Overview

This narrative of U.S. soccer's history and present-day status addresses the issues of socioeconomics. Emphasizing the differences between social classes in U.S. soccer past and present, as well as those between American soccer and international football, this work analyzes the role of class in American soccer's failure to carve out a more prominent place in the sports landscape. Contemporary soccer is explored from its beginnings in informal Parks and Recreation leagues to the development of formal club programs, and university, professional, and U.S. national teams. In recent decades, Hispanic leagues formed primarily by Mexican and Central American immigrants have reinforced the theme of a class-based, exclusionary space in U.S. soccer. A personal perspective based on the authors' experience coaching soccer at the informal level broadens the book's appeal.

Full Product Details

Author:   Gregory G. Reck ,  Bruce Allen Dick
Publisher:   McFarland & Co Inc
Imprint:   McFarland & Co Inc
Dimensions:   Width: 15.20cm , Height: 1.30cm , Length: 22.90cm
Weight:   0.358kg
ISBN:  

9780786496280

ISBN 10:   0786496282
Pages:   260
Publication Date:   26 January 2015
Recommended Age:   From 18 years
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Available To Order  
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Table of Contents

Table of Contents Acknowledgments Preface Introduction Section One: A Theoretical Perspective 1. The Pyramid Upside Down 2. Models of the Pyramid Right Side Up Section Two: Retrospective of U.S. Soccer 3. History of U.S. Soccer: Beginnings 4. History of U.S. Soccer: The Golden Years 5. History of U.S. Soccer: Lost Years, Renewed Hopes 6. History of U.S. Soccer: The Cosmos Years Section Three: From the Local to the National 7. Soccer Beginnings: The World of Parks and Recreation 8. Youth Development and Club Soccer 9. Appalachian State University Soccer in the National Fabric: A Case Study 10. From Boone to Siler City: Case Studies in Latino Soccer 11. Professional and National Soccer in the United States Today Conclusion Afterword: 2014 World Cup Chapter Notes Bibliography Index

Reviews

Questions United States youth soccer and how its social-economic space applies to class, ethnicity, and cultural symbols.... U.S. soccer is like an inverted pyramid and prohibits playing opportunities to those who cannot afford to play. The authors situate the current game as a middle-to-upper-class privilege. -- Journal of Sport History Journal of Sport History

Author Information

Gregory G. Reck is a professor of anthropology at Appalachian State University. His publications include numerous articles, and book chapters. He lives in Boone, North Carolina. Bruce Allen Dick is a professor of English at Appalachian State University. He publishes in African American, Latino, and film studies. He lives in Boone, North Carolina.

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