The 2010 WPS season has kicked off and with it, I am reminded why this league is so important to young women everywhere.I recall attending sporting events as a young boy with my father and the feeling I got when seeing the same games I played in the school yard being played professionally. Endless big dreams of inspiration were gained from those experiences. I realized that there was indeed a point to practicing hard at something. I think now that much of the excitement was off the field rather than on it.
Sure, everyone was there to see the pros, but that was just it. It's the fact that crowds of people would come out to see a mere couple of dozen pro players do their thing. Those players actions on the field would either send those thousands into thunderous applause or spontaneous grief. Those players were providing inspiration: inspiration to try harder, to practice more, to not give up, to go out to the school yard and see if you could learn to do what they could do. In that way WPS has been no different. Sure, they were only just over 3,000 people in attendance for game 2 versus the Atlanta Beat but it's the quality of the experience that has been second to no other pro venues I've ever attended.
The largest sporting event I've ever attended was FC Barcelona v. the LA Galaxy at the Rose Bowl with over 90,000 people in attendance. I've been to numerous Formula One Grand Prix races with over 300,000 in attendance throughout the weekend event. Few spectacles can match the shrill scream of a Formula One motor at 19,000 rpms.
As a father of an 8 year old daughter, it's the smile on her and other young soccer player's faces that eclipse the excitement of even the magic of Leo Messi on the pitch or Michael Schumacher driving to the limit.
Those smiles instantly remind me of a time when I would dream big. I realize that for countless young girls before my daughter, before Mia Hamm and Michelle Akers, before Tiffany Milbrett who still plays at 37 and scored the opening goal vs. the Atlanta Beat by the way: there was no such dream. There were no such role models to bring on the idea in the first place.
Determined to promote this league, I make an attempt to do my part to get the word out. For game 2, I decided to pass on using my VIP center circle on field seats in lieu of a greater purpose: bringing a crowd of 20 young Soccer Monkeys and their parents out to see WPS live.
As one parent would put it after the final whistle, Kiki Bosio's flip throw in the 89th minute [which by the way lead to the winning goal] was in and of itself worth the price of admission! Again, it was not the on field action that really was significant. Sure, Marta dazzled the crowds with her flawless footwork. Kelley O'hara captured our attention with her speed and skill. The Beat's crew didn't disappoint either as Mami Yamiguchi was a force to be reckoned with in midfield and Swiss international Ramona Bachman put the Pride defense on notice more than once.
One by one is was the smiles on the Soccer Monkey faces and the faces of countless other youth soccer players that would steal the show. One of my young U8 Monkeys made a point to sit next to me so as to leave with no question unanswered: "Can you teach me to drop kick the ball like Nicole Barnhardt?", "Why is Kelley O'hara so fast?" and one of my favorites "do they get substitutions?"
The answer of course was "Sure, but only 3 for the whole game...Why do you think I make you guys run so hard in practice!" Next week at practice, we played flying changes and that same girl must have had boosted her work rate 200% in the scrimmage. Dream big young lady. Go Pride!
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