Ahead of their season opener on Saturday, Mar. 25, head coach Casey Stoney and defender Naomi Girma met with the media virtually to preview the 2023 NWSL season.

Last year, Wave FC became the first NWSL team to make the playoffs in their inaugural season. Not only did the Wave make the playoffs, but they hosted their first playoff match and won their first playoff match, too.

Now, they look to build off their first-year success in a run for their first NWSL championship.

Reactions to new signings:

Wave set a new league record when they signed 15-year-old Melanie Barcenas to a three-year deal, as the NWSL requires for any player under-18 to sign a contract that will end when they turn 18 or later.

“I think it symbolizes progression of the league, this is not uncommon in Europe,” Stoney said. “I think it shows that the talent is good enough, they’re old enough, we are set up as a club to provide for her.”

Stoney was signed by Manchester at 16 and knows what young players need to be fully supported.

“It’s not easy being a young person in a professional game,” Stoney added.

At 15, the NWSL requires specific criterias be met including not being able to complete any trades or placing the player on waivers at any time until she turns 18.

“It’s also my job as a coach to protect her. She’s 15 years of age, she won’t be doing too much. It’ll be a slow approach with her, put her in, take her out of games when it’s necessary. Make sure she’s developing on the olympic training field and protect her,” Stoney said. “We don’t want to expose her to too much too soon. And as a club, I feel we’re set up to support her in the best possible way, and make sure that her family is supported in this way as well.”

Barcenas has trained with the professional club for the last year when she played for San Diego Surf Soccer Club. She has huge support from her teammates already and hopes to grow with her first professional team.

“We’re just looking to support her as much as we can and as Casey said, our environment is set up to support all players no matter your age, so just making sure we’re here for her and we’re here for our teammates is what is really important to us and the culture we’re building,” defender Naomi Girma said.

Girma added: “I’m just really excited to watch her grow and develop as a player.”

Wave also signed the no. 13 overall pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft and former Stanford standout Sierra Enge, who was teammates with Girma at Stanford before Girma was drafted by San Diego first overall in the 2022 NWSL Draft.

“She’s super technical, really smart on the ball so I think she’s just going to continue raising the level for us and that is what we need,” Girma said.

First full season of Snapdragon Stadium:

Snapdragon Stadium was opened in Sept. 2022 in the final month of the NWSL season. Wave played their two final home games and their first-ever playoff match at Snapdragon last year that saw them break the single-game regular season and playoff attendance records.

“They bring so much excitement and so much buzz and they get behind the team, and the fact that we’re going to be 25, 26 plus thousand fans this weekend is incredible. It’s what I’ve worked for my entire career to make sure that we have these platforms for these players,” Stoney said.

This year, they will break the home opener attendance record when they face off against the Chicago Red Stars on Saturday, Mar. 25 at 7 p.m. at Snapdragon Stadium.

“I think now that we’ve had a year in San Diego, just to see that support continue and to have us be able to reach out into the community more is exciting. At Snapdragon, the atmosphere [and] the fans is so loud, I think it’s so hype and so fun to play in and as a player that’s the type of stadium you always want to be in, whether you’re home or away. I think just continuing to make it one of the best atmospheres in the league is what we’re setting out to do,” Girma said.

Update on Abby Dahlkemper injury:

Defender Abby Dahlkemper missed the 2022 playoffs with a left leg injury and underwent transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion surgery.

“Abby is progressing well, she’s doing really well, she’s around the team. She’s still a vital part of our squad. She’s still not back on the grass yet, so there’s still a long way to go, but she is progressing in the right direction,” Stoney said.

No timetable has been announced for her return.