About
The Equalizer launched in July 2009 with the vision of giving women’s soccer the necessary coverage it deserves. Within a year, the site turned into the top source for Women’s Professional Soccer news and it continues to provide the world with all the latest information in domestic American women’s soccer news as the game changes.
Jeff Kassouf – Founder, Managing Editor
Jeff Kassouf founded The Equalizer in June 2009. After covering WPS as a freelance writer since the league’s beginning, Kassouf created The Equalizer with a vision of bringing superior national coverage to the league. The site has since become the leader in breaking WPS news. He also writes WPS columns for SportsIllustrated.com. View all of his columns here. Jeff has been published at espnW.com and FoxSports.com and is currently a sports producer at NBCOlympics.com. Jeff is also a member of the North American Soccer Reporters.
Dan Lauletta – WPS Columnist
Dan Lauletta is a freelance writer based in the northeast. He has covered professional women’s soccer since the dawn of WUSA in 2001 and has attended all five pro league finals. He has also covered MLS, the U.S. Women’s National Team and several other sports in the area. Dan can be reached at thirtymtp@aol.com.
Tim Grainey – International Women’s Soccer Contributor
Timothy F. Grainey is a freelance soccer writer, concentrating on women’s college and professional teams. His new book on the development of women’s soccer, titled Beyond Bend It Like Beckham, hits bookshelves May 1, 2012. Tim has played the game for four decades, promoted men’s and women’s professional games in Canada and the United States, been a general manager for minor league soccer franchises, and was a member of the Columbus, Ohio 1994 World Cup Alternate Venue Committee. Tim served on U.S. Soccer’s Marketing Committee supporting the 1994 World Cup and authored the 1995 USISL Rule Changes Report with former NASL Commissioner Phil Woosnam for U.S. Soccer. Tim is an adjunct professor of communication at Arizona State University and owns Strategic Research Initiatives LLC, a market research agency in suburban Phoenix, where he lives with his wife and daughter.
Giovanni Albanese Jr. – WPS Columnist
Giovanni Albanese Jr. is located in the San Francisco Bay Area in California and is the sports editor of Tri-City Voice, a bi-weekly community newspaper in Fremont, Calif. Giovanni has covered soccer at all levels, including youth, prep, college and professionally. Giovanni covered FC Gold Pride during their two-year tenure in WPS, including their championship run in 2010. You can follow him on Twitter @GAlbaneseJr.
Nell Enriquez – Photographer, WPS Correspondent
Nell is from the DC – Northern Virginia metro area. She grew up to be a soccer fanatic and still continues to play in recreational leagues in the area now. She began learning about photography with film, which is still a hobby of hers. These days she is all digital and with the digital editing she finds it easy to get lost in the art. When it comes to photography she is self taught. She has a degree in communication/graphic design. You can check out some of her work at www.nellenriquez.com and www.pitchsidereport.com.
Jess Fainberg – WPS Correspondent
Jess Fainberg is a Sports Communication major at the University of Tampa. She played competitive soccer in high school at Churchill High School in Potomac, MD and through her freshman year of college at Howard Community College. She is hoping to break into the world of sports broadcasting after she graduates. You can follow her on Twitter @JessFainberg. She was one of the very few beat reporters to ever cover the infamous magicJack club.
Ashleigh Gunning – Player Blogger
Ashleigh has played professionally in four different countries and currently plays for Arna Bjornar in Norway.
Amanda DaCosta – Player Blogger
2011 was Amanda’s rookie season in WPS after graduating from Florida State University, one of the top programs in the country. She is currently a free agent and will play with Sky Blue FC on its tour of Japan in late March.
Both of their blogs can be read here as they develop their thoughts on soccer and life.
