Sting SC

Last updated
Sting SC
Full nameSting Soccer Club
Founded1973
League Elite Clubs National League
Lake Highlands Girls Classic League

Sting Soccer Club, also known as the Dallas Sting, Sting SC, Sting North Texas, or simply Sting, is an American-based international youth soccer club headquartered in the metropolitan area of Dallas, Texas. Established for competitive amateur girl soccer players, it currently competes in the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL), among others. Founded in 1973, it is the first and oldest all-girls soccer club in the United States.

Contents

History

1970s

Sting was founded in 1973 by Bill Kinder who, with Lamar Hunt and a few key soccer pioneers put together teams of female athletes at the high school age who played in the newly created Dallas league called the High School Girls Soccer League (which became the Lake Highlands Girls Classic League). Players voted to call themselves the Sting, taking the name from the 1973 hit movie starring Robert Redford and Paul Newman. [1]

In 1976, Sting became the first girls or women's soccer team to travel outside the United States and the first to travel to Mexico. Sting faced Mexico's national champion team in Mexico City, playing before 35,000 fans in Mexico City's Olympic Stadium prior to a division one men's professional match. [1]

In 1977, Sting became the first American girls soccer team to play in Europe, playing in Sweden's Gothia Cup and falling to a team from Taiwan in the championship final. [1]

In 1978, Sting represented the United States in the first triennial global invitational tournament for national and club teams, the Women's World Invitation Tournament (the Chunghua Cup) in Taipei, Taiwan, tying for third place. When the tournament was held again in 1981, Sting again represented the U.S., playing in front of 45,000 fans and ultimately tying for ninth place. [1]

Starting in 1979, Sting added teams in new age groups until they had established a team at every age group level from U11-U19.

1980s

In 1980 at the first-ever United States Youth Soccer Association Women's U19 National Championship, decades after the first men's youth soccer National Amateur Cup. The Sting U19 team won the first-ever national championship, defeating St. Louis 5–0 in the championship match. It went on to win five of the first nine U.S. U19 national titles, including in 1982, 1985, 1987 and 1988, in addition to the 1980 win. [1]

Upon finishing the 1981–82 season with 47 wins and 0 losses, Sting's collective nine-year record was 400 wins and just 9 losses. [1]

In 1984, Sting was selected by the U.S. Soccer Federation to represent the U.S. in Xi'an, China at the first ever FIFA tournament for women's national teams. Sting faced off against established National Teams from countries all over the world, defeating Australia, Japan, and China to advance to the finals. Sting beat Italy in the Championship game becoming the first American team, male or female, to win a major international tournament. [1]

Sting participated in the largest youth tournament in the world at the time during 1985, playing in the Norway Cup, [2] featuring more than 1,500 male and female teams. The team earned 1st place and was chosen as the Team of the Tournament (out of both male and female teams) for their level of professionalism, discipline, and sportsmanlike conduct.

Players

In 1991, four Sting players were invited to join the 16-player roster for the United States women's national soccer team to compete in the first-ever FIFA Women's World Cup. While two players elected not to go, Carla Overbeck and Tracey Leone represented the U.S. among the 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup squads.

Dallas Sting's 1984 trip to China was due to be the subject of a film starring Matthew McConaughey, but it was scrapped in September 2022, six weeks before the scheduled start of filming, due to "disturbing allegations surrounding aspects of the true story". [3] A subsequent report described the source of the allegations as an anonymous letter sent McConaughey's representative at talent agency WME, who then forwarded the letter to studio Skydance Media and producers Berlanti Productions. [4] The letter described the allegations as accusations of inappropriate touching and behavior by Kinder toward the athletes he coached. Skydance launched an investigation in the accusations, which lasted two weeks, and McConaughey and director Kari Skogland reportedly left the project. Kinder denied the allegations in an interview with the Daily Mail . [4] [5] The cancellation cost Skydance several million dollars. [4]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Soccer Federation</span> Governing body of soccer in the United States

The United States Soccer Federation (USSF), commonly referred to as U.S. Soccer, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the official governing body of the sport of soccer in the United States. Headquartered in Chicago, the federation is a full member of FIFA and governs American soccer at the international, professional, and amateur levels, including: the men's and women's national teams, Major League Soccer, National Women's Soccer League, youth organizations, beach soccer, futsal, Paralympic, and deaf national teams. U.S. Soccer sanctions referees and soccer tournaments for most soccer leagues in the United States. The U.S. Soccer Federation also administers and operates the U.S. Open Cup and the SheBelieves Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Women's association football</span> Association football when played by women

Women's association football, more commonly known as women's football or women's soccer, is the team sport of association football played by women. It is played at the professional level in multiple countries, and 187 national teams participate internationally. The same rules, known as the Laws of the Game, are used for both women's and men's football.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soccer in Canada</span>

In Canada, soccer is the most popular sport in terms of participation rate; according to FIFA's Big Count, almost 2.7 million people played in Canada in 2006. Professional soccer in Canada is played in the Canadian Premier League and Major League Soccer. Canada also has many semi-professional and amateur soccer leagues. Canada's men's and women's national soccer teams are ranked 49th and 9th respectively in the FIFA World Rankings as of April 4, 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States men's national soccer team</span> Mens national soccer team

The United States men's national soccer team (USMNT) represents the United States in men's international soccer competitions. The team is governed by the United States Soccer Federation, which is a member of FIFA and CONCACAF.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States women's national soccer team</span> Womens national soccer team representing the United States

The United States women's national soccer team (USWNT) represents the United States of America in international women's soccer. The team is governed by United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian Soccer Association</span> Governing body of soccer in Canada

The Canadian Soccer Association is the governing body for soccer in Canada. Headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario, the federation is a full member of FIFA and governs Canadian soccer at the international, professional, and amateur levels, including: the men's and women's national teams, Canadian Premier League, youth organizations, beach soccer, futsal, Paralympic and deaf national teams. The Canadian Soccer Association also administers and operates the Canadian Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carla Overbeck</span> American soccer player

Carla Werden Overbeck is a retired American soccer player and longtime member and captain of the United States women's national soccer team. She is currently an assistant coach of Duke University's women's soccer team, where she has been coaching since 1992, overseeing Duke's defensive unit principally. She was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashlyn Harris</span> American professional soccer player (born 1985)

Ashlyn Michelle Harris is an American former soccer player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alex Morgan</span> American soccer player (born 1989)

Alexandra Morgan Carrasco is an American former professional soccer player who most recently played as a striker for the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) club San Diego Wave FC, which she was a captain of, and the United States national team. She co-captained the United States with Carli Lloyd and Megan Rapinoe from 2018 to 2020 and with Lindsay Horan in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Becky Sauerbrunn</span> American soccer player (born 1985)

Rebecca Elizabeth Sauerbrunn is an American professional soccer player who plays as a center back for Portland Thorns FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States national team. She co-captained the national team with Carli Lloyd from 2016 to 2018 and was the captain of the team from 2021 to 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States women's national under-17 soccer team</span> Womens national under-17 soccer team representing the United States

The United States U-17 women's national soccer team is a youth soccer team operated under the auspices of U.S. Soccer. Its primary role is the development of players in preparation for the senior national team. The team's most recent major tournament was the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, in which the United States team lost to Nigeria on penalties at the quarter-finals. The team competes in a variety of competitions, including the biennial FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, which is the top competition for this age group.

The 1985 United States women's national soccer team was the first USWNT to play international matches. The team played four matches in Jesolo, Italy, at the Mundialito tournament, losing three and drawing one of the matches.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julie Ertz</span> American soccer player

Julie Beth Ertz is an American former professional soccer player. From 2014 to 2021, she played for National Women's Soccer League club Chicago Red Stars, and in 2023 she played for Angel City FC. A member of the United States women's national team from 2013 to 2023, she first appeared for the United States national team during an international friendly against Scotland on February 9, 2013, eventually making 123 total appearances for the team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morgan Gautrat</span> American soccer player (born 1993)

Morgan Paige Gautrat is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for the Orlando Pride of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She first appeared for the United States national team during a friendly against Korea Republic on June 15, 2013. She has made 88 total appearances for the team and scored eight goals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emily Sonnett</span> American soccer player (born 1993)

Emily Ann Sonnett is an American professional soccer player who plays for National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) club NJ/NY Gotham FC and the United States national team. She can play the positions of center back, full back, or defensive midfielder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mallory Swanson</span> American soccer player (born 1998)

Mallory Pugh Swanson is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for the Chicago Red Stars of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the highest division of women's professional soccer in the United States, and the United States women's national soccer team (USWNT).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andi Sullivan</span> American soccer player (born 1995)

Andi Maureen Sullivan is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for National Women's Soccer League club Washington Spirit and the United States women's national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olufolasade Adamolekun</span> Jamaican footballer (born 2001)

Olufolasade "Sade" Ayomide Danielle Adamolekun is a professional footballer who plays as a forward or a midfielder for Heart of Midlothian. Born in the United States, she represents Jamaica internationally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Francesca Corbett</span> American badminton player

Francesca Autumn Corbett is an American badminton player from Foster City, California.

Alexis Missimo is an American college soccer player who plays as a midfielder for the Texas Longhorns. She has represented the United States at the youth international level, mostly recently with the under-23 team. She was named the TopDrawerSoccer Player of the Year after her 2023 college season.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Townsend, Brad, "Where it all started: How Dallas-area Sting team paved the way for the United States’ Women’s World Cup team" (3 July 2015)
  2. "Norway Cup". Archived from the original on 2022-06-25. Retrieved 2022-07-05.
  3. Kit, Borys; Couch, Aaron (September 14, 2022). "Skydance Scraps Matthew McConaughey Soccer Movie 'Dallas Sting' Weeks Ahead of Production". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved September 14, 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 Kit, Borys (September 28, 2022). "A Scrapped Matthew McConaughey Movie, and When a Studio Investigates Its Own Project". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  5. Welk, Brian (September 16, 2022). "Bill Kinder, Subject of Axed Matthew McConaughey Film 'Dallas Sting,' Denies Misconduct Allegations After Investigation". The Wrap . Retrieved April 11, 2023.