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The 2014 season was the Houston Dash's inaugural season as a professional women's soccer team. As the first expansion team to the National Women's Soccer League, United States' top-flight women's league, the Dash played a 24-game schedule that saw them compete against the eight other NWSL teams, playing each at home and away at least once. The Dash finished the season in last place and ended the season with 5 wins, 3 draws, and 16 loses and a -21 goal differential. The season for the Dash began on April 12, 2014 and concluded August 20, 2014 after the team failed to qualify for the playoffs. ==Background== On November 19, 2013, the Houston Dynamo began the initial talks of bringing a top flight women's professional soccer franchise to Houston. Just a week later, the effort was bolstered when the Dynamo began accepting refundable deposits for a potential NWSL expansion team. On December 11, 2013, the National Women's Soccer League announced that the Houston Dynamo and the city of Houston were awarded an expansion franchise to begin playing in the 2014 season. The following day, the Houston Dynamo held a press conference at BBVA Compass Stadium to formally announce the expansion club to the local and national media. During the press conference on December 12, 2013, Houston Dynamo President Chris Canetti announced that the club would be named the Houston Dash and would share similar colors to the Dynamo: orange, black, and sky blue. The crest, which features a soccer ball along with the words "Houston Dash" with sky blue lines in the background, was unveiled. Also present at the announcement were Houston Mayor Annise Parker and NWSL Executive Director Cheryl Bailey. On December 23, 2013, former Houston Dynamo player Brian Ching was named "managing director", putting him in charge of day-to-day duties on both the business and technical sides of under the supervision of Houston Dash and Dynamo team president Chris Canetti.〔(Brian Ching named Houston Dash managing director ), Houston Dash Communications, December 23, 2013〕 Later that week, Ching hired former U.S. women’s national team and FIFA Women's World Cup winning coach Tony DiCicco as a consultant to help the Dash in their search for a head coach and building a roster for the first season in the National Women’s Soccer League. On January 3, 2014, Randy Waldrum was named as the Dash's first head coach, having previously coached the Notre Dame Fighting Irish women's soccer team to two national titles.〔(Dash hire highly-acclaimed coach from Notre Dame to be their first head coach ), My FOX Houston, January 3, 2014〕 The first players to be named to the roster (Whitney Engen, Teresa Noyola and Melissa Tancredi) were awarded through the 2014 NWSL Player Allocation.〔 Within a few days Tancredi was traded to the Chicago Red Stars for the Dash's first goalkeeper, Erin McLeod.〔 The Dash later bolstered their roster with 10 additional players through the 2014 NWSL Expansion Draft.〔 The Dash then went on to trade Danesha Adams to the Washington Spirit for Stephanie Ochs〔 and sent their 3rd pick in the 2014 NWSL College Draft to Chicago for Bianca Henninger〔 to round out their off-season moves before the draft. The club also announced details of an open tryout for aspiring female soccer players born in 1996 and older to be held on Saturday, February 15 at Houston Amateur Sports Park. Dash head coach Randy Waldrum and managing director Brian Ching will evaluate all participants. Those identified as the tryout’s best players will receive an invitation to participate with the team during its pre-season, scheduled to begin on March 10.〔 The second annual NWSL College Draft took place on January 17, 2014 in conjunction with the NSCAA Convention in Philadelphia. The draft order was determined by the final 2013 NWSL regular season standings.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=EARLY LOOK: 2014 NWSL COLLEGE DRAFT )〕 Because the Dash were not part of the 2013 season, their position in the draft was to be decided. Initially, according to reports, the Dash were to pick fifth in the first round (between the four teams that missed the 2013 playoffs and the four that made the playoffs), and first in the second and fourth rounds. After the 2014 allocations were released, this was later updated to give Houston the second pick in the first round and the first pick in the third round.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=NWSL ANNOUNCES 2014 COLLEGE DRAFT ORDER )〕 After trading for an additional pick on draft day, the Dash left the college draft with four more players on their roster. Draft Notes: The Houston Dash followed their draft moves by acquiring their first international signing, Japanese defender and 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup winner Aya “Same” Sameshima, on January 24, 2014. Per team and league policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.〔 The Dash began the month of February by revealing their on-field look for 2014 with the unveiling of three sets of Nike kits on February 7 in the West Club of BBVA Compass Stadium. The home uniform features an orange jersey with white shorts, while the alternate uniform is a light blue shirt with white shorts. The Dash will wear a white top with orange and light blue on the sleeves with orange shorts for daily training sessions. BBVA Compass was also announced as the jersey sponsor, signing on a 5-year commitment. BBVA Compass Houston City President Mark Montgomery said the bank will work with the Dash on several community initiatives, including renovating a house and hosting a youth soccer clinic in the East End, which will help introduce Houston's newest sports stars to their adopted city. The efforts will further the bank's partnership with the Dynamo and Dynamo Charities for their Building a Better Houston campaign, which was started in 2012 to revitalize the neighborhood around BBVA Compass Stadium. On February 8, the club hosted "Dash Day" to give fans a first opportunity to meet players of the team before the start of the season.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Dash Day 2014 )〕 Fans would have the option to obtain player autographs, participate in Q&A and photo sessions. On February 15, over 140 young women from the Houston area showed up at Houston Sports Park to tryout for the team's final roster spot in front of Head Coach Randy Waldrum and Managing Director Brian Ching.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=VIDEO: 2014 Houston Dash Tryouts )〕 To round out news in February, Brian Ching confirmed KKHH radio host Sarah Pepper as the Dash's in-stadium announcer.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=AUDIO: Hot 95.7 crew auditions for Dynamo and Dash in-stadium announcers )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「2014 Houston Dash season」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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