By Mike Woitalla Robbie Rogers, like all players who make it to the higher levels of the game, spent a lot of time playing soccer on his own, away from the organized practices and games. And like most such players, he has a tale of indoor destruction. Rogers’ came as a very boy when he […]
Mike Woitalla
Soccer America Executive Editor Mike Woitalla has written freelance articles about soccer for more than 30 media outlets in nine nations. The winner of eight United Soccer Coaches Writing Contest awards, he is the author of two books. He coaches and referees youth soccer, and is a "Soccer Without Borders" volunteer.
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Alan Rothenberg: '1994 gave U.S. soccer stamp of approval'
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the USA hosting the 1994 World Cup. We caught up with Alan Rothenberg, the head of the USA 1994 Organizing Committee who served as U.S.Soccer President in 1990-1998. Interview by Mike Woitalla SOCCER AMERICA: What was it like, 20 years ago, when you were a few months from […]
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Alex Morgan: 'I stuck to my dream'
Interview by Mike Woitalla Since debuting for the USA in 2010, Alex Morgan has 44 goals and 29 assists in 70 games, and she helped the USA to its 2012Olympic gold medal. We spoke to the 24-year-old Southern California product, who plays for the NWSL’s Portland Thorns FC, about life as a pro athlete and […]
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Strides made; improvement still needed (Steve Swanson Q&A, Part 2)
Interview by Mike Woitalla In September, Steve Swanson coached the USA to the 2012 U-20 Women’s World Cup title. A women’s college coach since 1990,including the last 13 seasons at University of Virginia, Swanson has also coached in the U.S. national team women’s program at the U-16, U-17, U-18 and U-19 levels since 2000. In […]
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College recruiting starts too young (Steve Swanson Q&A, Part 1)
Interview by Mike Woitalla Steve Swanson, who guided the USA to the 2012 U-20 Women’s World Cup title in September, has coached women’s collegeball since 1990. After stints at Dartmouth and Stanford, he has coached the University of Virginia since 2000. He spoke with us about the perils of a recruiting system that has girls […]
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NSCAA opposed, but couldn't stop, high school ban (Joe Cummings Q&A)
Interview by Mike Woitalla The impact of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy’s banning its players from high school ball is being felt across the nation as the fallscholastic season begins. We spoke with Joe Cummings, the CEO of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), more than a third of whose 30,000-plus members are […]
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Inside Bayern Munich's youth program (Q&A with Werner Kern, Part I)
By Mike Woitalla Bayern Munich stars, such as Bastian Schweinsteiger, Philipp Lahm and Thomas Mueller, often crosspaths with the youngsters at the club’s Sabener Strasse grounds — though they arrive in a different manner. The pros drive Audis provided by the team sponsor whose license plates end with theirjersey numbers. After parking in the underground […]
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U.S. Club Soccer has changed radically in 10 years
Interview by Mike Woitalla This year marks the 10th anniversary of U.S. Club Soccer, which since gaining U.S. Soccer Federation membership in 2001 has served as analternative to U.S. Youth Soccer. We spoke with U.S. Club Soccer chairman Phil Wright about the past, present and future of the organization that now has member clubs and […]
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When They Were Children: Stories from the Stars
By Mike Woitalla One of the more enjoyable parts of interviewing stars is hearing anecdotes from their youth soccer days. Here are some from this season’s MLSplayers: WINNING CAME LATER. Chicago Fire captain Logan Pause recalled his teen years with Carolina United, coached by Elmar Bolowich. “I didn’t win a state cup once,” Pause said, […]
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Tab Ramos: Keep the parents at bay
Interview by Mike Woitalla Tab Ramos, considered one of the USA’s most skillful players ever, played for the USA at three World Cups, two Copa Americas,and in the Olympic Games. Two years after retiring in 2002 from a playing career in Spain, Mexico and MLS, he founded the New Jersey youth club NJSA 04. In […]