Celia Jiménez here, excited about the Sirens’ first home game.
The Monterey Bay Sirens, a women’s pre-professional team in Monterey County, is the latest addition to the Monterey Bay FC family. It is a group of young women who will compete in the NorCal Division of the W League’s Western Conference, a short, demanding season consisting of 10 games.
“It's huge to have more female representation, especially in sports, because a lot of the younger generations don't have much to look up to, especially in our area,” says Izabella Tejada, a defender for the Sirens.
Tejada was one of the first three players to sign with the Sirens. “Coach Laura [VanWart] reached out to me; I knew that I wanted to be part of it as soon as possible,” Tejada adds, noting her family and extended family will attend the game.
Dozens of young women signed up for tryouts in March. The first tryout was with the female soccer team Salinas Cosmos, MBFC’s partner and successful para-professional team in the Women's Premier Soccer League, on International Women’s Day, March 8.
“We wanted to make a statement that we're here to support women,” says Maria Zamora, co-founder and CEO of Salinas Soccer Femenil.
Zamora adds that the tryouts were free for players to attract talent who don’t have the financial means to pay for them.
For years, Monterey Bay FC has mentioned the possibility of adding a women’s team to its franchise. In January, it announced it was starting its own pre-professional team in the United Soccer League W League.
“It's a very high-level league, and having the support of Monterey FC really just elevates it to a new level, and it gives an opportunity to our local players and from our surrounding area to achieve something special,” says Laura VanWart, head coach of the Sirens and CSU Monterey Bay’s women’s soccer team.
“They'll make an impact, and they'll be leaders, and they will be the role models to younger girls that will come to their games and see them and be like, ‘I want to grow up and be like them,’” says Gina Castañeda, Sirens’ assistant coach.
Coaches say the area has enough talent to fuel a professional team in the future.
“We're adding to the efforts of making that team go pro by letting them have our top players so they can start building a solid foundation,” Zamora says.
The Sirens are the product of a community effort where players and community partners came together to support female soccer players. Launching a professional women’s team in the region doesn’t sound far-fetched.
In the meantime, we can show our support, because it will take more than talent to make it work.
“Our job as coaches and community members is to support it and show that the community is excited about it,” VanWart says.
The Sirens will play their first home game at Cardinale Stadium in Seaside at 7pm against Stockton Cargo SC.