The third time is always the charm… At least, that’s what the women of the Miami SOL are prepared to prove during its highly anticipated third season.
Photo:Denis Bancroft

And after last year’s surprise postseason appearance, the young sister-team of the NBA’s Miami HEAT is setting its sights on going even further this time around, hoping to make a run for the WNBA championship.

The quest for a ring begins on May 28 when the SOL takes on the Minnesota Lynx at the AmericanAirlines Arena for their home opener. But as any diehard fan could attest, the experience of coming to a SOL game at the AA Arena is much more than just the prospect of watching exciting hoops action played by some of the best women’s basketball players on the planet.

It’s all about the entertainment… And it’s all about the fans…

It’s also about having professional female athletes as role models, both on and off the court, that your daughters can look up to… And about recognizing exemplary women in the community, who have become SHEROES themselves, thanks to their tremendous courage and spirit.

It’s also about how the SOL has found a way to help family outings make a comeback in South Florida by giving parents the opportunity to treat their kids to a great night of fun in a relatively inexpensive manner.

The Players
Photo:Denis Bancroft

But most of all, it’s about the game. And after the lights have dimmed and the players have been introduced, fans quickly realize why the women of the Miami SOL give their all as soon as they step onto the court. The sport of basketball isn’t just their livelihood; it’s their first love.

Players like SOL guard Debbie Black and forward Sheri Sam play with unyielding passion, grit and determination… so much so that fans have grown accustomed to the sight of Black diving onto the court to claim a loose ball with reckless abandon, unnerved by the possibility of acquiring yet another bruise or battle scar to add to her collection. But for Black, it’s second nature for her to put her entire heart into the game. And for fans that have grown tired of watching high-paid athletes drop the ball in other sports, the feisty guard’s enthusiasm is a refreshing surprise.

Just as ardent as the dedication they display on the court is the level of commitment the SOL players have demonstrated in their newly adopted South Florida communities. During the off-season, players consistently take part in various activities aimed at helping make our world, and especially that of our children, a better place. Whether it is SOL center Ruth Riley reading to children as part of the team’s “Read to Achieve” program in an effort to foster a love of books among youth, or SOL guard Sandy Brondello diving into a pool to help teach kids water safety techniques on “April Pools Day”… These women, who are natural-born role models, have become the epitome of what we expect professional athletes to be – positive examples for our daughters and sons.

SHEROES

And as a way of thanking women and girls in the South Florida community who, like the SOL, work hard to have a positive impact on the lives of others, the team created the SHEROES program. To honor their efforts, the SOL recognizes female heroes, or as we like to call them SHEROES, during a special halftime ceremony at every home game. They are the working single moms, courageous female police officers and firefighters, and outstanding students and teachers, just to name a few, who have served as an inspiration to us all. It’s a small token of appreciation, but the recognition is our way of paying tribute to everything they sacrificed in order to achieve their dreams.

The SOL Experience

It’s also no secret that SOL fans keep coming back to the AmericanAirlines Arena because every home game is a guaranteed good time – win or lose. Since the Miami SOL is constantly looking for creative, new ways of keeping fans entertained during breaks in the action, the exciting in-game entertainment is always a treat for fans. Kids, for instance, love the wild and zany antics of the Miami SOL’s lovable mascot, SOLEE, while the dynamic SOL Patrol – the team’s high-energy, interactive squad of talented dancers, gymnasts and cheerleaders – also has become another popular element with the enthusiastic crowd.
Photo:Denis Bancroft

Even the SOL’s most rabid fans have found a home within the confines of the AA Arena. The SOL Asylum, located in Section 102, not only contains the team’s most fervent, diehard admirers, but it also features Dr. Dale and his mix-master partner Spin, whose mastery behind the turntables always keeps their fellow cellmates pumped up.

The SOL also likes to show its fans how much they are appreciated by rewarding them with free giveaways throughout the season. From bandanas to t-shirts, fans proudly wear the items as a way of showing their SOL. In addition, the SOL provides fans with the chance to get close to its players through post-game autograph sessions and other special events during the summer. Through these unique opportunities, the SOL is helping to erase the stigma of the professional athlete as being unapproachable and aloof. Instead, our warm and personable players love to take the time out to interact with their devoted fans –a tradition that athletes in other sports sadly seem to have abandoned.

And to top it all off, the SOL has managed to keep their ticket prices extremely affordable. Despite the rising cost of sporting events, Miami SOL tickets are refreshingly priced as low as $8 a game! And since seating for all SOL regular season home games is located within the AA Arena’s lower bowl, fans have great views of the live hoops action – no matter where they are seated. That’s an opportunity you just don’t get anywhere else! Plus, becoming a SOL season ticket holder is even more affordable with seats starting at simply $6 a game. Families can enjoy the thrill of professional basketball and spend less money than they would at an evening outing at the movies!

Most of all though, the talented women of the Miami SOL remind us just how far women’s sports have evolved in the past few decades. Thirty years ago, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 came to fruition, granting equal rights to girls in sports programs receiving federal financial assistance. It helped broaden the scope of women’s sports to such an extent that in 1971, one out of every 27 girls participated in high school sports, while in 1998 that number grew to one out of every 2 ½. Nowadays, professional sports leagues like the WNBA and thriving teams like Miami’s have opened even more doors for females interested in pursuing a career in athletics. And thanks to the SOL, each player on the team has become a living, breathing testament that girls can, and often do, achieve their hoop dreams.