Women qualify for '11 World Cup, US Seeks Men's Cup in '22

Two good articles in today's New York Times, both by Jere Longman, speak to the state of professional soccer in the United States. One discusses yesterday's 1-0 victory over Italy, which qualified the U.S. women for this summer's Women's World Cup. The other predicts an increase in soccer interest in this country is the United States is awarded the 2022 World Cup.

On the men's side, Longman notes that the United States staged the most successful World Cup in history back in 1994 and that there were are sufficient existing stadiums with supporting infrastructure that public money would not be required. Top competitors appear to be Australia and Qatar, neither of which has hosted a World Cup.

The Women's World Cup will be in Germany this summer and the Americans barely qualified. Yesterday's victory gave them a 2-0 aggregate win in the home and home play-off for the 16th and final spot. The fact that the United States came down to the wire before qualifying demonstrate what Longman calls "growing democratization of women’s soccer" around the world. He points out that while more countries around the world are spending more money on women's soccer, the United States has stagnated. Its U-17 team did not qualify for the world championships and the U-20 squad lost to Nigeria in the quarterfinals. Add to that the fact that the Women's United Soccer Association - founded in the glow of the 1999 World Cup victory - folded in 2003 and the current league, Women's Professional Soccer, is struggling financially and for recognition. Three of its top teams - St. Louis, Los Angeles and the California-based FC Gold Pride, have folded in the past year or so.

A H.S. Stand Against Taunting

Here's a good story in today's Inquirer by noted soccer (and many other sports) writer Marc Narducci. It's about high school football, not soccer, but the principle discussed applies to all youth sports. It's that a high school coach sent a message to his players that unsporting behavior, even in the privacy of the locker room (which quickly becomes not so private on the Internet) will not be tolerated. It's nice to see that not only did the coach take swift action, but that he was backed by the school administration.

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/sports/high_school/20101128_Marc_Narducci__Ending_high_school_athletes__taunting_via_social_media.html?page=1&c=y

Florida State women's coach penalized for resting starters

Jere Longman's article about Florida State's women's team in today's Times raises a host of issues: is the coach's duty to the fans, to his own players, to the team's ultimate goal of winning the NCAA's? Are conference tournaments a good idea? If the conference does not crack down on resting starters during a tournament, could it spread to higher profile sports, namely men's basketball? Doesn't this happen in Europe all the time?

What we're talking about here is that Florida State's coach Mark Krikorian, who was the successful coach of the Philadelphia Charge, was suspended by the ACC for leaving seven starters home during the opener of the conference tournament against Wake Forest, which the Seminoles lost. The reason, Krikorian said, was they needed to rest up for the NCAA national tournament.

According to the article, coaches generally supported Krikorian. It was the ACC that had the problem - to the extent that it fined thee school $25,000 and denied it $15,000 in travel reimbursement and suspended Krikorian for the first game of the ACC.

Longman, as always does an excellent job of covering both sides of the issue.

I'm with Krikorian. He was doing what was best for the team. It is a dangerous precedent if a conference official can ell a coach whom to play. If he had brought the seven players along but had them sit on the bench to rest them, would the same sanctions have been imposed? “He should have them miss class and sit on the bench to appease the conference?”asked Ray Reid, the men's coach at Connecticut.

Here's the link to the Times article: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/19/sports/soccer/19seminoles.html?pagewanted=2&_r=2&hpw

Brenna's Thoughts On the D-3 Final Four

I know. I know. I haven't written much here lately. Too much work on the house, which has been under construction in one form or another for the better part of two years.

Anyway, the NCAA tournament is upon us and I am happy to say that seven women from the Medford Strikers Xtreme played for four colleges in the tournament: four at Rowan, one at Virginia Wesleyan and one at The College of New Jersey in Division III, and one at Bloomsburg in D-2.

Now, after the first weekend of the tournament, only one is still playing. That would be Brenna Rubino, who had a banner year at TCNJ. While Rowan lost, 4-0 to Messiah in the 2nd round, Bloomsburg, 2-0 to West Chester in the 2nd round, and Virginia Wesleyan, 1-0 to Hamilton in the first round, the Lions roared past Christopher Newport, 4-0 and Ithaca, 3-0, to advance to this weekend's Sweet 16 match-up with Johns Hopkins at Messiah College. Brenna, the team's leading scorer, picked up a goal and two assists in the two matches.

With TCNJ aiming for another trip to the D-3 College Cup, it seemed like a good time to print Brenna's account of last year's journey to San Antonio where TCNJ lost, 1-0, to eventual champion Messiah in the national semi-final. The goal came with 24:24 left to play and was the only score the Lions' defense allowed the entire tournament.

Here's what Brenna wrote last year after returning to New Jersey following the heartbreaking defeat. The words are hers, although I've edited a bit to clean up some typos.

The experience of going to the NCAAs was awesome and unforgettable. From the first plane ride leaving NY to the last plane ride heading home, the trip was amazing. I feel so blessed to have been able to experience that amazing opportunity.

There were lots of different events that we went to as a team that the NCAA set up for us. They financed our air fare and lodging and some of our meals. However, TCNJ is lucky enough to afford to go out to the nice restaurants as a team in the surrounding beautiful city of San Antonio.

The hotel we stayed was the Menger, which is conveniently located right next to the Alamo. Each team got the opportunity to get their picture taken in front of the Alamo professionally and each player received a copy which was an awesome gift.

There was a final four banquet where head NCAA members were recognized and one player from each of the four women’s teams and men’s teams gave speeches and discussed their team.

After the banquet each team got their own boat and was able to experience what is known as the “Riverwalk.” It’s a huge tourist attraction there in San Antonio which is partially a man made river with lots of beautiful restaurants, shops, and buildings located along the water.

We were given a police escort from the hotel to the field for each prctice to ensure that we arrived on time. We felt like celebrities. Ha ha.

We got the opportunity of reaching out to their female youth soccer players from an inner city middle school where some aren't handed opportunities to go to college like we are. We got to play with the young and talk with them about the importance of prioritizing school and sports as well as friends family and coaches. As a result they came to the game and cheered us on.

Before each team’s first game we were able to do a walk through on the field and take pictures by all the signs which by the way was grass and was immaculately kept. On top of all of this each player on the team received a really nice book bag free with lots of cool NCAA stuff.

When it came to game time each team was allotted its own tent area which was heated due to the unusually inclement weather in San Antonio. The game started and ended like any other game would but the level of play was just amazing to see on both sides. Each team was displaying its peak performance and the game was clean, tough, fair, and highly skilled.

Even though my team happened to lose on a tough goal we each received an individual semi finalist trophy and as a team we received a big trophy. Being there and getting a taste of what its really like to be there gives each player on our team the motivation to work even harder in the off season and during the following season to make sure we get another shot at it next year.

For TCNJ not making it to the final and winning the championship was a disappointment because each year that is our number one goal. I don’t doubt that TCNJ can get back there next year and win it all.

Overall, the road to San Antonio was rough and tiring with all the traveling and long weekends but it was all worth it in the end to be there and be apart of something great. I feel so blessed to have just been able to contribute and be apart of a team that was able to make it to the final four. It was an amazing experience as a team and as an individual even outside of just practicing and playing the game. I pray that TCNJ gets the chance to go back there next year.