Soccer is growing in America

In IU women’s soccer coach Mick Lyon’s dictionary, British football matches and American soccer games make no difference when it comes to working and winning.

Entering his ninth season as an IU coach, he said football in England and soccer in America was quite different in terms of popularity when he came to the States more than 20 years ago. Although even his grandmother was familiar with “an offside,” soccer in America was still a “novelty” back then.

But Lyon said he has seen the situation change as soccer is becoming more and more popular in the States. College soccer is a big part of it.

Lyon said he wanted the players to practice in real-game-oriented situations this season.
“They are not just practice plays,” Lyon said. “They get to be working to get onto the pitch and be successful.”

While players were sweating and doing work on the field in the summer, Lyon said he will make sure they did not forget the World Cup in South Africa.

He said the coaches have talked about the best games with the girls and will include film study on games they taped.