There is tremendous local interest as the U.S. Women's National team plays Japan in the Women's World Cup soccer final on Sunday in Vancouver, B.C.
The U.S. women are going for their third World Cup title. KPLU sports commentator Art Thiel says their odds are pretty good.
Title IX Coming To Fruition
Thiel said the reason the U.S. women are so dominant has to do with something that happened more than 40 years ago.
"Starting in 1972, Title IX, which was a federally mandated order to equalize the opportunities for women athletes in major colleges, took effect. By 1978, everyone was in compliance," he said.
"What we're seeing 40 years later is a wonderful collection of athletes and coaches to make the U.S. dominant.
"It's unlike anything else in the world," Thiel continued. "A lot of people don't realize this but, from 1921 to 1971, England banned women's soccer. Germany did not give opportunities for women players until 1970.
"So this has been, really, a U.S. phenomenon. Now, Japan is catching up. Germany is catching up. But they're not quite there yet because the U.S. has so many opportunities in high school and in college. And particularly for soccer."
Soccer Interest Keeps Rising
"There have been studies done about participation in the various sports: soccer, volleyball, baseball/softball and basketball," Thiel said. "Soccer participation has been going up, up, up, while the others have been flat lining or even declining. But soccer has been really soaring.
"We're seeing in this World Cup the fruition of Title IX in so many ways."
Spotlight On Solo
Thiel said the U.S. has shown its dominance in this year's World Cup through "defense, defense, defense."
"Five consecutive shutouts. Five hundred thirteen scoreless minutes for the U.S. They're not great, dynamic goal scorers but they do have a goal stopper in Hope Solo," he said.
"The former University of Washington goalie and Olympic gold medalist is from Richland, Wash., and a member of the Seattle Reign FC. So she's the local hero and she's now the national and international hero with her play.
"She's tied Brianna Scurry's record for consecutive shutouts with 10. And she has 89 shutouts now, which is a national record. She has been absolutely phenomenal," Thiel said.
Off The Pitch...
Solo has had some legal troubles.
"Just before the World Cup began, ESPN's Outside The Lines program, through public information records, revealed some of the information that was in the police report of a domestic violence episode in her Kirkland home," Thiel said.
"It involved her half-sister and a nephew, in which she struck the nephew with a broomstick. And, according to the newly-disclosed information, (she) was very belligerent and caustic with the police who arrested her for a domestic violence charge," Thiel said.
"That charge sort of went away when the half-sister declined to provide evidence in a trial. Kirkland prosecutors are considering reopening the case now that there is further evidence," Thiel said.
Solo pleaded not guilty to the charges.
U.S. Soccer 'Missed An Opportunity'
"It's a difficult position for U.S. Soccer to offer a proper response to (Solo's case)," Thiel said. "Basically, they sort of ignored it."
The president of U.S. Soccer did issue a statement last September to USA Today:
"U.S. Soccer takes the issue of domestic violence very seriously," U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati said in an e-mailed statement. "From the beginning, we considered the information available and have taken a deliberate and thoughtful approach regarding Hope Solo's status with the National Team. Based on that information, U.S. Soccer stands by our decision to allow her to participate with the team as the legal process unfolds. If new information becomes available we will carefully consider it."
Thiel said he wanted more. "This is domestic violence. It's a big issue in sports today. It's a big issue in society today. I think U.S. Soccer missed a chance to make a statement of how important it is.
"But they're much like the NFL, MLB and the NBA. Hope Solo is a prodigious talent. They do not want her out of the World Cup," he said.
"I really feel like they missed an opportunity to make a statement about the importance of domestic violence. Even on this critical stage, they had a chance and they abdicated."
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You can find Art Thiel's work at Sportspress Northwestand Crosscut.com.
