Sarafina Lamoureaux and Samm Rials – LRHS News
(LAKEWOOD RANCH, FL) – According to the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA), since 2008 the number of Americans watching soccer has grown by 80%. The American Youth soccer Organization lists around 630,000 players as of 2014.
LRHS has benefited from soccer’s growing popularity. The players have noticed that more fans are coming out to watch the games.
Senior center midfielder Ben Wilson said that FIFA’s growth in the US has definitely contributed to soccer becoming more common, “Yeah, and more people are at the games as well.”
Not only has FIFA had an effect on soccer but other events have as well such as the world cup.
Tori Boudreau plays for the Lady Soccer Mustangs and said she’s noticed a real increase in interest.
“Definitely,” she said, “because people watch the World Cup and realize it is a good sport and it’s really fun and competitive.”
Soccer has become a sport that is talked about often, similar to American football. More people are reacting and wanting to get involved in it.
Freshmen mid fielder Katie Wilson believes new crowds of people and a variety of students have contributed to more people trying out this year.
“There are new people and a new crowd,” she said, which makes the team more diverse than in previous years.
Soccer has always enjoyed global popularity, but now it’s become a sport of choice and has gained popularity at LRHS and beyond, due to the popularity of the FIFA World Cup and new, and more, people trying out for teams at teams across the US.