Vote for U.S. Soccer Awards

U.S. Soccer has announced the finalists for the 2009 Best of U.S. Soccer awards and there’s only one week left to vote for the 12 categories  on USSoccer.com.

The eighth annual series gives fans the opportunity to make their selections for the best in soccer in the United States. The 12 categories recap a busy 2009 crammed full of action, which included FIFA World Cup qualifying, the FIFA Confederations Cup, Abby Wambach’s 100th goal, another Development Academy Season and the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Female Athlete of the Year nominees include national team players Shannon Boxx (Sol), Heather O’Reilly, Christine Rampone (Sky Blue), Hope Solo (Athletica) and Abby Wambach (Freedom).

The Young Female Athletes of the Year are nominees Tobin Heath (UNC), Sydney Leroux (UCLA), Christine Nairn, Kelly O’Hara (Stanford) and Katie Schoepfer.

Fans can vote once a day from now until Sunday, Dec. 13, in the Community section of ussoccer.com. For certain categories, voters will be able to watch videos and view photos as they relive some of the best moments of 2009.

Go make your vote count.

U.S. Soccer Fan Club

The U.S. Soccer Supporters Club (is that kinda like a fan club?) just sent an email announcing that they’re launching the Official Fan Membership Program of U.S. Soccer (maybe that’s the fan club). Either way, looks like some cool stuff in store for fans of U.S. Soccer (both the men’s and women’s national teams).

From the release:

• Members Receive Exclusive Benefits, Including Priority Access to FIFA World Cup Tickets
• Become a Founding Fan by Joining U.S. Soccer Supporters Club During 2009

CHICAGO (April 15, 2009) — U.S. Soccer is pleased to announce the formation of the U.S. Soccer Supporters Club, the official fan membership program of the U.S. national teams. Officially launched today, fans can sign up at ussoccer.com to join the U.S. Soccer Supporters Club, which will provide exclusive benefits to members while creating a unique platform for the most passionate fans to demonstrate their support.

U.S. Soccer SC members will receive numerous benefits, highlighted by priority status to secure tickets to the upcoming 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa and 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Germany. U.S. Soccer will distribute its ticket allotment from FIFA to those dedicated members of USSSC before holding a general lottery, providing members the best chance to see the U.S. play in biggest sporting event in the world.

Upon enrollment into U.S. Soccer SC this year, members will also receive a U.S. Soccer SC membership card complete with name and a unique ID number, access to exclusive pre-sales for select home U.S. National Team matches, chances to win special behind-the-scenes experiences, a National Team Yearbook, and a limited-edition scarf.

Those fans that join in 2009 will have the opportunity to provide a unique voice to U.S. Soccer SC, serving as Founding Fans in the institution. Founding Fans will be the dominant voice of U.S. Soccer supporters around the world, defining what it means to be a part of U.S. Soccer SC.

Since the dawn of U.S. Soccer’s modern era in 1989, U.S. fans have diligently followed the national teams to five consecutive FIFA World Cups and five consecutive FIFA Women’s World Cups, including two championships. U.S. fans have proven their devotion time and time again, through miles traveled and hours logged roaming around the country with the hope of inspiring a U.S. national team to victory. Popping up all around the globe, from China to Cuba, South Africa to Portugal, U.S. fans have proven their dedication to the teams’ quest for greatness.

Whether fans are looking to attend games with their families or are hardened supporters with numerous caps under their belts, the U.S. Soccer Supporters Club is the definitive way to unite together as fans and be an integral part of the future of U.S. Soccer.

U.S. Soccer SC, the first-ever affiliated membership program, is another step in a larger and more comprehensive outreach initiative to enhance U.S. Soccer fans’ experience. In addition to relationships with local and national unofficial supporters groups, fan outreach initiatives include an annual fan survey, the Official U.S. Soccer Bar program, the Ultimate Fan Ticket package, as well as social networking outlets on facebook.com and Twitter. With fans scattered across the country and internationally, U.S. Soccer will continue to develop programs which will maintain a close relationship to the national teams, as well as fellow U.S. Soccer fans.

All of the benefits below are available for an annual membership fee of $49.95. Enrollment begins today (April 15).

FOUNDING FAN OFFER: Fans joining in 2009 will earn special recognition as Founding Fans with the opportunity to help build U.S. Soccer SC from the ground up, providing a collective voice of U.S. Soccer supporters around the world. These members will receive a special-edition scarf, the annual gift for 2009, so they can proudly display their status as U.S. Soccer SC Founding Fans. Founding Fans will have the opportunity to further influence the ethos of U.S. Soccer SC by helping draft a Fan Constitution.

FIFA WORLD CUP TICKETS: U.S. Soccer SC members will have priority status to purchase 2010 FIFA World Cup and 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup tickets through U.S. Soccer, with access ahead of the general public.

OTHER BENEFITS INCLUDE:

• U.S. Soccer Supporters Club Membership Card
• Access to exclusive ticket pre-sales for select home U.S. Soccer National Team matches
• A chance to win behind-the-scenes experiences
• Annual Gift
• Men’s or Women’s National Team Yearbook
• Exclusive members-only discount at ussoccerstore.com
• E-mail communications from ussoccer.com

For more information, fans can review our Frequently Asked Questions and Terms and Conditions or visit ussoccer.com.

Carli Lloyd U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year

December 18, 2008 – For her excellence at the highest levels of the sport, U.S. Soccer named U.S. Women’s National Team midfielder Carli Lloyd as the 2008 Female Athlete of the Year.  U-17 WNT midfielder Kristie Mewis won the Young Female Awards. The U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year award is the highest honor awarded to soccer players in the U.S.

The U.S. Athlete of the Year honor is the first for Lloyd who becomes the first midfielder since Shannon MacMillan in 2002 to take the award. In the five years since, forwards Abby Wambach and Kristine Lilly have traded the honor back and forth.

The U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year awards have a longer history than any major award in American soccer – more than 20 years. They join the FIFA Players of the Year as the only two awards to honor both the top male and the top female in the sport.

Lloyd took home her first Athlete of the Year award by playing a vital role in the United States’ march to a gold medal repeat at the Olympics. She started all six games in Beijing and played every minute of the tournament where she expended boundless energy and scored two of the most important goals of her career. Both goals were invaluable in the USA’s run to the gold medal. Her blast from the top of the penalty box in the USA’s 1-0 group game win over Japan kept the WNT alive in the tournament, and then her legendary strike in overtime of the gold medal game against Brazil lifted the Americans to Olympic glory.

“I’m truly honored to have won this award,” said Lloyd, who also totaled career highs in goals (9) and assists (9). “So many fantastic players have won this in the past and this year, so many players this year were deserving of the award, as it was such a great year for this team.”

We look forward to watching her play next year with the Chicago Red Stars.

Other Awards:

Best Assist: In the closest race of the 2008 “Best Of” Awards, Lindsay Tarpley just edged out teammate Abby Wambach to take the title for Best Assist. Tarpley had a career year for goals this year, but it is her intuitive one-time pass to set up Lori Chalupny against Ireland that took 25 percent of the vote and put her among the winners for this year’s “Best Of” awards.

Best Video: Tobin Heath’s juggling prowess is well known and she took to the streets again for the 2008 Best all_access Video winner. “Tobin Heath’s Walkabout” showcases the Olympic gold medalist juggling a ball around different San Diego locales as the WNT prepared for a friendly against Brazil.

 

Best of 2008 Soccer Awards

November 22, 2008 – It’s that time of year again. Time to vote for your favorites of 2008.

If you’re a soccer fan, you’ll want to take part in the on-line voting for U.S. Soccer’s “Best of” awards honoring standout performances on and off the field during the year.

Female Athlete of the Year: With the finalists announced for the U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year Awards,  fans collectively decide 50 percent of the final vote, with media and U.S. Soccer officials getting the other 50 percent of the vote.

Nominees:
Shannon Boxx – Midfielder
Lori Chalupny – Midfielder
Angela Hucles – Midfielder/Forward
Carli Lloyd – Midfielder
Christie Rampone – Defender
Hope Solo – Keeper
Vote

Best Goal - WNT: Best thing in soccer? Goals, goals, goals. This award crowns the top strike by a U.S. Women’s National Team player during 2008.

Nominees:
Carli Lloyd vs. BRA – Aug. 21
Carli Lloyd vs. JPN – Aug. 9
Lori Chalupny vs. JPN – Aug. 18
Amy Rodriguez vs. BRA – July 13
Kate Markgraf vs. IRL – Sept. 20
Heather O’Reilly vs. NZL – Aug. 12
Angela Hucles vs. AUS – May 3
Becky Edwards vs. CUB – June 20
Vote

In all, the “Best of” series has handed out 54 awards out to soccer players, bars, stores and even fans in the United States over the past five years check out the list of winner’s here.

Fans can vote once a day until Dec. 8th.

Soccer: Peace Queen Cup begins this weekend

June 10, 2008 – Get Ready! On June 14, 2008 South Korea will host the second annual Peace Queen Cup.

The Peace Queen Cup is a women’s soccer tournament  created after the success of the Men’s Peace Cup. The goal of the Peace Cup is “to harness the splendor and energy of football, the most popular international sport, to promote the unity of mankind and help realize a World of Peace.” Cool mission.

Eight different teams from around the world compete with the hopes of becoming number one. This year participating teams include: Korea Republic USA, Brazil, Korea DPR, Canada, Australia, Italy, and Argentina (tough competition)!

Last year the US had a tough time playing against Denmark, where they tied 1-1. Luckily this year Denmark isn’t competing, so this could give US an edge. During the Peace Queen Cup of 2006, the final came down to Canada v. USA, with USA barely taking the win, 1-0.

USA’s first game takes places on June 15, 2008 against Australia. The second game will take place on June 17 against Brazil and the third game will take place on June 19 against Italy. New coach Pia Sundhage has chosen a roster consisting of three goalkeepers, six defenders, eight midfielders, and four forwards.

The Goalkeepers include: Hope Solo, Nicole Barnhart, and Briana Scurry. The Defenders are: Christie Rampone, Kate Markgraf, Cat Whitehill, Heather Mitts, Lori Chalupny, Rachel Buehler. Midfielders are: Aly Wagner, Angela Hucles, Shannon Boxx, Carli Lloyd, Heather O’Reilly, Lindsay Tarpley, Tobin Heath, Kacey White. Last but not least the Forwards for this tournament are: Abby Wambach, Natasha Kai, Amy Rodriguez, and Lauren Cheney.

This year’s team has a very strong line up, with a solid midfield. They are the defending champs, so lets hope this is a good tune-up for the Olympics and they can bring home another gold medal.

For more information visit: Peace Queen Cup

Voting Underway for 2007 U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year Awards

Nov. 16 2007.  Voting is underway for the 2007 Best of U.S. Soccer Awards. The finalists for each of the four prestigious U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year Awards – Male, Female, Young Male and Young Female – have been announced by the sport’s governing body in the United States – and now fans get to separate 2007’s best from the rest. 

Vote for both the prestigious U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year Awards as well as ussoccer.com’s 2007 Best of U.S. Soccer Awards. Read more