WPS team Sky Blue FC announce roster for Japan tour 2012

Women's Professional Soccer team Sky Blue FC have announced the roster for the upcoming Japanese tour with Plenus Nadeshiko League club INAC Kobe Leonessa.

Sky Blue FC head coach Jim Gabarra commented on womensprosoccer.com: 

“This is a unique situation in that it was originally planned as a preseason event, when putting together the player pool, we originally went back to our initial roster and presented this opportunity to those players who had signed to play for Sky Blue FC this season. When the league suspended operations, we then reached out to Western New York to see if they had some players they wanted to add. A special thanks and acknowledgement is needed for Sky Blue FC ownership and staff in its support of this trip. I believe it shows the commitment of the club to the future of WPS, as well as the continued effort to build our brand.

As a whole, the roster is comprised of players who were going to be on our team this season, as well as players from last year and others from additional WPS clubs. It is going to be a competitive roster, and this is going to be a good trip and experience for everyone who is going.

The only other times you can go and play other quality international clubs are with the national team or in the preseason like we planned this year and did in 2011 when we traveled to Turkey, it is going to be a really good experience for our players to see how another league plays. The quality of the Japanese players is a little different in that our country is a little more physical in nature, and they are mostly focused upon the technical and tactical aspects of the game. This is something we will be able to look back upon and gain a lot of valuable knowledge and experience.”

Sky Blue FC will leave New York on 15th March 2012 to fly to Tokyo before traveling into Kagoshima to begin preparations for the first friendly match with Inac Kobe Leonessa on 20th March 2012.

They will then head to Okinawa, where the two sides will meet on 24th March at Comprehensive Athletic Park.

Sky Blue FC will also be honoured at receptions in both game cities and will making community appearances as part of the Japan tour.

Sky Blue FC squad for Japan tour 2012

Goalkeepers:

Brittany Cameron

Chantel Jones

Robyn Jones

Defenders:

Anita Asante

Jazmyne Avant

Kendall Fletcher

Camille Levin (Defender/Midfielder)

Nikki Marshall

Rebecca Moros

Alex Sahlen

Midfielders:

Carolyn Blank

Brittany Bock

Amanda DaCosta

Beverly Goebel

Taylor Lytle

McCall Zerboni

Forwards:

Melissa Henderson

Laura Heyboer

Casey Nogueira

Nikki Washington

© Women's Soccer United

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