Welcome to The Lion's Pitch

Greetings, Courage Country! Thanks for checking out The Lion’s Pitch, a weekly newsletter dedicated to news and updates about the North Carolina Courage.

Other clubs in the NWSL and MLS have dedicated podcasts and newsletters providing analyses of matches and updates to the team roster. I felt the Courage deserved the same. So, here’s what you can expect from this newsletter. It’s brand new, so if there’s something you’d like to see, give a shout by replying to this email.

What to expect

I’m aiming to send the newsletter once a week on Wednesdays. The goal is to give subscribers a midweek “pick-me-up” between matches.

Once the season kicks off, the newsletter will have a fairly standard format:

• A brief recap of the previous week’s match

• A look ahead to future matches

• Links to news from other clubs in the league, as well as occasionally the US Women’s National Team (USWNT)

I’ll experiment with a few other sections as well and see what resonates!

During the international breaks and offseason, the newsletter will get a little more sporadic with breaks for me as well.

Whether you’re local or afar, whether you caught a given match or missed it, this newsletter should have something fun to offer fans.

Upcoming: reflections on the offseason

As I warm up, the first few issues will cover this year’s NWSL offseason. If you haven’t tracked it closely, this will be a way to catch up on Courage-specific news. And if you have, hopefully it will serve as a helpful refresher going into the 2024 season!

Feb 28: Roster review + kit drop

March 6: 2024 Schedule Overview, including a separate post on how to watch, given that the matches will be spread over five (!!!) different providers

March 12: Week 1: a look ahead

Speaking of the schedule, I’m loving the simple-but-fun hype video the Courage created as part of the schedule launch. I think it honors teams from around the league, and the warmth of this post feels on-brand for the Courage.

A bit about me

I’m Trevor Knoblich, a Durham resident and former journalist. Like many people, I first got into women’s soccer following the incredible accomplishments of the USWNT on and off the pitch. When I moved to the triangle in 2022, I decided to check out our home club. And loved it. So much so that here we are, with a newsletter dedicated to the team.

I’d describe myself as a casual fan compared to many. While I’ll aim to do a brief breakdown of roster changes and games, it will be from the perspective of someone relatively new to the ins-and-outs of NWSL. If you’re learning, too, this newsletter will serve as a fun journey together. If you’re more of an expert or deep data person, then hopefully the newsletter serves as a fun scan each week, and a helpful curation of news.

You can always get in touch with tips, suggestions, corrections and more: [email protected].

Until next time, roar on, Courage Country.