TAMPA, Fla. — The Sun will unveil its inaugural Super League championship banner on Wednesday night as part of Women's Empowerment Night. It'll be extra-special for one of the team's best players.
Land O' Lakes native and former USF All-American Sydny Nasello missed the Tampa Bay Sun's boat parade and on-land celebration after the team won the inaugural Super League championship — but she had a good reason. She was on a plane to Guyana, South America, to take part in a mission trip.
Nasello will be front and center Wednesday night when the Sun hosts Women's Empowerment Night, unveils its championship banner, and celebrates women in sports. She said being part of history is well worth the wait.
"You saw it other places but never here in our community. For me, to be that person that's impacting and showing those little girls and boys that is possible, and the dreams that they have when they're younger," Nasello said before training. "I just want to leave that impact on the field. Everything that we do off the field is going to go with us in life a lot more than the success that we have on the field."
Tampa Bay Sun Head Coach Denise Schilte-Brown said she can't wait to be part of another first in the young history of the Sun.
"You can never take that away from a team. It's the inaugural season. So to be put in historical memory with this banner is a great moment for the team," Schilte-Brown smiled. "I'm just really grateful for the support of the Tampa Bay community, and I think they're going to love the banner. It's going to be a great unveiling."
Nasello knows that soccer's a business and the team's job is to win games. She's also known as Schilte-Brown, who coached her at USF, her entire adult life. Nasello knows the bond she has with her coach goes beyond the field.
"She cares so much just about us from a human aspect. Building character and building characteristics that are going to bring us into our professional world outside of this. And that is so, so important. Especially in the women's game and sports in general," Nasello added.
Tampa Bay and Brooklyn FC kick off Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
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