Maria Sanchez reflects on the transition of joining San Diego Wave FC

Photo Copyright Darren Yamashita for USA TODAY Sports

One month ago, Wave FC fans gathered at San Diego International Airport on a Tuesday afternoon with handmade signs, flowers, and Mexican flags to welcome the club’s latest signing María Sánchez to the city.

Sánchez joined the Wave following two seasons with the Houston Dash where she signed a record-breaking contract extension, then promptly requested a trade. Although Sánchez faced challenges ahead of the transition, her time with the Wave has been an evolving journey of learning and growing alongside new teammates.

“It was really cool that people took time out of their day on a Tuesday afternoon to be there to welcome me,” Sánchez told The Equalizer. “It just shows the type of club that it is and it was a difficult moment for me, so, at the time, it was scary and a lot of emotions going through me, but that definitely helped me to feel more welcomed and at home and it eased everything a bit more.”