station FC 1–2 Midtown Athletic Club
Llewellyn Turnpike SC 1–0 Monmouth Park FC
Coolville United 1–2 Hillsborough FC

Replay
Eqriquay United FC 1–1 Shirley Metros FC (1–1 AET) (4–2 pen.)

Semi Finals
Eqriquay United FC 1–0 Llewellyn Turnpike SC (at Newmarket)
Hillsborough FC 0–2 Midtown Athletic Club (at Hamilton)

Final
Midtown Athletic Club 1–1 Eqriquay United FC (2–2 AET) (5–4 pen.) (at Sportsman's Park, Belle Haven)