Lindsey, Freedom ready to play in home opener
The WUSA folded. But Lori Lindsey never left Washington.
After five years of toiling in minor-league status with the Freedom, Lindsey will finally take the field again as a full professional. The renewed status of women’s soccer has allowed her to cut back on the work she’s been doing the last three years as a personal trainer to keep herself afloat.
“Last summer I was a lot busier [with work] than I am now, which is fine by me,” said Lindsey. “I’m just enjoying being a professional again.”
Lindsey, 29, who played college soccer at Virginia, and 30-year-old Emily Janss, from Maryland, are Washington’s two main holdovers from the WUSA. Both never quite graduated to the U.S. national team but are key to head coach Jim Gabarra’s plans.
“It’s been really rewarding for me to be able to see [Lindsey] and Emily Janss step back up as pros,” said Gabarra. “They’ve been the two that have really hung on, as least with us in this area, and that have played in the league before and have bought into us saying, ‘It’s coming back.’”
Janss started at left back in Washington’s opener two weeks ago, and Lindsey continues to adjust to playing in the center midfield.
“[Lindsey’ performance in preseason has truly earned her a starting role,” said Jim Gabarra. “It’s up to someone else to come in and knock her out of that.
She’s deserved every minute she’s gotten.”
