So here are my brief thoughts on Women’s Club Championships, the main teams in the running:
Fury
Why they will win: Because they always win. Because they have a winning mentality and because they know how to win. While their roster may not be quite as strong as it has been the last few years, they have people on this team who are nearly to double digit championships (if you include college and club) and that really becomes a mindset, a way of being. It is less work for people like Alicia Dantzker and Lauren Casey to win because they’ve done it so many damn times.
Why they won’t win: Heavy lies the crown, or something like that. The 5-year-old target on their back finally gets hit at Nationals, as it has been hit a few times already this season.
Riot
Why they will win: They can beat anyone on any given day. They will literally run you into the ground and have more fun than you the whole time. They are young and too dumb to know better than to leave everything on the field all the time.
Why they won’t win: They can lose to anyone on any given day. They’ve dropped big games to Fury and Traffic at Regionals and were eliminated by the Capitals in 2010 (and lost to them in 2009, too). They might also run themselves into the ground (and injuries) on route to doing the same to their opponents.
Traffic
Why they will win: Because they have nothing to lose. Being eliminated from worlds by the Capitals at Canadian Nationals makes USA Nationals the culmination of their season. Also, they play a consistent, strong game against every opponent. If a team falls asleep, as Riot did at Regionals, they could step right in.
Why they won’t win: Because they are already disappointed. They’ve lost their own country’s Nationals, so they probably won’t win in the USA.
Molly Brown
Why they’ll win: They are up and comers. These girls have heart and a strong average roster, with few superstars and few duds. Count on them to play solid all weekend.
Why they won’t win: No superstars. No one, except maybe Enessa, knows how to take over a game and win with heart. Expect them to clamor toward the top this year and be knocking on the door next year.
Showdown
Why they’ll win: Solid athletes who know how to play in the elements. This is my sleeper pick this year – they will finish strong on the shoulders of Cara, Amanda and Christina.
Why they won’t win: Not a deep enough roster.
Capitals
Why they’ll win: Because they’ve pulled big upsets before and can do it again. They won Canadian nationals and are hilariously poised in pool play to beat up on Traffic again and come out of day 1 with the 2 seed in the tournament.
Why they won’t win: Because they can’t beat Fury.
Photo by Scobel Wiggins
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