NWSL: Jill Ellis explains San Diego Wave Futbol Club's name, the 'idea of it just being non stop'

NWSL expansion side San Diego Wave Futbol Club debuted their new name on Tuesday

The 2021 NWSL playoffs are in full swing but that hasn't stopped the off-season from beginning to take shape as the league's 12th team announced their official franchise name. San Diego Wave Futbol Club is the official moniker of California's newest coastal team. The team will begin play at its temporary home, Torero Stadium in spring 2022 and its crest and permanent venue will be announced at a later date.  

The organization was awarded expansion earlier this year, when the league announced that San Diego -- not Sacramento as previously rumored  -- would be the 12th NWSL team in 2022. The team is owned by Ron Burkle, a three-time Stanley Cup Champion as co-owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Burkle's longtime business associate Matt Alvarez will serve as vice-chairman. 

The biggest splash that the club has made since their introduction to the league was announcing that former United States women's national team head coach and two-time FIFA Women's World Cup winner Jill Ellis will serve as club President.

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"A lot of this was connecting with groups, soccer groups, within the community to bounce names and ideas," Ellis told CBS Sports of the club's new name.

"The initial questionnaire went out -- what what does San Diego mean to you? How does it feel like? What resonates for you? And so much the common theme kept coming back -- the ocean, the beaches, you know, just the influence of water obviously, being a coastal city."

Prior to the clubs official name unveiling, Ellis made big hires to help her sail the club towards their destination in 2022. She hired former USWNT team administrator Molly Downtain as the clubs new general manager, and later hired former English international and Manchester United coach Casey Stoney as head coach.

 "This is an exciting next step in our process to the team's kickoff next season," said Stoney.

"Having  spent some time now in San Diego, I believe our name strikes the perfect balance between representing this beautiful city and how we want to be a relentless force on the pitch. Wave FC will be a source of city pride for the community on and off the field of play." 

The Wave Futbol Club will be the very first NWSL franchise to use the Spanish translation, Futbol, in its name. It is meant to reflect and connect both the landscape and cultural ties between the club and its city.

"I'm someone who grew up in a country where every team was either United or City," Ellis quipped. "So it was different, but I just think it really kind of captures, you know, the essence of this incredible city and this incredible area."

"As my daughter said, you don't want to be a name that's soft, and I love the idea that the wave can be so strong and so powerful, and this idea of it just being non stop."