Chicago Stars FC

Women's Professional Soccer

Establishment

In 2006, it was announced that Chicago would field a team in a new women's professional soccer league. The team joined six others (Washington Freedom, Boston Breakers, Los Angeles Sol, FC Gold Pride, Sky Blue FC, and Saint Louis Athletica) in Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) for the league's inaugural season in 2009. Marcia McDermott, former head coach of the Northwestern University women's soccer team and the Women's United Soccer Association's Carolina Courage, was named as the Red Stars' general manager. On June 3, 2008, the "Red Stars" name was announced at a Toyota Park ceremony. The name refers to the four six-pointed red stars on the flag of Chicago. Each star represents a landmark event in Chicago history: Fort Dearborn, the Great Chicago Fire, the 1893 World's Fair, and the 1933 World's Fair. Other names considered were Progress, Towers, Union, Blues, 1871, and Wind. "Red Stars" was chosen by popular vote in a two-month fan poll.

2009 season

The Red Stars won their first game of the season, 1–0, at Saint Louis Athletica. They followed with two ties (1–1 at Washington Freedom and 0–0 hosting Sky Blue FC) and a 4–0 shutout of the Boston Breakers at Toyota Park. This was the best starting record of any team in the league except season champions Los Angeles Sol, seeming to live up to preseason predictions. The team was then winless for its next nine games (with three away draws), including a…