Building on their success with the USL 2 team, Ballard FC will field a pre-professional women’s side in the USL W league beginning in 2025.
The team’s name, crest, and colors will be revealed in the fall. Ballard FC President Sam Zisette will lead the organization and oversee both the men’s and women’s teams. Former player and athletic trainer Tiffany Malick will join Ballard as Vice President and focus on developing the women’s side.
The USL W side will play at Interbay Stadium beginning in 2025.
Adding the women’s team has brought 25 female investors to the Ballard FC family, including Seattle Reign players Lauren Barnes, Jess Fishlock, and Olivia Van Der Jagt.
Also joining the ownership team are Sam Hiatt from Gotham FC, Jen Barnes, owner of Rough and Tumble Pub, and Ginny Gilder, co-owner of the Seattle Storm.
Lauren Barnes said, “Our goal is to create better opportunities for young women to develop their skills on and off the field. The path to professional soccer didn’t exist on the same scale while I was growing up, and I’m thrilled to be part of changing that for future players.”
Zisette echoed this sentiment. “Having pre-professional women’s soccer gives female players a path to play beyond college. It provides an opportunity that did not exist before.”
The Ballard USL W squad will be very similar to the USL 2 side in that the player pool will be drawn largely from local colleges and universities, offering a chance for competitive soccer over the summer. Ballard has been quite successful at tapping the best local soccer programs for their players, and it is reasonable to expect a similar record of success on the women’s side.
While the Ballard FC USL W team is not formally affiliated with the Seattle Reign, the addition of a USL W side in Seattle will certainly create more opportunities for players and the organizations going forward. Seattle Reign GM Lesle Gallimore told Sounder at Heart, “Everyone knows how popular soccer is in the PNW, and specifically how the women’s game has long been home to many of the best players in the world. The addition of more playing opportunities for young women at the amateur level can only be a good thing.”
While little is known about the eventual rollout of the name and brand, Zisette told us that the team will carry its own branding and identity. “It will NOT be ‘Ballard FC Women’ or anything of the sort.”
Look for a full brand announcement and product rollout in the fall of 2024.
You can also check out Ballard FC’s announcement video here or visit https://www.uslwtoballard.com/.
