Midland Soccer Club has announced the formation of a new pre-professional women's team under their Fusion banner.
Called Women Fusion, the team will be dedicated to bringing a more local option for both homegrown club players but also other players from the general area that may otherwise would have to drive to Lansing or Genesee County to play.
"It is a way to create a pathway for our youth players who have gone on to play in college or whatever level they're aspiring to, to have opportunities in the summer to play," said Pat Desiderio, director of the Fusion program. "We thought it would be great to start with the women's side because we do have a lot of players playing in the next level, and we definitely want to see them back home playing for our club."
Coaching the team will be Stevie Shard, an experienced college and pre-professional soccer coach.
Along with reaching out to women who have played through the club in the past, the team will also be inviting teenage players who play at the quality they're looking for and hosting open try-outs sometime in the near future.
Desiderio said that while men's pre-professional is alive and well, women don't generally get the same opportunities. He wants this team to not only be a way for women to have a pathway to whatever level they'd like to play at, but as a pathway to help expand and give anyone opportunities within the club as a whole.
