Editing Philadelphia Charge (section)

==History==
In spring of 2000, the newly formed [[Women's United Soccer Association]] (WUSA) announced eight cities were granted franchises to start the league, including [[Philadelphia]].<ref name=founded/> Most of the inaugural teams were owned by major media companies, with the new Philadelphia club operated by locally headquartered [[Comcast Corporation]] who invested an initial $5 million into WUSA.<ref name=founded/><ref name=Comcast>{{cite web |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/stories/2001/04/09/story8.html |title=Women's soccer team ready to Charge |author=John George |website=bizjournals.com |date=April 9, 2002 |access-date=April 3, 2020}}</ref> In November 2000, the club's name and logo was officially announced as the '''Philadelphia Charge''' and would play home matches at [[Villanova Stadium]].<ref name=Announce>{{cite web |url=https://reuters.screenocean.com/record/167354 |title=USA: SOCCER - INAUGURAL WOMEN'S PROFESSIONAL SOCCER LEAGUE ANNOUNCES TEAM NAMES, LOGOS |publisher=Reuters |date=November 2, 2000 |access-date=April 3, 2020}}</ref> The logo for the Charge incorporated the Comcast Corp. "C" as part of its marketing efforts.<ref name=Comcast/> The Charge began preparations for the first team with a 15-person front office and was supported by the Comcast-Spector organization for stadium operations, marketing, promotions, tickets, and merchandise.<ref name=Comcast/>

By late 2000, the Charge had announced that [[University of Hartford]] women's soccer coach, [[Mark Krikorian (soccer)|Mark Krikorian]], would be appointed the first head coach of the team.<ref name=HirKrikorian>{{cite web |url=https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-xpm-2000-11-20-0011201736-story.html |title=KRIKORIAN TO TAKE CHARGE OF PHILADELPHIA FRANCHISE |author=Mark Pukalo |publisher=The Hartford Courant |date=November 20, 2000 |access-date=April 3, 2020}}</ref> Prior to the start of the season, Krikorian would bring on former Swedish international [[Pia Sundhage]] and [[John Natale]] as assistant coaches.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.socceramerica.com/publications/article/8769/wusa-notes-assistant-coach-and-front-office-hirin.html |title=WUSA Notes: Assistant coach and front-office hirings |publisher=SoccerAmerica |date=February 1, 2001 |access-date=April 3, 2020}}</ref>

The Philadelphia Charge conducting sports performance training at Aspiring Champions in King of Prussia, PA with certified sports trainers, Antonio Davis and Maine Prince. Both attending Penn State University and studied Exercise and Sports Science. Eventually after the team dissolved, Antonio Davis opened The Premiere Sports Academy in King of Prussia, PA.  Sports Performance Trainer.  Maine Prince, opened Philadelphia Sports Training Center in 2005, with his wife Justina Prince, a 2-time Academic All-American Soccer Player from Moravian University in Bethlehem, PA. The 85,000 square foot sports training facility located in Aston, PA was the premiere sports performance training facility for professional athletes, college athletes, high school athletes, and weekend warriors.<ref>{{Cite web |title=phillysportstc.com - Smart casual and sporty style |url=http://phillysportstc.com/ |access-date=2023-02-16 |website=phillysportstc.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Until sold in 2011 for over one billion dollars and is now the largest movie studio in Pennsylvania called Sun Center Studios. <ref>{{Cite web |title=SunCenter Studios |url=https://www.suncenterstudios.com/}}</ref> Following the sale of the building for Philadelphia Sports Training Center, Maine Prince opened a fulltime sports agency called Prince Management Group.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://princemanagementgroup.net/PMGW/ |title=Prince Management Group |access-date=2023-02-16 |website=princemanagementgroup.net}}</ref> The Philadelphia Charge was the city of Philadelphia's most recognizable sports venture conceived by the late, Ed Snider, owner of Comcast (as well as owner of the Philadelphia Flyers and Philadelphia Sixers - at that time).

===2001 season===
{{see also|2001 WUSA season}}
{{see also|2001 Philadelphia Charge season}}
The Charge would begin their first campaign led by American forward [[Lorrie Fair]], German defender [[Doris Fitschen]], and English forward [[Kelly Smith]].<ref name=Announce/> Finishing the inaugural season in fourth, the Charge advanced to the WUSA semi-final playoff match, losing to [[Atlanta Beat (WUSA)|Atlanta Beat]] 3–2.

===2002 season===
{{see also|2002 WUSA season}}
{{see also|2002 Philadelphia Charge season}}
Building on their first season, the Charge finished second in the standings for the regular season and lead the league in defense with fewest goals conceded (22). This season also featured the signing of [[Marinette Pichon]], who lead the team in scoring and earning Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year awards.<ref name=awards>{{cite web|url=https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/wusa/2002-08-22-awards_x.htm |title=Philadelphia's Pichon takes top honor in WUSA awards |website=usatoday.com |date=August 22, 2002 |access-date=April 4, 2020}}</ref> Similar to the first season, the Charge lost in the semi-finals, this time to [[Washington Freedom (soccer)|Washington Freedom]]. [[Mark Krikorian (soccer)|Mark Krikorian]] also won WUSA Coach of the Year honors from the successful regular season.

===2003 season===
{{see also|2003 WUSA season}}
{{see also|2003 Philadelphia Charge season}}
The Charge's final season featured the team's worst record, finishing last (eighth) in the WUSA regular season standings. This season also began the career of future [[United States women's national soccer team|national team]] goalkeeper, [[Hope Solo]], who made her professional debut in the Charge's first win of the season at [[New York Power]].