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Sports

Cheers, Tears as Soccer Girls Watch World Cup Final

St. Louis Scott Gallagher teams, decked out in USA gear, gather at the Anheuser-Busch Center to watch Team USA play Japan.

It’s possible that among the age groups of soccer players gathered at the Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park in Fenton to watch the U.S. women play Japan in the World Cup final, that there were some future Abby Wambachs and Hope Solos, two stars from Team USA.

More than 100 players, coaches and parents from the Scott Gallagher Soccer Club cheered, and finally shed tears together, as they watched the U.S. take the lead twice and finally fall in a shootout. The girls there have all played on the main field at the Soccer Park, and many imagine playing on a pitch for Team USA.

“They all want to be on the World Cup team one day. Soccer is their number one sport,” Wildwood soccer mom Sonia Wille, said. “They love it, and we support them, so to watch women achieve these levels and to watch them play, it’s a huge deal to them.” Before the game, Wille took her daughter and others on the U13 team to shop for Team USA gear for the game.

Fred Hippo, from Ellisville, was there with his U9 team daughter and a teammate. When asked if she might be in their shoes in 12 years, Erin Hippo, 9, replied, “maybe eight.”

Many there were Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) players, the premier league for girls soccer in the United Sates. “Girls that play in the ECNL are players that are involved in the U.S. Youth National Team Program,” ECNL coach Vince Gentile said. He said many women in Sunday’s World Cup were ECNL players.

Becky Sauerbrun, a defender on the U.S. team, went to Ladue High School, and Steve Pecher, director of the Missouri girls program for Scott Gallagher, said many there knew her and played with her. But to him, just to have the girls watching, and learning from, the high level of play was the best part of the event.

Gallagher business director, and coach, Patrick Barry, said that the watch party was simply an opportunity for the kids to get together and enjoy each other and enjoy what hopefully is a great game.

“Our job is to promote soccer and provide good experiences for kids, so this is good opportunity to do that.” Barry said.

Player Mackenzie Litzsinger said, “I think we played well, we just didn’t get the goals we needed to get. We just choked up, and couldn’t make a PK (penalty kick) either, like me.” Litzsinger was referring to her own choking up, as she drove home with her mother.

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