Linda Bache made a bold prediction last fall, and she's sticking to it.
At the banquet honoring the 2012 Chicago Force, Bache guaranteed a championship in 2013.
"I'm sticking to the guarantee—we will win the championship this year," Bache said in early March, about before the team kicks off its 11th season. "When you lose in the championship, particularly in the final minutes after you had the lead [as the Force did in the 2012 National Championship game], it is shockingly painful. You end up thinking about a hundred different little things that could have changed the outcome. But what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Losing in the final moments last season was devastating, but it serves as powerful motivation.
"I'm confident heading into this season because most of the members of our 2012 championship team are returning. If we're going to win the elusive national championship, it will have to be this year. We're loaded with veterans, but a number of them are [near] the end of their careers. I don't want to say that it's now or never, but there is a definite sense of urgency."
Clearly, the biggest strength of the 2013 Force is, experience. The roster is loaded with veteran players, the majority having between four to eight years of experience. Plus, head coach John Konecki and defensive coordinator Adam Lewandowski are returning. "We are the best-coached team in the league due to their leadership; it all starts there," Bache said. "Our entire coaching staff is intact this season." The coaching staff also features assistants Al Maldonado, Bill Smith, Stacey Baker, Nick Djurdjevic and Carlos Jones. Plus, the team added offensive line coach Veronica 'Ro' Soper, a former Force standout.
The Force is anchored by quarterback Sami Grisafe, who Bache tagged as "the best quarterback in women's football." Grisafe has multiple receivers to throw, particularly Jeanette Gray and Ashley Berggren. "We also expect Dana Vermilye and Melissa Argenzio to also give us some production at receiver," Bache said.
Veteran running back Brandy Hatcher returns and second-year running back Mary Choules are each expected to have a big year.
The team also returns all the starters from its offensive line, including Liz Okey and Tami Engelman, two players who went out with season-ending injuries last year. Jamie Menzyk is, arguably, "the best offensive linewoman in the league," Bache said.
The Force defense is led by All-American linebacker and defensive MVP Darcy Leslie. "She's one of the top linebackers in the league and plays sideline to sideline," Bache said. "She's also the hardest hitting player on the team." The Force also returns All-American Kim Marks, and starters Dorian Bridges, Martha Dantuma, Elisha Okrey, Rebecca Thuestad, Sami Scurto and Arteria Ziegler.
The team's top newcomers are Angel Smith (DE), Karlee Quaritsch (S) and Melissa Nelson (LB). Quaritsch and Nelson are former college athletes, though new to football. Smith played football previously for a women's team in California. "All are expected to contribute significantly," Bache said.
"I'm expecting Mary Choules to have a break-out season for us at running back. She could also be an asset on defense; she's been impressive filling in at linebacker as needed. She's worked extremely hard this off-season and it shows."
The Force opens the season on Saturday, April 6, against the Detroit Dark Angels. Game time is 5 p.m, and all home games are played at Lazier Field on the campus of Evanston Township High School.
"The schedule is unique this year," Bache said. "We start with [back to back] home games, then go on the road for the next four games, and then finish out the regular season with two more home games in June. We'd like to follow the same script as last year—go undefeated in the regular-season and win hosting rights for all three rounds of playoffs."
The National Championship game for the Women's Football Alliance (WFA) will be played August 3 in San Diego.
"It won't be an easy path back to the national championship," Bache said. "I anticipate another conference championship showdown with Boston. I know they're gunning for us. They knocked us out [of the playoffs] in 2011 and we beat them in 2012. Of course, the difference is that they went on to win it all in 2011. Our challenge is to get past them so we can return to the national championship and win that ring."
