Women’s football | From Amish heartland, FC Indiana builds ‘multicultural vision’
In 2006, FC Indiana’s reliance on American college players created a problem. The club missed the playoffs. Management realized it had to chart a different direction to continue to be competitive. The college students frequently had other commitments (camps, classes, trips, etc.) that kept them away from games.
Goshen, too, was a problem. “Not one good American player is going to Goshen when she can go to San Diego, Los Angeles, Toronto, Vancouver or Tampa,” says general manager Anton Maksimov. “When you are a 20-year-old woman, would you rather go to Goshen, Indiana … or Boston?”
Former Notre Dame defender and Pennsylvania native Christie Shaner says, “Not many people know of Goshen. I didn’t myself until I played there.” The club’s selling point has always been its superior coaching and emphasis on player development. Players practice twice a day; some WPSL and W-League teams practice twice a week. FC Indiana decided to pursue players who had already graduated from college, focusing on international players who didn’t care about Goshen’s rural setting.
FC Indiana’s Diaspora Dozen
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