Kickin' - Briana Scurry, Tiffany Roberts and Carla Overbeck of the U.S. Women's Soccer Team

0 Comments | Current Events, April 7, 2000

The U.S. Women's Soccer Team sure is kickin'. In fact, it is probably one of the most successful teams in any sport, ever. After a record 25 wins in 1999--with two losses and two ties--the team won Sport Illustrated's "Sportswomen of the Year"(*) The 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey team was the only other team in the 46-year history of the award to be so honored.

The team's impact goes way beyond sports. In January, when President Clinton proposed a $27 million program to promote equal pay for women, Michelle Akers, a team midfielder, was there as a spokesperson for the cause, and there have been hundreds of media reports about the team as a great role model for young women.

We interviewed captain Carla Overbeck, midfielder Tiffany Roberts, and goalie Briana Scurry about team spirit, leadership, and what young people can do to enjoy successful lives. All three felt that drugs, alcohol, and tobacco just get in the way of a person's goals.

Team Spirit is Great

Carla Overbeck, the team captain, said, "the peer pressure within the team is positive. We're pushing each other to be the best. The pressures of everyday life are difficult, and we bond together to make it through the difficult times."

All three players we interviewed agreed that the bond felt by the U.S. Women's Soccer Team can be a lesson for young people, but that kind of bond can come from being involved in all sorts of activities, not just sports. "I have played piano since I was six, and I also took dance lessons for a long time," said Tiffany Roberts. "My parents got me into a lot of activities when I was very young. You meet a lot of people and make friends by trying out a lot of different positive activities."

Positive was definitely a key word in the players' comments. "If you're using drugs, you're really on your own," said Briana Scurry. "You might be with a group of friends, but if they're letting you basically go 80 miles an hour into a brick wall--which is what doing drugs is like--they obviously don't really care much about you."

... But You've Got to Stand Up for Yourself

Many kids today can feel that they don't belong. Growing up is a crazy enough process, only made crazier by today's fast-paced society. It can seem like nobody's got time for anybody, so it can be tempting to just waste time ... and drugs sure are a big waste of time, to say the least. "Sometimes you get sidetracked," Briana continued, "that happens--that's happened to me, in different ways (I have never tried drugs or anything like that). But you can't just throw in the towel. Doing drugs is not a way to solve your problems; it's a way to create more."

"A kid can get down and blame his family or circumstances, but there comes a time when, as an individual, you have to turn yourself around." Tiffany said. "I have a friend whose family wasn't supportive and not financially secure, but he pulled himself together."

Learning from Loss

"We've been incredibly successful," said Carla, "but we learned a huge lesson during the World Championship in 1995 when we lost to Norway in the semi-final. We had to rally our team and get back together. We realized there were things about ourselves that had to change. If you're losing, you can turn that around."

"I know I've been very fortunate," added Tiffany, "but I think it's very important that kids try to find what they really like to do."

"Sports gives you something to look forward to," added Carla, "whether it's just going to practice and learning a skill or being with your friends. Even if you don't reach a professional level, it still does great things for you physically and mentally to be involved in a sport."

Leadership and Listening

As team captain, Carla is a leader, but it's interesting that her leadership, and that of the other veteran players on the team, is seen by the younger players as extending beyond game strategy. "I was a lot younger than some of the other players," said Tiffany, "and the younger girls definitely go to the veterans to talk about things."

"Sometimes being a leader is just being a good listener," said Carla. "Sometimes it's best to lead by example, to be the one who says, `I'm not going to do that stuff because I don't need it.' Don't be afraid to be a leader and to recognize when a situation is wrong and to get out of that situation."

You Can't Wait for the Game to Come to You

"You know how actors, when they win an award, always have one or two people they want to thank?" said Briana. "Well, that's all you need--one or two people who will help you and believe in you. You can get involved in YMCA or Boys or Girls Clubs. There are positive people who can help you. Life gets rough sometimes, and I understand that, but you've got to face it head-on."

"Set goals," said Tiffany. "That is a life lesson I've learned from soccer: being very disciplined. Having a lifestyle that includes drugs, alcohol, or tobacco won't take you anywhere in life but downhill."

"I don't think any kid has the goal of wanting to be a drug addict. That's something that happens to people when they are frustrated or turned away from their goals. But every cigarette, every joint, just takes you even further away from your goals."