Boston Breakers

Did You Know?

• Kyah Simon's two goals against Norway in the 2011 World Cup made her the first Aboriginal player to score a goal in a World Cup tournament.
• The Breakers finished the 2012 WPSL Elite regular season with an 11–3–0 record, the best season in franchise history.
• The team's official supporters group was called the Boston Armada, and an independent group called the Riptide cheered from a standing section known as 'The Dock'.
• Maren Meinert was the first Pillars of Excellence inductee on May 17, 2009; she had been the WUSA's MVP in 2003.

History

The original Boston Breakers competed in the WUSA from 2001 to 2003, achieving their best record of 10–4–7 and finishing first in the regular season before a semifinal loss to the Washington Freedom. Women's Professional Soccer was announced on September 4, 2007, with a franchise awarded to Boston. The Boston Breakers franchise was unveiled on October 26, 2008, becoming the only professional women's sports team in Massachusetts at the time. Joe Cummings, who had worked for the WUSA Breakers, was named President and General Manager, and Tony DiCicco was appointed head coach in September 2007.

During the WPS national team player allocation on September 16, 2008, the Breakers acquired Heather Mitts, Kristine Lilly, and Angela Hucles. Amy Rodriguez was selected first overall in the 2009 WPS Soccer Draft on January 30, 2009. The team's debut match in WPS was a 2–1 loss to FC Gold Pride, and their first home match was a 2–0 loss to St. Louis Athletica on April 11, 2009, finishing the season fifth with a 7–9–4 record. On January 16, 2012, the Breakers signed U.S. U-23 defender Bianca D'Agostino and Australian forward Kyah Simon, who had scored two goals against Norway in the 2011 World Cup.

The league suspended the 2012 season on January 30, 2012, and the club announced on February 9, 2012, that it would compete in the newly formed WPSL Elite for 2012, a semi-pro league with no restrictions on professional or amateur status. After the WPS suspension, goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher returned to Turbine Potsdam.

Stadium

For their final four seasons, the Boston Breakers played at Jordan Field, a 4,100-seat multi-purpose facility on the Harvard University campus in Allston, Massachusetts, formerly known as Soldiers Field Soccer Stadium. They played at Dilboy Stadium in Somerville, Massachusetts, for the 2012 and 2013 seasons, moving there concurrently with their league switch to the WPSL Elite. From 2009 through 2011, the team used Harvard Stadium, the 30,323-seat home of the Harvard Crimson football team.

Honors

Amy LePeilbet earned the WPS Defender of the Year award in both 2009 and 2010. A tradition started in the summer of 2009 saw the Breakers hang banners at Harvard Stadium to honor past greats. This Pillars of Excellence recognition took its name from the stadium’s colonnade. Players from the WUSA team and the later WPS, WPSL Elite, and NWSL sides were all eligible.

Maren Meinert became the first honoree on May 17, 2009, during a halftime break against the Washington Freedom. She had been the WUSA’s regular-season MVP and All-Star Game MVP in her last year, 2003. Angela Hucles received her banner on May 1, 2010, at a home match versus the Chicago Red Stars. Kristine Lilly was inducted at halftime on May 23, 2011, while the Breakers faced the Philadelphia Independence.

Leslie Osborne’s induction happened during halftime of a home game with Sky Blue FC. In 2017, the Boston Armada, the team’s official supporters group, started giving out the Chunk Award at every home game. It recognized one player’s contribution in that match. The trophy depicted Chunk, a bulldog owned by Boston Breakers Academy head coach Lee Billard, who served as the team’s unofficial mascot.