9781422275986

Open-registration leagues are a good place for girls to play and improve before trying to make more competitive club teams.

GAINING MOMENTUM Over the past twenty-five years, girls’ soccer in the United States has gained unstoppable momentum. In the 1980s and early 1990s, soccer wasn't talked about much in the United States. It was viewed as a European game and most people in the United States did not play or follow the sport. Some people viewed soccer the way that many people today view polo or rugby—a foreign sport for people who have lots of money. While soccer does not require much equipment, many people felt that soccer was an exclusive sport for people who had the money for private clubs and expensive coaching. In many areas of the United States, soccer clubs required joining fees and extensive travel to tournaments. This monetary requirement made it quite difficult for many lower-income children to play. While it has always been easy for children to kick the ball around, playing in an "official" capacity had often been reserved for kids from privileged backgrounds.

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