The product of NISA and Carrie Taylor’s labor has finally emerged, branded and ready to start accepting official applications. Women’s Independent Soccer League, or WISL, announced their title, logo, and website today.

“This is an opportunity to rise above. We are building numerous new opportunities with our ground-breaking pro women's league. WISL will showcase our merits, our diversity, and our belief in the power of women on and off the field,” states Managing Director, Carrie Taylor, in the press release. We sat down with Carrie in February, when WISL was first announced, nameless and with minimal detail.

At the time, NISA was also paired with United Women’s Soccer, but has since mutually parted ways amicably, with both parties stating evolving women’s soccer is their shared goal. No reason was given for the separation.

The press release also explains the branding decisions for WISL:

“The name Women’s Independent Soccer League is both an acronym and a verb. There is symbolism in the ability to “wisl” – to one’s own tune (individuality), while she works (flow), in harmony with others (solidarity), and in celebration of progress (legacy).
There is a lot of symbolism in the imagery, as well. All the elements come together into a mark that embodies our essence as an independent league with an empowering culture.”

WISL and Carrie Taylor are still aiming for a 2022 inaugural season, with independent clubs expected to be announced in the coming months. The deadline to apply for sanctioning approval from USSF is August 2021, and will decide if WISL will become the only division II women’s league in the US, filling that missing gap below the current division I women’s league, the NWSL. But if Carrie’s resume and prior experience are anything to go by, we at Protagonist Soccer have high hopes for WISL, and we look forward to providing coverage for it in the future.

You can learn more about WISL at WISLeague.com, as well as on Instagram and Facebook (@WISLeague) and Twitter (@WISL_League).

- Elisabeth Schendel