A Father’s Day Goal

Scores of soccer-loving fathers celebrated their day at the third Women’s World Cup, held at the Rose Bowl Sunday, intent on showing their daughters what women can do.

Some rooted for Italy and others for Germany, the first two competitors in the day’s doubleheader. But mostly they came to Pasadena to cheer for the women kicking the ball across the green field and express their love for the sport.

“I’m here because it’s Father’s Day, so I get to do what I want,” said Roland Heinzelmann, 40, of Chino Hills, sitting in the stands with his 11-year-old daughter Katrina. “She plays soccer, so I thought she might enjoy seeing what can happen if you stick with a sport.”

Katrina, who has been playing for two years, pronounced the World Cup game “really cool.” Soccer is better than other sports, she said, because “you have a good chance of kicking the ball.”

Few spectators said they came to watch a specific player, but rather to absorb the spectacle of the first Women’s World Cup game played in Southern California. The Rose Bowl also will host the final game on July 10.

El Segundo resident Skip Jones, 42, brought his 11-year-old daughter Grayson to the Germany-Italy game to give her a close-up look at professional women athletes.

“These women are great role models,” said Jones, who also coaches his daughter’s soccer team. “I tell the girls that they’re part of a new generation of a sport that’s taking off. They feel like they’re part of something special.”

Astrid Ordonez, 7, decided recently that she wants to try soccer after watching her dad, Murphy Ordonez, play with his friends. He brought her to the game Sunday to show her how it’s done.

“We watched a women’s game on TV, and she thought it was pretty cool,” said Ordonez, who lives in Torrance. “Now she knows if she likes the game, there are women out there playing.”

Vince Desanto, 35, said he was rooting for Italy because of his Italian heritage. He also was hoping to get his 4-year-old daughter Elena hooked on the excitement.

“I love soccer, and I want my girls to play team sports,” he said. “It teaches them to be part of a team, and it’s good for them later in life.”

Simi Valley resident Brad Collins, 31, sat in the stands with his daughter Heather, pointing to the players as the teams warmed up. Collins coaches Heather’s soccer team, and hoped the Women’s World Cup would inspire the 9-year-old.

“I wanted to bring my daughter to show her the next level,” Collins said. “It shows her what happens with the ‘I can’ attitude.”

Many teenagers who have been playing soccer for years came Sunday with their teammates, jubilant as they streamed into the stands.

“It’s just the coolest,” said Tia Grayvill, 17, accompanied by her teammates from the Salt Lake City Firebirds, who are in Los Angeles for a tournament. “It’s a great thing to have [the Women’s World Cup] here, because it emphasizes that women are important.”

Added teammate Genny Grimm, 17: “Every little girl dreams to be [U.S. player] Mia Hamm. The women playing in the World Cup now didn’t have that, and we do. That’s pretty cool.”