American Soccer

<p> This narrative of U.S. soccer's history and present-day status addresses the issues of socioeconomics. Emphasizing the differences between social classes in U.S. soccer past and present as well as those between American soccer and international football this work analyzes the role of class in American soccer's failure to carve out a more prominent place in the sports landscape. Contemporary soccer is explored from its beginnings in informal Parks and Recreation leagues to the development of formal club programs and university professional and U.S. national teams. In recent decades Hispanic leagues formed primarily by Mexican and Central American immigrants have reinforced the theme of a class-based exclusionary space in U.S. soccer. A personal perspective based on the authors' experience coaching soccer at the informal level broadens the book's appeal.</p>