"How many games do you get in a lifetime?"

When young soccer players begin developing their talent, opportunities are abundant. After college, the opportunities narrow drastically.

Pursuing professional soccer often means players must postpone their aspirations in their field of study. Those who pursue a traditional career must often sacrifice playing the game they love at a competitive level. Many graduates step away from competitive soccer even as their best games lie ahead.

Where does that talent go? 

San Diego Strikers has been expanding the playing field for women since the founding of our Women’s Premier League Soccer team four years ago. A semi-professional team, we are proudly home to a diverse roster, from college players looking to stay sharp during the off-season, to graduates who don’t have to choose between their love of the game and a successful career, to professional players looking to hone their skills before their next season abroad.

“I wanted to focus on academics and my career,” said Strikers co-captain Rachel Sadowski. “I didn’t consider playing pro. I thought those days were behind me. I thought in college, those were the best games I would get. This team allowed me to get more.”

Sadowski, who plays center defender and manages rare botany projects for the San Diego Botanical Garden, first took the field alongside many of her current teammates when she joined the San Diego Sea Lions, a now-defunct WPSL team. 

The Sea Lions folded in 2020, but players weren’t ready to leave their team behind. That’s when Strikers Head Coach and Director, Ray Taila, stepped in. Taila, who had worked closely with the Sea Lions throughout his more than 30 years coaching in San Diego, expanded Strikers, at the time a youth club, to form a WPSL team comprised of former Sea Lions players. The club retired its youth divisions in 2022 and has since focused solely on providing opportunities for female players in college and beyond. 

While the competition in San Diego has expanded, Strikers remains one of only local WPSL teams dedicated solely to its women’s soccer program. The coaching staff, led by Taila, work as volunteers to help players achieve their goals and bring home wins year after year.

Founded in 1998, the WPSL is the longest-running and largest active women’s soccer league in the country, boasting alumnae the likes of Brandi Chastain, Kristine Lilly, Alex Morgan, and more. Strikers players have watched their division expand over the years and look forward to the season ahead, beginning on May 18, 2025. They’ll face off against local teams and are after another playoff title this season.

Some players have been with the team for nearly a decade. They all agree: the team’s unparalleled chemistry on and off the field is the reason they return year after year. Returning players grow to take on leadership roles. As new players are invited to try out, they are welcomed to the Strikers family with open arms. 

 Forward Jourdan Ziff said it is rare to find a team that is as fun, flexible, and welcoming as Strikers, while also maintaining a level of competition comparable to professional soccer. 

Ziff’s first season with the Strikers in 2021 made her realize she wanted to pursue a professional soccer career. Now, having found success in Brazil, Puerto Rico, and Finland, Strikers is the team she comes home to time and time again to reignite her love for the sport. “There are teams with great skilled players but if you don’t really love your connection with those players, connecting in energy… this team has that, and people keep coming back.”

As Callahan put it: “How many games do you get in a lifetime? And how many of those mean something?”

We’re striving to build opportunities here in San Diego, so our athletes can play as many matches as they can meet with their passion, skill, and dedication to one another on and off the field. So they can continue developing their talents, building community, and pursuing their goals. So they don’t step off the field before achieving their potential.

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