Never mind that it's a big step for the game of soccer. Forget the fact that it's huge for women's sports.
For former Virginia women's soccer player Angela Hucles, the WUSA is the ticket to a lifelong dream.
Hucles, who played as a Cavalier from 1996-99, is now a forward for the Boston Breakers, one of the eight teams in the Women's United Soccer Association. The WUSA, in its inaugural season this summer, is the world's premier women's professional soccer league.
"It's definitely a dream come true," Hucles said. "I'm doing something that I love as my job. A lot of people can't say that."
The WUSA features players from the 1999 U.S. World Cup championship team and top-flight international players. The WUSA founding players are the 20 members of the World Cup championship team, who joined forces with major U.S. media companies and individual investors in early 2000 to form the WUSA.
The league "gives women soccer players one more avenue of somewhere to go after they graduate," said Shaun May, WUSA director of public relations. "Several of our players would be out of soccer now if we weren't around. It's just another opportunity."
For Hucles, it was an opportunity to take a shot at her dream. She has started 16 games of the 18 Boston has played so far. She has scored two goals for four points and has totaled 1,321 minutes, placing her fifth for the Breakers in points scored and minutes played. Boston selected Hucles in the 12th round as the 92nd overall player in the WUSA's inaugural draft, which was held on Dec. 10-11, 2000.
With the Breakers, Hucles plays alongside international players Dagny Mellgren (Norway) and Maren Meinert (Germany). Mellgren and Meinert are Boston's top two leading scorers.
The WUSA "is wonderful and great to be part of," Hucles said. "The best moments are definitely playing with the players on my team. They offer a lot of experience, and I've learned so much from them. They've helped me become a better player, and I've raised my level of play so much more."
Not that Hucles hasn't had her own share of experience, which she says has given her confidence in playing in the WUSA. Before entering the league, Hucles played club soccer in Hampton Roads. For the Piranhas in 2000, she led the W-league with seven assists. She also scored six goals on 38 shots.
For the Cavaliers, Hucles was a two-time captain and a four-time All-State and All-ACC player. She holds the all-time Virginia record for points scored with 138 points and 59 goals. Hucles also had 19 game-winning goals in her four years as a Cavalier, marking another Virginia record, and six game-winning assists.
According to May, the WUSA's first season is going very well. Attendance figures at games have been higher than what the league originally expected. The current average game attendance is around 8,400, much greater than the 7,400 that was in the original plan.
"As far as play, attendance, ratings and everything overall, we are very pleased with year one," May said. "Quality of play also has picked up significantly, which indicates that it will be even better next year."
The WUSA has high aspiration for its future. According to May, the WUSA is aiming for specific, brand new stadiums to house all of its teams within the next three to five years. In addition, the league hopes for attendance figures around 12,000. And with increasing sponsorship, May thinks it shouldn't be a problem.
"We've had our bumps, but as far as the big picture, we've hit them," he said. "Our three- to five-year projections are definitely attainable."
Hucles, who now can sport cleats and jerseys to work everyday, also has a great vision as well as appreciation for the WUSA.
The WUSA is "tremendous, and it will be around for many years to come," Hucles said. "So many people before me have created this opportunity for me, and the WUSA has opened up so many opportunities for women. It's a great process that I'm glad to have become part of, and it's amazing to see what's happened over the years"
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