• Soccer making big strides in Oklahoma
Maybe Scott Sealy validated that Norman truly is a soccer town. He said there was heckling from the crowd.
“That was fun,” he said. “The crowd really was into it.”
Sealy is a member of the Kansas City Wizards, a Major League soccer team that played an exhibition match with Real Salt Lake Saturday at Oklahoma’s John Crain Field. It was the second time OU has hosted the third annual Saturn Cup Challenge.
Kansas City won 1-0. Sealy scored the lone goal about 64 minutes into the second half, heading in a ball off a free kick by Carlos Marinelli.
A healthy crowd turned out, braving a windy and cold night to watch professional soccer. The result may not be remembered, but it’s the impact that might be.
Brian Harvey has been involved with soccer in this state since 1982. He came to this country from England to play in the North American Soccer League, one of this country’s two professional soccer leagues at that time. It was 1968 and he played for the Dallas Tornados. Of course, high school soccer didn’t even exist in this state at that time.
“When I first came here, we didn’t have a base support for a pro team,” he said. “At one time, we did have the Tulsa Roughnecks and the Oklahoma City Slickers, though, but we really never had the support that there is now.”
The turnout Saturday impressed him. Pro soccer just might work here long term, but it may take a while.
“Although it’s a poor night and it’s cold and it’s about to be Easter Sunday, it’s been a great turnout,” Harvey said. “And this is a wonderful facility.”
Harvey has coached youth soccer and now coaches both the men and women at Oklahoma City University.
OU women’s coach Nicole Nelson was more than pleased to see pro soccer being played on her field. Not only did it bring people to her facility, but her players got to see this country’s top talent.
“We always encourage our players to study the game,” Nelson said. “We want to encourage them to always be learning about the game, so we are happy to have these teams here.”
For the players and coaches involved, of course, they have a season to get ready for. They aren’t necessarily concerned with Norman or whether or not a pro team even comes to this state. But as a professional athlete, it is important to put on a good show.
“A lot of kids here play soccer, so I think it’s important for them to come out and watch,” Sealy said. “We’re trying to expose these kids to a high level of soccer. When they watch us, they may emulate how we play. You miss out on some of the subtleties when you watch it on TV.”
Harvey could be an authority on the progression of soccer in this state. People in his home country are passionate for the sport, and Americans don’t even come close to that type of zealousness.
But while the popularity of the sport has increased over the decades, it may still be a while before this state lands a professional soccer team.
“I don’t know if we’re ready to support an MLS team,” Harvey said. “Maybe in the next 10 years it would work. Maybe we could have a (United Soccer League) team, which is second tier. Maybe test the waters with that. But I do like how soccer has progressed over the years.”
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March 23, 2008
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