Background: Born in Rochester, New York, Wambach was raised in the Rochester suburb of Pittsford. She is the youngest of seven siblings (with two sisters and four brothers) born to Pete and Judy Wambach. She began playing soccer at the age of four after her sister decided she wanted to try the sport. Their mother checked out a book from the library explaining how to play the game, and from then on soccer became part of their family tradition.
Context: In 2008, a new professional league was announced for women in the United States: Women's Professional Soccer (WPS). During the 2008 WPS Player Allocation in which twenty-one players from the United States national team player pool were assigned to the seven teams in the new league, Wambach was assigned to the Washington Freedom. She was voted WPS Player of the Week for the week of April 26 (Week 5) after scoring two goals in the Washington Freedom's 4-3 victory over the FC Gold Pride, the Freedom's first victory in the new league. During the Freedom's next game on May 3, 2009, she received a yellow card for a tackle on St. Louis Athletica midfielder Daniela that left Daniela with two damaged knee ligaments and a crack in the tibia and sidelined her for the rest of the season. Wambach was suspended for one game after the challenge was reviewed by the league commissioner.  Wambach won the WPS Player of the Week award for the week of July 28 (Week 18) for scoring two goals against the Chicago Red Stars and Sky Blue FC and for the week of Aug 11 (Week 20) for scoring two goals and having one assist against Sky Blue. She ended the 2009 season with eight goals more than any other American player in the WPS and was named to the 2010 WPS All-Star Team.  Wambach returned to the Washington Freedom for the 2010 WPS season, winning the WPS Player of the Week award in week 2 for scoring one goal and serving two assists against the Atlanta Beat. She was the top overall vote-getter in WPS All-Star voting, making her one of two captains for the 2010 WPS All-Star Game. Wambach received 100% of the media's and coaches' votes and received the most fans' votes-with 31%.  In 2011, the Freedom relocated to Boca Raton, Florida and became the magicJack under new ownership. On July 22, 2011, Wambach was named the player-coach for the magicJack for the rest of the 2011 WPS season. She was named WPS Player of the Week for the seventh time in August 2011.  On October 26, 2011, the Women's Professional Soccer League Governors voted to terminate the magicJack franchise. The league suspended operations in early 2012.
Question: why was it difficult to get through the 2002 season?

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