Pro Kickers, in 3rd Season, to Go West for Home Field
Four years ago, the skeptics were waiting for the Western Soccer Alliance to pull a flash-in-the-pan act much like its predecessors had.
Professional soccer in the United States could never be well-received, the doom-sayers contended. Other organizations had formed and fallen, most notably the North American Soccer League, which went belly up in 1979 after a short-lived existence.
For some reason, Americans just did not take to the game on a professional basis. The sport is popular at the youth, high school and college levels but beyond that lies apathy and resistance.
That attitude is antiquated and incorrect and the skeptics have been silenced, according to Western Soccer Alliance officials, who have seen their league flourish and move to the forefront of American professional soccer.
“We don’t have to apologize for our sport anymore,” said Tom Meredith, a representative of the U.S. Soccer Federation. “We’re not only the game of the future in this country, we’re the game of today.”
The WSA, a six-team league that boasts two Los Angeles-based clubs, has spawned the formation of other regional soccer alliances and has proven that professional soccer could be supported in the United States.
WSA organizers and representatives for the L.A. Heat, the league’s Torrance-based entry, said as much in a Thursday morning press conference that served to introduce the Heat and also put in a plug for tonight’s game against the U.S. National team at West Torrance High.
“One thing I’d like to bring out is the effect the WSA has had on soccer in America,” said Len Roitman, assistant coach of the national team. “The WSA has taken the lead in trying to develop a formula for success and has had a significant effect on the soccer environment in this country.”
The Heat will play its home games at West High this year, moving from El Camino College, the team’s base for the past two seasons. Michael Hogue, the Heat’s president and general manager, said the move will solidify the team’s standing in the area.
“We evaluated our situation and felt we needed to play in a stadium that would be better suited to us,” said Hogue. “We feel West is the ideal place to play.”
Hogue’s hope is that the community will identify with a local team and recognize some of the club’s members, many of whom prepped in the area.
The Heat has 10 players from South Bay high schools on its roster, and the majority of the team has played soccer on clubs throughout the area.
Among those on hand Thursday were Manhattan Beach’s John Britton, Culver City’s Danny Pena and UCLA’s Bill Thompson and David Vanole. Britton, who is also an assistant coach, Pena and Thompson play for the Heat while Vanole was representing the U.S. National team.
The Heat, which lost to WSA rival San Diego, 3-2, in last weekend’s season opener, takes on the National team tonight in the first home game of the season at 8 p.m.
On Sunday, the Heat plays the California Kickers at Tom Bradley Stadium in Van Nuys in a 4 p.m. league contest. The first league home game is scheduled May 21.
Seattle, San Jose and Portland are the other WSA teams.
