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 […]
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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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 […]
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Soccer America columnist Paul Gardner honored
[HALL OF FAME] Soccer America columnist Paul Gardner will receive the 2010 Colin Jose Media Award by the National Soccer Hall of Fame. Gardner,who has written more than one thousand columns for Soccer America and has covered American soccer for England’s World Soccer magazine since 1973, will be inducted Aug. 10 at the NewMeadowlands Stadium. […]
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Tab Ramos: 'We've come a long way'
[INTERVIEW] Tab Ramos, one of the USA’s greatest players, played in three World Cups in the 1990s and starred in Spain, the Mexican league and MLS. Now president and coach of youth club New Jersey SA 04 anda member of the U.S. Soccer Federation’s Technical Committe, Ramos comments on the 2010 World Cup, the U.S. […]
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In The Game: Pioneer Gordon Jago Still Going Strong
Three years ago, Gordon Jago returned to his native England to meet Queen Elizabeth II at her palace. He was given specific instructionsfor the encounter: When she extends her right hand, that’s the signal it’s over. Shake her hand, back off four paces, bow, turn to your right, go off. Jago first came to the […]
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Youth Beat: A Nation Gone Tournament Mad
If you’ve been wondering why tournament play has become such a major part of the youth soccer experience, follow the money. Children might consider youth soccer tournaments just a matter of playing different teams in new places, hanging out with their teammates for a few days, and maybe getting a shiny trophy. Little do they […]