Despite the lack of obsession, I've still tried to follow the USWNT blog faithfully. At some point U.S. Soccer announced the women would be coming back to Cary to take on Japan in a World Cup prep game. I recruited some friends and paid way too much money for seats by the tunnel close to the field. Anytime I go to Cary, my mind wanders back to the nine months I lived there after college. I did an internship for the Carolina Courage during my senior year of college and was absolutely thrilled when they offered me a job after graduation. I was paid pennies and worked my butt off, but was living my dream job at 20 years old.
On Wednesday we ate cheap across from SAS, the company that almost bought the Courage. We cut through back roads I memorized eight years ago to get to my apartment. We took the same path I used to take from my apartment to the stadium, but were forced to park much further away! I always feel a little possessive when I get back to the stadium. We spent so much time trying to build our brand... I didn't work there long, but it meant the world to me. I reminisced working camp with the players and staff, painting a ridiculous banner in the locker room or hauling merchandise in the Hyundai Santa Fe.
During the game I watched Shannon Boxx, the player who used the WUSA as her tryout for the USWNT. I spotted former Courage coach and Assistant GM Marcia McDermott, former assistant coach Susan Ellis and former superstar Hege Riise. There were former USWNT players galore between Mia Hamm, Cindy Parlow, Julie Foudy and Kate Markgraf. Tennessee head coach Angela Kelly blended in amongst UNC coach Anson Dorrance and current USWNT players Lindsey Tarpley and Heather Mitts. I fell right back into the extreme fandom spouting off useless knowledge and winning the halftime trivia game from my seat.
If I worked for U.S. Soccer I would be working hard in these months leading up to the World Cup to get people excited about women's soccer. If that was the goal Wednesday night, U.S. Soccer succeeded. I'm itching to watch more soccer... read more articles... I'm ready for the 2011 World Cup. I don't know if I'll ever have the opportunity to work directly with professional women's soccer players again, but I will forever be a supporter.
On Wednesday we ate cheap across from SAS, the company that almost bought the Courage. We cut through back roads I memorized eight years ago to get to my apartment. We took the same path I used to take from my apartment to the stadium, but were forced to park much further away! I always feel a little possessive when I get back to the stadium. We spent so much time trying to build our brand... I didn't work there long, but it meant the world to me. I reminisced working camp with the players and staff, painting a ridiculous banner in the locker room or hauling merchandise in the Hyundai Santa Fe.
During the game I watched Shannon Boxx, the player who used the WUSA as her tryout for the USWNT. I spotted former Courage coach and Assistant GM Marcia McDermott, former assistant coach Susan Ellis and former superstar Hege Riise. There were former USWNT players galore between Mia Hamm, Cindy Parlow, Julie Foudy and Kate Markgraf. Tennessee head coach Angela Kelly blended in amongst UNC coach Anson Dorrance and current USWNT players Lindsey Tarpley and Heather Mitts. I fell right back into the extreme fandom spouting off useless knowledge and winning the halftime trivia game from my seat.
If I worked for U.S. Soccer I would be working hard in these months leading up to the World Cup to get people excited about women's soccer. If that was the goal Wednesday night, U.S. Soccer succeeded. I'm itching to watch more soccer... read more articles... I'm ready for the 2011 World Cup. I don't know if I'll ever have the opportunity to work directly with professional women's soccer players again, but I will forever be a supporter.
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