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Soccer in the US taking center stage - Jun 29, 2009 | 12:58:32
posted by: Molly Gallagher
This weekend the world watched as the United States took on Brazil in the finals of the 2009 Confederations Cup. Even after defeating Spain last week, who was ranked No. 1 in the world at the time, the US entered the game as the underdogs with everything to gain. On the world stage, US interest in soccer has always been far below the norm. After the media's buzz around the defeat of Spain, many thought a Confederations Cup Championship could spark enough interest domestically to bring the international sport to the forefront. But by losing to Brazil, 3-2, after entering halftime with a 2-0 lead, the US may have lost more than just a Championship title. As one New York Times writer put it, "Nice try, good effort. For the rest of us, it's back to baseball until next summer's run to the World Cup." He went on to say, "instead of talking about a great triumph, we're back to talking about what United States soccer needs to break through at home." Others are more realistic about what the Championship meant to the game's popularity. D.C. United's Ben Olsen, who played for the U.S. team in the 2006 World Cup, told the Washington Times about his ideas about the future of soccer in the US. "I've been around long enough to know soccer in this country," Olsen said. "The popularity of soccer isn't going to be changed by one game or one win or a series of wins. It's a process. We're getting there. We're making progress, making strides. If we win the Confederations Cup, is D.C. United going to get 45,000 next week? Probably not. But for those of us in the soccer community, this is a great next step." Some point to a lack of interest among the youth and flaws in youth programs as reason soccer doesn't attract our country's most elite athletes. Without these athletes, US teams will continue to underachieve and struggle internationally. Sasho Cirovski, the coach of Maryland's NCAA champion men's soccer team, told the Washington Times "We have a uniquely different setup from the rest of the world in terms of how our youth is organized." He continued, "I think we're getting better athletes ... but we still have a long way to go. I think it takes a long time to build a culture of soccer. It's evolutionary. But this game is proof we can play with the big boys and that the American developmental system is working." Still others think the effects the US team's fairy-tale run had on fan interest in the US has been immediate and tangible, despite losing in the finals. "There is a huge demand for World Cup tickets, already 93000 have been sold and the response since [the victory against Spain] has been incredible," 2010 Local Organizing Committee media officer Jermaine Craig told the Daily Dispatch. "There's phenomenal excitement from the United States," he added. Have you noticed a change in public opinion in light of last week's games? Did you grow up as a soccer fan? Did you tune into ESPN's broadcast of the game yesterday? Do you think soccer has a place in the United States among our other major sports? 
Commentssoccer is here to stay. look at the amount of soccer equipment that is purchased in shirts unforms shoes etc. soccer will be in the usa when the ny times is history! I am not sure if the general public's opinion is really changing all that much about soccer because most people are oblivious to the sport. Although soccer is one of the most popular (if not the most) youth sports in the United States, if you asked most people what the Confederations Cup was I bet you would have gotten a puzzled look. I agree with Ben Olsen that it is a long process, but I do feel that we are making some headway. Just in the last 20 years I think the United States has grown leaps and bounds, not only in terms of the quality of our play, but also in the quality of our fan support. To keep things in perspective though, that support pales in comparison to the typical American sports like baseball, basketball and football. I watch soccer pretty much any time it is on TV (which is sadly not as much as it should be, in my opinion) and I watch every USA game. The game against Brazil, while a crushing loss, was also a wonderful display of our tactics and our determination against the preeminent soccer power in the world. Games like that are instant classics and had me out of my chair and yelling at the TV (apologies to my neighbors). I honestly wish soccer was more popular in the US, because having played all my life I know there is no more universal a sport than soccer. One day maybe the US will catch up to the rest of the world in acknowledging, "the beautiful game." Soccer in the USA will never have a place until we fix the youth system. There is so much focus on divisions, clubs, and winning. It has moved towards an elitist sport much like tennis and will remain stuck until we change. If you are not privileged enought to live in a major market area or have the dollars to travel, you really have no chance in this country. JJ pretty much said exactly what I'm thinking. Thanks for being so precise. I agree that most people have no idea what the Confederations Cup is or probably don't know much about the Premier League or which U.S. players are playing overseas. The good news is, every time we make the headlines we do earn a few more fans. My husband overheard a young man talking to a friend about the semifinal against Spain. He wasn't entirely sure what he was talking about because he thought the finals were on Monday, but he was actually putting the effort forth to "talk" about U.S. soccer & wanted to sound like he was up on things. We'll get there. Fans like us just need to keep supporting our country. Our family travelled to Germany to see our boys 3 years ago & still talk about how exciting it was to tie the eventual World Cup Champs. Unfortunately, it's a slower process than we'd like, but hey, what do you do? By the way JJ, have you subscribed to Setanta yet? Many more games there! I got in trouble for trying to sneak that past my husband! I'd like to congratulate the US Men's soccer team for making the finals of a major world tournament and for playing great soccer against a great team (Brazil) in the finals. Unfortunately, they played great soccer for only 45 minutes instead of the required 90 minutes. Atleast they played great soccer instead of the same old mediocre soccer of the past. Progress for US soccer is slower than I'd like but atleast it's still progressing. Post a Comment |
  
As an educator, umpire/official, ex college/professional athlete, and past coach I believe it is our top job to guarentee our athletes recognize it is education first and athletic success second.
- Nancy Aiken
   
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