Fort Lauderdale United FC is breaking ground as the only professional women’s soccer team in South Florida to give female athletes the opportunity to play soccer professionally. Slated to debut in the inaugural season of the USL Super League.
The launch of this team represents a big change in women’s soccer, providing female athletes with more opportunities and a path to pursue their professional soccer dreams.
We sat down with Melony Poviones-Blanco, a key figure in the local soccer community and owner of Shooting Stars Indoor Soccer, to talk about the impact that this club will have on the community and what this means for the young girls that she trains.
“There are so many girls that come in, eager to want to play professionally. Having Fort Lauderdale United is going to give these girls a pathway to just achieve their goals and get to the next level,” Poviones said.
Young women in South Florida now have the chance to build their soccer careers in their hometown and develop their talents in a place that they know and love.
“If we would have had a program like this, we would have definitely stayed. It’s just bittersweet because if I could go back in time, I would have loved to join a team like this and been able for my mom and dad to be able to see me play, but now I get to cheer on girls and we get to cheer on girls…,” Poviones-Blanco said.
Fort Lauderdale United FC is also creating a team of strong female athletes from all over the nation to compete in this league. A team that families and young female athletes can follow and be inspired by as they grow in the soccer community.
“The younger girls have something to look up to,” Poviones-Blanco said.
Beyond the game, this club’s goal is to be a part of the city’s community by supporting local soccer tournaments and participating in local events that help make Fort Lauderdale a better place like Pancreatic Cancer awareness and beach clean-ups.
Fort Lauderdale United FC wants to be more than just a soccer team by sparking inclusivity, change and unity in this community.
Click here to watch the full video interview with Poviones-Blanco and our brand ambassador Nikki Haimes.