Monday, December 8, 1997
The University Daily Kansan
Section B · Page 3
NIKE puts money, faith in the soccer bandwagon
The Associated Press
U. S. Soccer and NIKE, Inc. recently signed a contract to help assure the growth of soccer at all levels in the United States.
The 10-year agreement calls for NIKE and U.S. Soccer to work
together on a variety of fronts through 2006, during which time NIKE will be the exclusive
official supplier and sponsor of products to U.S. Soccer and its national teams, and the Federation's supplier and sponsor of soccer balls. Terms of the contract were not disclosed.
NIKE recently elevated soccer to 'core sport' status alongside basketball and running," said Tom Clarke, Nike's president and chief operating officer.
As part of the contract NIKE will also become the title sponsor of the annual U.S. Cup series, which has brought some of the world's finest men's teams to the United States since 1992, and to the U.S. Women's Cup tournament, established in 1995.
In addition, NIKE agreed to sponsor four women's team tours in support of the American women's efforts at the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup, which will be held in the United States, and the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
Six months ago U.S. Soccer unveiled a plan, entitled Project 2010. The foundation of the program is a commitment to player development, enhancement of the image of soccer in the United States, and investment in the game's infrastructure.
Broadening the scope of the agreement, NIKE also pledged financial support to the Federation's Project 40 program. The initiative is designed to accelerate the development of highly talented young players who can benefit from professional-style training and prove educational stipends so players can enter or return to college when their playing days are over.
Project 40 will help U.S. Soccer and MLS provide player compensation as well as equipment for the athletes.
The United States Soccer Federation, or U.S. Soccer, is the national governing body for soccer in the United States. With headquarters in Chicago, U.S. Soccer is the host federation for the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup, was the host for the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Soccer Tournament, and served as the host federation for the 1994 FIFA World Cup.
Football being tackled by soccer
Continued from page 1B
Emporia High School didn't have a soccer program until the early 1990s. Before that, male athletes played football or ran cross country. Now, the competing sports spread athlete thin. Miller said.
Emporia soccer coach Duane Desmarteau said soccer numbers were rising and making a visible impact on football.
"Numbers have risen tremendously," Desmarteau said. "Now students have to make a choice. Our numbers are comparable to football, and in a lot of cases we have more."
Soccer club teams in Emporia might be responsible. Miller said.
"If you play soccer from the time you're six, and your high school coach coaches you year round, well, football coaches don't have that," Miller said.
Johnson County schools are also experiencing the soccer squeeze.
At Olathe East High School, both soccer and football are strong, said Ryan Ralston. Olathe East athletic director.
But, Ralston added, if Olathe East didn't have soccer, more kids would probably try out for football.
Ralston said soccer numbers were growing, and even though there weren't as many students out for soccer as for football the gap narrowed every year.
In the past, Olathe East has fielded enough students to have three soccer teams, but interest was so great this year that four teams were formed, Ralston said.
Football cries for help
Concerned soccer moms also are spurring the sport's growth.
Kansas football coach Terry Allen said he thought many parents put their children in soccer because they thought there was less of an injury risk compared to football.
"The reality of the situation is that soccer is one of the most dangerous sports out there from an injury perspective," Allen said.
For the most part, Allen is correct, according to the 1997-98 NCAA Sports Medicine Handbook. Soccer ranks higher than football in practice and game injury rates. Football, however,
ranks higher in severity of injury and injuries requiring surgery.
Andrew Rohrback / KANSAN
Allen offered suggestions to solve the soccer-football conflict.
"Move soccer to the spring like they did in Iowa so kids can play both football and soccer." Allen said.
Coaches also need to actively promote football and encourage students to play, he said.
Allen has a large stake in resolving the conflict. His recruiting depends on it.
Thirty-six players on the Kansas football team are from Kansas, or 33 percent of the team. But only four of Kansas' 21 newcomers this season are from Kansas.
Kansas athletes
Recruiting in Kansas is already a tight game, Allen said. Because of competition between Kansas and Kansas State, the state of Kansas probably could never field two top 10 teams, like Florida does, Allen said.
Kansas state figures on high school players (in thousands) in soccer and 11-man football:
The established sport
But not everyone has written football off for dead.
Rick Bowden, assistant executive director of KSHSAA, said football was an established sport in Kansas.
"It's an unfair comparison," Bowden said. "Football will do no more growing. It's already a big kid."
Nationally, Sparks said he saw no evidence that soccer's popularity hurt football.
"Football is just as healthy," Sparksa said. "It takes a different athlete. Soccer might hurt a football program at a small school."
But Bowden said most schools, when faced with cutting athletic programs, fought to keep football.
Youth leagues, similar to their soccer cousins, are sprouting up in cities across Kansas.
In Emporia, a youth football league was created to meet parent and child demands, despite a strong youth soccer league already in existence, said Miller.
"Seldom do you ever see a school dropping the program," he said. "Even small schools are trying to hang on. Football is the last program to go."
Targeting youth
And football supporters aren't waiting around to see what will happen. They're fighting back.
Emporia freshman football coach.
"We have started a little kids football league, and it seems to be successful." Miller said
Miller said the league was increasing interest in football.
Filling the stands
Meanwhile, soccer games in Emporia have become big events. Desmarteau said that between 2,000 and 3,000 fans attended each game, most of them young.
Sure, the football stadium still draws a larger crowd, but Desmarteau said most football fans were older adults — people who grew up with football as a major sport.
"A lot of people still go to football games," Desmarteau said. "But student bodywise, we have more fans than football."
One day those soccer fans will grow up. And that's what worries football coaches.
Kansas high schools
Kansas State High School Athletic Association figures on high-school programs in soccer and 11-man football;
Andrew Rohrback / KANSAN
Jayhawks lose first game of the season, play today
Pierce: Fouled out in the Jayhawks' loss.
Continued from page 1B
Maryland guard Terrell Stokes caught the inbound pass and then leaned on the press table, which is out of bounds. An official across the court called a foul on Robertson as the official nearest the play indicated possession for Kansas.
coach Roy Williams. "That was not what lost us the basketball game. I've had the opportunity to see the replay, and they probably wouldn't make that call, but they don't have that luxury.
"I would take that officiating crew right now," said Kansas
Stokes converted both free throws, and Kansas trailed by three with 1.8 seconds to play.
ranked by three with 12 seconds to play. LaFrentz threw the ball to guard Billy Thomas, whose shot from 35 feet bounced off the right side of the rim as time expired.
"You don't have a lot of options down three with 1.8 seconds to play," Williams said. "To tell you the truth, I was ecstatic with the shot we got."
The Jayhawks were not ecstatic with the loss. It was the first time in Williams' career at Kansas that the Jayhawks have failed to make it to the championship game of a holiday tournament.
Kansas will play Pennsylvania, 3-3, at 5 p.m. today in the consolation game. The Quakers lost to George Washington 62-66 in the other first round game.
"Tomorrow you wipe the slate clean and do things aggressively," Robertson said. "It was just a bad day."
self-published paperback over a dozen photos $14.95
Jerod Haase Former KU Basketball Star to sign his new bookloor Burns: Inside the Life of a Kansas Jayhawk
Thursday, Dec. 11, 1997 Mt. Oread 2:00-4:00 p.m. Mt.Oread Bookshop
Jerod will also sign books at the KU games Dec.10th & 13th
Mt. Oread Bookshop
Kansas Union, Level 2 • 864-3341
www.jayhawks.com
BOOKSHOP
UNIVERSITY OF KANLA
End of Semester Celebration
Friday, December 12th
5-7 p.m.
Dos Hombres Restaurant
815 New Hampshire St.
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