Courage, WUSA came, went

Some view the WUSA as a failure. From a business perspective, it’s hard to argue. But its legacy goes beyond dollars and cents when its impact on a generation of youth players is measured.
Alyson Santilli was 13 when the Courage first came to Cary. She, like former players and team officials, finds it hard to believe how long it’s been since the likes of Carla Overbeck, Birgit Prinz and Hege Riise roamed the SAS Soccer Park pitch. Santilli vividly remembers attending games with family, friends and teammates.
“It was nice after games to stay and talk to the players and get autographs,” Santilli said. “I have an autograph that says, ‘Happy birthday, Alyson’ from the team. They all signed it and Carla Overbeck wrote ‘Have a happy birthday.’ It was nice, definitely inspiring.
“I definitely looked up to the players as a whole, and I wanted to get my talent and my skills high enough so I could maybe one day play at that level, or at least the college level.”

After a standout career at Apex High, Santilli recently completed her freshman season on the N.C. State women’s soccer team.
While Santilli and other young women will always have those memories, what does the current generation have?