Women’s Pre-Professional Soccer Club Emerges from the Talent Within
Tallahassee, FL (June 21, 2023) – The USL W League today announced Tallahassee Reckoning as the newest expansion side. TLH Reckoning will field both a pre-professional W League team, and a USL Academy team, both of which will kick off in 2024.
“The emergence of TLH Reckoning is a long overdue pathway solution for the hotbed of prospective talent we have in Tallahassee. This has been inspired by the generations of female soccer players who have and who have had dreams that are beyond the glass ceiling,” said Ashlee Fontes, TLH Reckoning founder. “These athletes have proven they have the ability and the fortitude to excel despite the geographic and institutional limitations constraining them. It is time that our local talent is realized and recognized, and for us to institute the platform to access the pathways and pipelines to achieving the realities of their greatest athletic desires.”
Home games for both the W League and Academy squads will be played at Gene Cox Stadium. Starting in August, the Reckoning will provide supplemental training for local players through their College/Pro Track Training and Development program and Reckoning Futures for high school and middle school-aged female players respectively.
“We are thrilled to welcome the Tallahassee Reckoning to the USL W League and give local athletes a platform to shine in their hometown,” said Amanda Vandervort, USL Super League and W League President. “Tallahassee has a long history of producing and fostering high-caliber talent, and with the establishment of the Reckoning more girls and women will have the opportunity to play and work in the sport they love.”
The Reckoning will host a wide variety of fun and engaging community events throughout the year to interact and bond around the game. A calendar of events will be available to include player clinics as well as watch parties around the USL W League Championship match in July and the Women’s World Cup. There will be ample opportunities for stakeholders of all ranges to get involved from ‘booster’ support to sponsorships to development projects to supporters’ groups.
Joining the USL Women’s Pathway means the Reckoning will be a part of one of the largest women’s soccer networks in the world, including:
- 10–12 professional teams in the first season of the professional USL Super League
- Over 65 pre-professional teams in USL W League
- More than 80 USL Academy programs for elite players under the age of 20
“We have aligned with the USL because of their world-class leadership, their player-centric philosophy, and their drive to create more access to the game for all. For the USL to partner with us further demonstrates their commitment to those values,” said Fontes. “No longer will our local and elite female soccer players be overlooked or cast aside because of our geographic location. We now can shine a light on greatness that lies within for all to see. Celebrating and elevating our local female players will continue the traditions of what makes our Tallahassee community so special, the generations and inclusive connections with one another.”
Head over to Township in College Town on June 21 at 6pm to celebrate and to learn more about the Tallahassee Reckoning, the logo, the USL and how to get involved!
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