FC Indiana's Cultural Blend Key To Current Success In W-League

Lafayette, IN (AHN) - After tearing down its foes in the Women's Premier Soccer League, the FC Indiana team is enjoying the same success in its new territory, the W-League 2008 thanks to the Lionesses' multicultural prowess and talent in the field.

FC Indiana has wrapped up the Midwest Division crown and is awaiting its foe for the Central Conference semifinal showdown. It has been a two-time champion in the WPSL (2005 and 2007), including its U.S. Open Cup championship and now is aiming for more titles in the W-League.

The Lionesses date back their success in 2005, when it stunned the league by defeating New England Mutiny in the semifinals 4-0 en route to beating California Storm 5-4 for the title.

The Cinderella run hardly attracted attention from the rest of the sporting world, as FC Indiana humbly traced its beginnings from a rural town in north central Indiana.

Enjoying laid-back environment that boasts of a population of just 30,000, the town of Goshen played a vivid backdrop to football mania in the making. FC Indiana slowly developed its luster and began drawing talent.

Obviously, the club never had a big-market crowd to offer or city-like surroundings to serve as backgrounds. But FC Indiana demanded a simple need that attracted a slew of stellar and high-caliber players from around the world-as general manager Anton Maksimov termed it, they all came to Goshen to play soccer.

And so with superb coaching plus above-level player development, the Lionesses grew into a powerhouse cast. Coach Shek Borkowski, himself a journeyman to various football fields in the United States and his native Poland, assembled a fine collection of international talent.

FC Indiana capped its storybook run in 2005 with the plays of Paty Perez and Fatima Leyva of Mexico plus Tasha St. Louis and Leslie Ann James of Trinidad and Tobago. Defenders Julie and Nancy Augustyniak also sacrificed their chances of playing abroad and instead chose to suit up for FC Indiana.

Its maiden championship only followed botched playoff aspirations in 2006, and so the Lionesses worked harder to keep their lofty beginnings. Borkowski, aided by his international coaching staff from the U.S., Mexico, Ecuador, Bulgaria and Serbia, began working doubly hard to instill the winning vision among the Lionesses.

They started talking to players from around the globe and competed with the world's best from Australia, New Zealand and Trinidad and Tobago. The staff also set its eyes glued to the Russian team that won the 2006 U-20 World Championships. Players from Canada and Mexico also soon became interested in donning the FC Indiana colors.

The Lionesses re-captured the 2007 the WPS crown on a team composed of Christie Shaner, Leyva and Aivi Luik. It also boasted of international touch with Mexican Monica Ocampo, Italian Elisabetta Tona, Spaniard Maria Ruiz and Russians Elena Danilova and Elena Terekhova.

Backstopped by a late signee in goalkeeper Kristin Luckenbill, the Lionesses trampled the New England Mutiny 3-0 for their second crown in three years. All the success has transformed into better opportunities for all the players, including the once-small market FC Indiana.

The Lionesses now train in Lafayette and play their home games at the Kuntz Memorial Stadium in Indianapolis. Players are counting on all their hard work and success to bring them to the WPS, the top-flight women's soccer league that will debut in 2009.

For now, that dream is within their sights. And for the meantime, the Lionesses will be content in racking up more honors in the W-League playoffs.