PHILADELPHIA — The Women’s Lacrosse League held a kickoff event Wednesday at Dock Street Brewery South in Philadelphia to celebrate its inaugural league championship, being played at Subaru Stadium on Aug. 15.
Following a quick round of catch outside the venue with league players, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker spoke to the crowd about the significance of this game being played in Philadelphia.
“We’re proving every year that our interests in building and growing professional women’s sports in the city of Philadelphia, we’re doing it in a tangible way. We’re at the table. How many of you watch Unrivaled set a [record]?” Parker said to thunderous applause and some whoops.
The mayor also emphasized the importance of making the event accessible to all, with some tickets selling for just $10 and 2,500 tickets being given away throughout the city.
Rachael DeCecco, SVP/lacrosse for the WLL, also spoke on why Philly was the top choice to host: “This region has produced champions and contenders at all levels for generations. Twenty percent of the women who participate in the WLL and three-quarters of our head coaches have Philly roots. … Bringing our first title to a city that’s been quietly building the sport for generations is truly an honor and a full-circle moment.”
The significance of this event was not lost on DeCecco, herself a three-time first-team All-American defender at Princeton and member of the U.S. Women’s National Team Program from 2003-2008 who played on the U.S. World Cup Team in 2005.
“I stand up here not just as an executive of the league but as a woman in sports. And I don’t take that lightly,” DeCecco said. “For a long time, women’s sports were treated as an afterthought, a smaller version of the real thing. Competing for scraps and attention and investment. And I think we can all agree that era is over. And that’s something to be proud of, not just for the people in this room but for every young girl who’s gonna watch this league and understand, without ever having to be told, this is a real path, a real career, a real sport worth playing at the highest level.”
Other speakers included Ashley Walkowiak, executive director, Governor’s Advisory Commission on Women; Ashley Lunkenheimer of women’s sports advocacy group The Philadelphia Sisters; Jen Leary from The Stoop Pigeon; and Abby Bosco, a defender for the Maryland Charm.
The championship will be broadcast on ESPN on Aug. 15.