Letter From Editor, OGM
Dear Women's Soccer Fans,
It was a difficult decision, but after six years and 38 issues, this will be my last issue as Editor-in-Chief of Our Game Magazine.
There are many reasons for leaving, focusing on other things, getting back to playing, trying some new things and maybe just not trying to have three jobs at the same time for once are a few that come to mind.
Our Game started in 2010 with the purpose of helping to grow women’s soccer and improving women’s soccer media. I think we can say we have done both of those things in the past five years successfully. Media for women’s soccer, and not just the big outlets, report on the game in a more professional way, using proper soccer terms and lingo while finding awesome stories about players who aren’t always in the spotlight.
The game has grown. We have all grown with it.
OGM grew in many ways over the years. We learned a lot. I learned a lot. I had never been in charge of anything before. I didn’t know how to be an editor or editor in chief or part owner of an LLC. (I still don’t!) But I am much more knowledgeable about the process now than when I started, and that’s all we can do in life is get better and learn.
Thank you to Khaled El-Ahmad who pointed me in the direction to start the magazine. He had the idea that there was something missing in women’s soccer and he is to credit for OGM ever starting and giving me the push I needed to get it going. Then we brought on Ryan Wood who actually knew a ton about journalism and editing and taught me everything in the first couple of years. Thank you Ryan.
Then others came on and made the magazine what it is today. Ruth Moore is the reason the magazine has any pictures or design. Because I don’t know anything about design, so I’ve heard. Brandi Ortega saved the magazine in ways that every magazine should be saved. She is the reason it is as good as it is now, hands down. And JJ Duke started with us covering the USL W-League and ended up being one of the most consistent writers and editors we’ve ever had.
We’ve had our setbacks. Our 4v4 team at the NSCAA Convention, even with Beast Mode Soccer Dave, couldn’t win. We weren’t always perfect. We made mistakes. We could have done things better. But I am most proud of the fact that we never started an issue we didn’t finish. Every issue we said we were going to do we did.
That has a lot to do with the staff, but much more to do with the dependable, high-quality writers we had over the years. Current and former pro players, college players, youth players, coaches, journalists, you name it, they have written for us. And they were fantastic. It was rare that someone didn’t do the work they said they would do. That tells me everything I need to know about a person.
At the end of the day, it was a decision I needed to make at an important time in my life. But this magazine is much bigger than me. It’s much bigger than any current players or coaches. All this magazine needs is the game and people who love the game and understand it. People who want to see it grow for the players who are just starting their young soccer careers and for the fans that deserve the best coverage.
Moving forward, the magazine will continue under the direction of Brandi Ortega who will keep pushing the magazine in the right direction with the same philosophies we’ve had from the beginning.
Thank you to all the readers and subscribers and everyone who has supported the magazine over the years. I can’t thank you enough for what you have helped us create and maintain over the years.
Sincerely,
Tiffany Weimer