Today's programming is made possible in part by The Advocates of Minnesota Public Radio contributors include General Mills foundation and the Dayton Hudson foundation on behalf of Dayton's Mervyn's and Target stores for Arts and Cultural programming. We are underway with Brazil and a traditional yellow the Scott's in dark blue. Man Holland Henry on the ball number 5 at his job the number 5 player on Blue. She knows she will have to Marshall defense against Ronaldo today. It was certainly really won't man-marking but he'll be giving instructions to those in front of him. I'm coming up the spaces. Should they occur. And they had by Giovanni? Where is Giovanni number seven looking for Ronaldo? on the ball game. Langit wide Roberto Carlos, perhaps the best left-back in the world. When I buy Hembree half the field and sunlight half the field in Shadow as we begin it just past 5:30 local time in Saint Denis a suburb of Paris. And as you can hear the world's most popular sporting event is underway in France at this hour in the first game of the World Cup Soccer Championship, which of course is held every four years. Scotland is playing defending Champion Brazil. And as we speak the score is tied Brazil and Scotland tied at one goal apiece a global television audience in excess of 37 billion is expected to tune in for the World Cup fans will be treated to a doubleheader today as Norway and Morocco square off later today the United States that does not begin play until Monday in a match against Germany is I mentioned that this global television audience of 37 billion people. Obviously, the sport is popular worldwide, but here in Minnesota races in the number of kids who now Play soccer via professional game has experiencing trouble catching on and gaining State staying power in the studio today to talk more about the sport is Alan Merrick many minnesotans will remember him as a member of the now-defunct Minnesota kicks in Minnesota Strikers professional soccer teams, but he also play nine years of professional soccer in England before coming to the u.s. Have been part of hundreds of clinics and coaching sessions in the area the past 20 years. In fact, he now runs the Alec Merrick Alan Merrick soccer academies, which a train people of all ages to play the game El Americas in New York today welcome, and thanks for coming in. Good morning, and we invite listeners to join us with questions and comments about the sport of soccer or football as it's known to most people around the world. The Twin Cities number is 227-6002. 276 Thousand Oaks. I'd the metro area. The toll free number is one 802-422-8281 802 for 2. 2828 any questions about the soccer the World Cup professional soccer here in the state of Minnesota soccer any level give us a call today and join us with your comments well, and we just just mentioned that I score Brazil in Scotland and Brazil the defending Champion always good and bit of a surprise here early on Scotland just tied up a school with a penalty kick Cuts Brazil protested vehemently to so did the Beast first games are always very to the team's very tentative. They are trying to get rid of those those first-round Jitters. And the first game is pivotal to go into the next round really sets everything up. So there's a lot of nerves involved. This is the biggest sporting event that the world knows. So let's take is there a mention Brazil the defending champ? Is there any doubt that they're the favorites and they'll win again or there certain countries that we always know it will be in the potential to be in the finals yet or a perennial. Favorites is though is it whether the donations that really come to the front and Germany is a nation in that category there a couple of surprises this year and I think Sunday like Croatia could cause a lot of people a lot of problems Italy is always a perennial Powerhouse and then you got countries like the Netherlands and England who who always come forward with with great performances. So those are the nation's the path. Everybody looks at butt Brazil has suddenly the that the favorites at this point because some they really the team that everybody has to be today. They set a tone of quality play and quality players that are now playing around the world. Normally the Brazilians of always being isolated on their own territories, but now the Brazilian players the spread throughout the throughout the world and they brought together in this world cup with with a great team, why are certain countries perennial Powers just start Earlier the cultural soccer fit addicted to all of those facets. Yeah, it's all so that they have so many kids playing the Brazilian way of of developing players is that they have such vast numbers for Everyone Cared who plays in the United States, they've got 10 and and that's how they get the excellent players. They also create good environments where the kids learn tremendous kills they land on the beaches in Rio and and in the back streets, they play a lot of street soccer lot of pick up games in the United States than in most parts of Europe. It becomes a little more organized and the jury is still out yet as to which people which plants produce store which Plaza produce better from what environments what about the u.s. Team's chances this year did that they played Germany you mentioned Germany is is one of the powerhouses where do they stand much of a chance? And and what what can we think I think they do. Is it okay to be determined on this first game? The US team is put together some some real weapon like performances and I think they surprised a lot of teams in actual fact, they tied with Scotland a couple of weeks ago and so they can play with anybody in the world. It's a question of whether they can get key performance, which I think the US struggles little bit in scoring goals and obviously to to to advance in the World Cup, you got to have four words who can perform at this high level and can do it consistently and that's why Brazil of always being a Powerhouse because they got fooled like Romero and Ronaldo who have always produced for them. And so they've been able to progress. I think it's key for the USA but a couple of key injuries with Nelda is struggling with an injury and they got Tab Ramos who's got coming off an injury and Recovery if I can get those goals from those type of play. Cuz then they can do extremely well. What did I mention this this Global audience many people United States will be watching at and son for the first time they've heard about the World Cup as a as a student of the game as a player of the game. What should the the viewer in America look for who's not necessarily real familiar with the game, but it is interested in things that I think the biggest thing that happens is that in the past. The American public is said what is such a low-scoring game while this game at the moment. So if we americanize at the score at the moment is seven seven in American terms. I mean, it's like a they just called a touchdown one point though. So both of these two teams are scored touchdowns and so they score is seven-seven and it looks a little bit more respectable. It looks like highest scoring game where it's one want. It becomes a chess game. There are so many refinements to the game and so many nuances to the game where it is. It's That did the new audiences should look at this game almost like a chess game as they the pieces go across the field sparring with each other already today in capitalized and I'm take the the queen is it went that's how I look at it for a new the new audience. But I think this week we sell a self shielding United States now where there's a lot of sophistication. There are a lot of players and parents have been involved in the game for many years for me not being in the country. 23 years and you know as I walk into the studio, you mentioned that you are at the king you tell me that you were very young and you've had 23 years of exposure to this game. Now in in this state many other states have had that same type of exposure. There's a lot more sophistication to it's the soccer moms out there know the game so much better. They they've appreciated it with that kids growing up and show Then watching the game here. They realize the skills and me the intensity of these games. This is this is the ultimate game in soccer. And and I think that there's a there's a much better appreciation for the game. Now. I don't understanding we don't sell myself short anymore. We are not a novice country anymore. We've had a couple of World Cups under our belt not so where we were with seasoned veteran take issue with the other World Cup was here four years ago. It was predicted that the the sport would explode because of the the fact the game games while we're here. So would you say that it has exploded or how would you characterize I think it's steadily growing it has exploded in terms of now we getting every single World Cup game on TV. And so that is an explosion that is not happen before in the United States. And so having the walk up here for years ago suddenly was pre-empted. This decision to have everything visual for the United States population. I think that that the marketing and selling of products through soccer now is becomes comes the full front and I think that that is one of the things that it exploded soccer that that we have now a lot of corporate America who are extremely interested in soccer being a vehicle to get that products to to the American Consumer and wishing a lot of soccer on TV and depicting it as a selling agent. Now we're talking about the soccer World Cup soccer championships, but the invite list used to call in with any comments about the game of the World Cup of the popularity here in the state of Minnesota what experience have you had with the with Sakura? Maybe we should hear some people who were kicksfans the late 70s early 80s, what years were they it was it was? Breathe through lady somewhere somewhere. And I would like to hear from you 227. A6000 is the number of the Twin Cities to 27 6001 802-422-8282 toll-free number one 800-242-2828. Maybe you're a kid who plays the game. Give us a call and let us know which I would you think talk to Allen married today. It is now 18 minutes after 11, and I want to ask you staying on the World Cup here for a moment. There have been some reports now of some violence before these this match and it seems like we hear a lot about this kind of thing in relation to not just the world cup at soccer games is that you think that's the case do you think it's it's overblown the connection of violence in the sport or is it just the nature of the game that the brings that out or suddenly? It does Todd? The name of the sports but I think you have to keep it in perspective. If you can what is it by violence is involved what's happening in Europe and the rest of the world and also the World Cup here is that you queue now got a real concentration of of Aden fans who support the teams as fervently as a Vikings fan or a Packers fan and in Europe with that leagues that they have their you have to imagine a city like the Twin Cities. Every suburb would have a professional team. It would be like having you picture of the Twin Cities in the seven count is you imagine Apple Valley having a NFL in NFL team you imagine Burnsville having an NFL team. Can you imagine Wayzata having an NFL team and on every Saturday afternoon and so with all of those NFL teams won in the city like The Twin Cities. Hey, we would have 15 NFL team but on a Saturday afternoon at three people are moving from each Community to go and watch their own team. And then you have local job is such as an Apple Valley playing the Burnsville or a Plymouth playing a Wayzata. And you have total population is going it's what a 15000 fans in each group transferring from one Community to another into that into their stadium and then having this confrontation and this intensity of a game where you got the green of Apple Valley versus the purple of Burnsville out there in the stadium and everybody wearing the colors you going to have sex, Xfinity. Yeah, because obviously there's a football professional football the Minnesota Vikings Green Bay Packers have a big rivalry, but you don't see no violent outbursts at least that I can recall. We don't see the police records either. Zara how much disturbance the resident of those games sure, but I think that this note that the closeness and and the the father that is brought up there and also the protection of their own that the home team is it was that starts to get see if a if a comment is made about the opposing team then somebody takes umbrage and can get quite upset and and that's where the trouble but it is out of hand ins in some areas. They're off plugs that puts what if everybody but I think it's a very very small minority of the soccer fans out there that give the game of that name because of the hooliganism rstudio. Guess today is Alan America former member of the Minnesota kicks. Minnesota Strikers on all runs the Ellen Ellen Merica sports soccer academies here in the Twin Cities will talk about that in just a moment that the first one I get to some calls and start with the gorge in a car phone I George. I'd like to disagree with that gas a little bit about the popularity of soccer. I live in the suburbs and I have two kids who have been in the soccer team and the incredibly popular that's if you walk around my neighborhood, you will never see the kids kicking a soccer ball around. Separate from the time to drive to the soccer field by The Lawns and then with the uniforms on then play soccer as it's not really proud of it the local culture. It's part of this could have organized night at actually George. I mentioned that the the the US and some of Europe is getting to organized almost in his coaching efforts of kids and that's why Brazil and some of those other nations are all coming to the front because the kids in Brazil don't have that organized element. They they go and play on the beaches of Rio and in the back streets to should be a lot more street soccer played here. If you go to the other coast, if you go to the east coast, you'll see a lot more Street Soccer pickup games in Chicago, you'll see the same and that I think that the those major cities of got probably a different demographic to us and also different Suburban characteristics. We certainly in in all of my Academy programs in all of the kids that come through at programs. We try and get the kids. You go home and practice in their driveways in their backyards and encourage these pick up games where they playing one-on-one to be to type games. We're also encouraging parents to try and put some goalposts in the backyard so that they've got that environment satin and so you do get that additional play outside of the structure coaching and that's most important for the kids to go to another level. All right, we're talking today with the Ellen Merrick about the soccer World Cup soccer. If you'd like to join the conversation, no one 800-242-2828 is a toll-free number. The number in the Twin Cities is 227-6050 of the professional sport has had so much so much trouble here. You know, the kicks were very very popular with the kicks were weather popular here. And even when the kids left their averaging 24,000 the game what happened was with ownership we had absentee ownership and I think that prove true and every professional athletic franchise that you see when you got absentee ownership, then you don't feel right side and I think that the the kicks left here because of the absentee ownership and it started off with local ownership and then was told to European donuts and they didn't take care of That the program they didn't know each of the club and that's why the kids left the Kicks Will the demise of the entire league because everybody looked around and said what if the kicks cop make it average? 24,000 Ray. What are we doing in a city? Like Tulsa while we're only averaging twelve thousand and that's all it was a sophisticated as well after a couple of yards. Then they knew something was all about then. Why wasn't there a Groundswell of local support? I mean, why wasn't there a demand from all these fans to have to have that catalyst is having that local owner who comes to the plate and says I am going to be the the person who is going to lead you and be the Pied Piper and I would like you to follow and we haven't had that for the since the demise of the strikers. They same situation Joe Robbie try to bring the strike is up here and we played the indoor game and we play The indoor game because we haven't got an outdoor facility to play it and there's no way to play mat sent with pull-down parade stadium with pull-down and I saw there was no way to play the that the Metrodome is just a little Lodge and not really conducive to Summer Saco. You need to take the roof up Ella. We have a lots of collar. So let's all go back to the phone all in Minneapolis. Go ahead. Good morning. I was wondering if there are any local radio stations that will be airing the World Cup games. I don't believe so. I think they will play pop music or just involved in promoting the record lines in the end products of time score between Brazil and Scotland is one-to-one. I think I think the only way that you can get that is not getting a shortwave radio and unpacking into the BBC Network have the notes, but certainly not a full game but shortwave radios get the BBC and some of the European stations. I'm sure it's going to be broadcast in two. It is South America. So there should be some feeds going out there and I would have satellite technology that was almost certainly some some radio stations that you can patch into back to the phone Lorraine and Alexandria. Go ahead. Hi. I just wanted to say first of all Hello to Allen. My son is coming to see you at St. John's this weekend you put on a wonderful Academy and will be his third year and appreciate you doing that. And we really love the the quality of the skill development that you've been able to offer kids from throughout the state. I want to just make a couple of comments and I'm coming at it from a real perspective Alexandria the community about 10,000 people and we are seeing a real explosion in the world part of the state. We have a really great organization called the Prairie League out here with some. Oh, we have a wonderful group of volunteers were seeing boys and girls really get involved in the game of soccer. And and I I think one of the reasons that may be the person made the comment Got it. Maybe not being is a really popular is maybe some other sports as because of you drive around the real parts of the state and even to stay in general. You just don't see soccer fields. Like you see baseball field or maybe some other kind of sport and I think it's just a matter of it. It's it will be a cultural change that will take place but I think the kids are wanting to play it definitely are actually prefer it over many many other sports, but it's just a quick, and I'd make is that I would love to see it corporate Minnesota, Minnesota Legislature cities and counties and Community come together to really put some money into some quality field development a safe safe places for kids to play because what a healthy way for them to spend time and and thank you for the opportunity to comment. Okay. Thank you Lorraine Lorraine just to to follow on from what one of your comments. I think that what's happened here is that the father figures of many of the city is very high. Milia with the games of baseball and hockey and football, are there a little intimidated by the game of soccer which is relatively new and I think that those other sports are very well organized and full credit to those administrators of those Sports. They've got into the faces of those father figures and it put pressure on the mass and the Park Apartments to to manicure with some of the baseball facilities. And that's where some of the finances of gone. I think it's time for the soccer community and just in the Twin Cities here, we have 65,000 kids were playing traveling soccer. And then when you add the other probably 30 or 50 thousand to a playing recreational soccer from the ages of 5 through 11, those are huge numbers when I think again with the parent population that are starting to play as well in the youths who grown and coming back from colleges, and I'm looking for that record. Selectivity is the soccer people now need to unite and organize that they're awesome major facilities put to it in the southern suburbs and some pool. There's a big huge shortage of field in some pool, and I think that needs to be looked at that. It's a question of organizing and using that tax dollars. Well, we're talking about the sport of soccer today of the World Cup soccer championships going to delay in France, and I will get to some more calls and continue our discussion with Ellen Merrick in just a moment. This is Robert Siegel All Things Considered is more than a news program. We bring you stories about ideas about the Arts about interesting people and developments in our lives that haven't made headlines. At least not yet. We bring you the stories of commentators the insides of Scholars and the experiences of all sorts of Americans and we start with the day's news TuneIn later today to NPR's All Things Considered And you can hear all things considered this afternoon at 3 right here on Minnesota public radio programming on NPR supported by the Science Museum of Minnesota presenting a jury Journey rather to the world's top in the Omni film ever rest open the June 20th to 21944 for your listing to mid-day on Minnesota Public Radio. Gary. Acton is way this week. I'm very finale thanks for joining us and we'll continue our discussion with Ellen Merrick here in just a moment. We want to let you know that coming up at noon today actor and director Rob Reiner in a speech to the Commonwealth Club of California about the Children and Families First initiative Reiner is a heavily involved in the area of early childhood development. He is produced a TV special in lobby President Clinton about the subject and you can hear Rob Reiner's remarks at noon today here on Minnesota Public Radio quick. Look at the weather forecast. Probably mostly cloudy skies this afternoon across the state to adjust a chance for some shower. Thunderstorms in Western and Northern Minnesota high today middle sixties in the Arrowhead Middle seventies across the South thunderstorms are likely all across the state tonight. I'll Lowe's in the 50s and lower 60s tomorrow should be partly sunny with a chance of thunderstorms and highs in the mid to Upper 70s for the Twin Cities this afternoon partly sunny with a high either side of 70 thunderstorms likely tonight a low around 60 and then for tomorrow partly sunny skies a 40% chance of thunderstorms and high temperature is in the mid to Upper 70s. This is midday, Minnesota Public Radio were talking today to Alan Merrick many people remember him as member of the Minnesota kicks in Minnesota Strikers professional soccer teams played many years in England, and he now runs the Ellen Merrick soccer academies, which have your brochure here Allen looks like guy you'd we heard of the rain mention that this weekend you have one at the st. John's University. I assume that I assume that People have skinny still get involved in that or I'll most definitely. We have the one that you told me about it some John's is a residential Camp. It's for the player who's really looking to be serious about the game and there are still some openings that I received that starts on Sunday. So they have to get to it real quick through 18 specialize in that area. So 10 through 18 for the residential camps. There's this one it starts at Saint John's and then we have another one the following week. It's an old lift down in Northfield and we have a few places left for those students that are looking to get in at the last minute and there are adults over well over. I mean, do you have any don't have had a few adults come to those sides are some of the youth we we have couch-potato program. We weed sweet tone it down a little bit and then we do it in a in a more sedate manner for the older players. You can probably still play Doom. Play why don't I just administer programs and do my coaching and I'll write to Ellen married. Today is our guest and the phone number. We do have lots of people on the line. But if you'd like to join the conversation to 276 thousand of the Twin Cities number to 276 thousand a toll-free number is one 800-242-2828 before you take a call one question. The another current professional team is the thunder question Minnesota Thunder haven't heard much about them. I mean, is it the same same problem there with the strikers and kicks or or what's happening there level Becomes of that. They know that the elite level it didn't end that leagues in the United States at the moment. So they are taking up that should have been more sedate approach to going to those next level's so they putting some grass-roots down and I know we don't hear an awful lot about them and that's unfortunate. Okay, let's go back to the phone Andy in St. Paul. Go ahead and E. Yeah, I noticed that different in countries tend to have a different styles. And so I hear from each other and I was wondering if if you noticed an emerging American style that was distinctive, but the European are Brazilians final soccer. And I think that's a good point. I think that's one of the things that is holding back the United States at the moment that they don't have a real Define style of play that they're experimenting and Coach Samson has introduced side in your son of a wonderful formation that that nobody has heard out before this is a 361 formation and everybody's going well. What does that mean? I think that they are still going through that evolution of of finding themselves in the in the World Arena of soccer. So I think that's it a problem that the United States is God. We were were melting pot of the world. We got an influence from from everywhere. I mean you can see I still got to try and sort of originally from England and when we played with a Kik sweet, we really didn't have a a true American style. It was a smorgasbord of of components. So I think that's going to be much over the next few years where the will A true characteristic of the United States team. I think that the physical attributes and mentality towards the game will start to show through but at this point they do not have a of us would have a true characteristic speaking of the number of people interested in the sport. I think I mentioned that 37 billion people were let it get think that number was 37 million. We've had a lot of people calling so want to make sure that but very popular around the world and I think it is increasing here to I mean the prediction is that for the final of the oil through through the World Cup, there will be five point five billion people watch the games. Can you just a little I guess a number is watching all of the games. Like how long does the World Cup last last one month? Okay, so I believe the finals Sunday July 12th, okay. Alright, so it goes a good time or you got to go back to the phone crystal in Northfield. Go ahead for the US to become better soccer players. They need to play at home and unorganised atmosphere and living in South America for a while. I thought people kids and adults everywhere on the streets, but here I don't think that is welcome in our communities. Why that I think that it is probably welcomed in the communities. I just think that were in such a wealthy country that they have lots of other activities, you know, when they go home they have the computers. They have TV they have radio they have a multitude of other things they couldn't do I think they have chores for a lot of the youth he had work and are involved in jobs there so many other extra activities in school, but it's finding time for some of those activities. I think there are other places in the world. We're going home means sometimes boredom and so they looking for an activity to do in soccer is it is a great Avenue for them to relieve that that's a 8 activity. The United States has a very wealthy country and they have a huge amount of choice isn't it? A lot of the popularity of of any sport especially today the role of television And up I mean part of the problem is is it the sport isn't necessarily conducive to television mosports. Now, you know, you've got the brakes the commercial breaks soccer watching on TV, but it did it did the beat goes on at the halftime. But I mean the role of Television do will there have to be some changes in the sport SE at the parents? Actually, it's gone the other way if he this sleaze games that are on now, I need directed by advertising. They just putting logos into the corner there. And so the game is uninterrupted. They're not having commercial breaks. And so that is somewhat unheard of in American Sports where most of them are derived from TV revenues. I mean football is manufactured for the game itself is its foundation is is manufactured for TV same as basketball so many timeouts and referees timer. Best timeouts to TV timeouts is so slow. They can put a time out anyway, but will soccer do you think soccer will have to change to get more of those brakes or do you think that the commercial companies will be happy enough with putting a huge amount of money into the World Cup, obviously with the exposure that it's getting worldwide so that their Partners advertising partners are putting huge amounts of money in the advertising partners are saying we don't want to annoy the fence with watching the game. So we don't that product suddenly to interrupt it 5 minutes into the game so we can tend to have a logo put in a discreet place on the screen to go to do it subliminally on so that's exciting to see that the game is is is not being corrupted by the advertising mogul. I guess today is Alan Merica. He runs the Ellen Merrick soccer academies a professional soccer player here in the Twin Cities for many years. And if you'd like to join the conversation to 276 thousand is the Twin Cities number to 276 thousand a toll-free number is one 800-242-2828. We have about 10-15 minutes left so you can get through. Let's see. Let's go back to the Wade from the University of Minnesota highway. Hello guys morning University player in the club team and I've been I've grown up playing soccer my whole life. So I've seen the evolution of soccer and its prime United States one question. I was at this the first time the US has ever had a major league soccer teams MLS. Now, how does that stand up to European leagues or even South American leave? I don't have much access to watching you that you have a special on TV, but I just I mean, this is Bullock ever get up to like Italian standards. I think most definitely I think that it will definitely get up to Standard sets it. It's in its infancy. It's this is its third year. I think this is a pivotal year 4th the party of players that they bringing in from all over the world throughout the world is is getting higher each year. Are they being more selective? They having to do it on a lot of pretty limited budget so they can go for some of the guy who plays like Ronaldo. They can't touch us that type of play it but we have an incredible amount of talents locally grown in the United States. The American soccer player is an incredible player and I think that they need a little bit more a little bit more coaching at the college level. They need expert coaching. They need high-level coaching and environments that assets that takes the place to another level. Will they ever reached the level of a Brazil? I mean that the US has already reached that to mean that they've been competing in the world cup and this is the platform for Those Nations that qualify to play with the finest the one you got all these 32 teams. Now in France many of those teams are separated by spitting a hair that is really that close. It is a moment of brilliance by one individual that eliminates A team out. So it is the American formula here is perseverance and the MLS will be a strong as the English Premier Division as good as the Italian League. We will be that good and I'm very soon. It just needs the BMI last two to two plus a beer and get support in all of its cities that it's got at the moment and a new series to come on board. Alright, the Jack is in a car from go ahead Jack about Pride move to Minneapolis. When I was 15 years old and I just had a pair of hockey skates went down to the local pond and everybody played and now kids don't ever play Let's they can get indoor ice time. I think it's kind of the same with soccer and lets people play it all the time as part of their daily lives are going to have you know kids who only know how to be coached and don't really know how to play and I just wanted to comment on that now hang up and listen. Thanks. Thank you. I think you might jackets is what's be mentioned before that. We need to encourage the kids to use their imagination and employ their own games play the pick up games throw a couple of jackets down and use those has a goal and have somebody in Golden. Bike shops on them and devise their own little games. And those are some of the things that I said with the academy program we try and give the kids the encouragement and the tools to be able to do that when they go home to increase their ability to juggle a ball to to pass against the front door step to use their imagination in that home environment. The basement walls in Minnesota a great great kickboards. So we those are some of the things that we that we trying in pots on the kids get better this way. He's a simple way for you to do it take personal pride in you and your skill development. The soccer at the Boys & Girls, the high school level has really taken off. Is it getting the attention and needs do you think I guess you can say it always can be better funded or more attention to it. But it seems like it's certainly is is very popular. If that is the case. It's it's incredibly popular. The numbers that are coming out for Varsity Sports is just increasing you. At the yard and I think that some that needs to be addressed in some instances that they go with a single Squad of players because that's the only revenues they have to pay the two that with a head coach, but I think there's a lot of kids in high school who were looking to play and so many high schools could perhaps have as many as three and four teams playing for them because they have such vast numbers and it will be nice to have those funded. It's probably impractical but it would be nice to see that type of funding so that everybody gets a chance to play. There was a lot of development at the first what is not the only Squad that can play it's a lot of development that can come from the second third and fourth squads talk to you today with Ellen Merrick and the World Cup soccer championships underway. And as we speak I still Brazil and Scotland tide at 1 all in the first game Norway and Morocco play later today, Stephen, Minnetonka. Go ahead. A great number one calling in to thank you for putting time to our Sport and hello Alan. How are you? Hello Steve Reich Familia name Youth Soccer Organization affiliated with us soccer in Minnesota. We do have about 70,000 registered players, and if people on your show have questions regarding you saw her in the state of Minnesota have them call us at 933-2384. Part 2 to this was I served United States as an international referee up until the beginning of this year for the last six years have actually refereed some World Cup qualifiers in concacaf. And as Allen said earlier, if if you have not experienced this International Flair that this tournament has it's it's quite a thing to see the level of nationalism. Some of the countries have been in in Central America where the entire country grinds to a halt during the playing of the tournament the the figure that you're quoting on 37's billion straighten me out. That's all the games right that is 32 billion for the World Cup in the United States. Okay, but it is it it's basically it's something like 7 times the number of people that live on the planet. That's get your television to watch this. One of the venues that went into Honduras to make a qualifier last fall and the airport shut down during the time of this game amazing thing and hopefully we'll see this event back in the United States in the in the early 2000s. Alright, thanks for calling Steve Carell. Thank you get to some more calls encouraging to hear it's it is it's a passionate sport. Is it so your necks? Go ahead. Hi Alan. This is Joe. I my daughter's been to your camps. I've actually been to some of your coach potato stamps and they've been wonderful read and I have been a player for many years and I am 40 years old. So I've decided to hang up my my boots. But the reason I called is I am very optimistic about the future of soccer in the United. My only concern as a player-coach referee is that it's not growing fast enough having been involved in both the recreational and the traveling programs the biggest problems. I run into our lack of Parental support. What they do is you'll have parents that there's a lot of support don't get me wrong in the in our soccer Community but many parents do their kids are some of the best athletes the baseball softball football and we don't get access to those kids like other countries do we talked about you talked earlier about soccer moms. One of the big problems I'm running into is this where are the soccer dads? They've got many people think that soccer is not Macho. We've got to change the attitudes in America and then really get these kids touching the ball at home when my with Mom and Pop. Thanks Joel. Set it all aside. I think Jose hit some some points that weed that we've already discussed. It really is a question of organizing. I I think that the growth is bigger than perhaps Joe realizes. So if you leave he's probably just thinking about his is his own little Community. But if you look at the numbers that are going gone at around the Twin Cities, then the visit is increasing playing population of between 10 and 20% in most communities. And that's that can be huge numbers. When you go to a base population of 2500 kids. Anyway, when you got huge numbers there and we have to be careful about growing so big that we haven't got the resources of coaches and officials referees, and we don't have the fields available for producing a good product of it while and then these kids are subjected to inferior Fields where they have bad experiences and then it turned away. The game is I think we have to be careful on that and doing it in. The right time is a couple minutes left time for a couple more calls Christine and buffalo your next I just wanted to bring about that. We've been talking a lot about us soccer being competitive on an international level and I I did want to mention that we are the women's team women's team is great. Did Juan get lettuce has done well in the women's cup and I'll talk to several coaches to her or coaching young girls and it's hard for them because all the role models that they can show games on TV all these male players. It's hard for them to show success on an international level cuz it's hard to get the women's game and and I just wanted to mention that soccer is a wonderful sport of I've played an adult women's teams and adult co-ed team Lifeline genderless game and I just want to stir if your guess could address the strength of the women's sport in United States. Christina you're correct to correct us that we haven't mentioned the women's team. We focused a little bit on the World Cup and that's going on the way in France not so to be in the the focal point where the women's program is alive and well and is extremely healthy. It's true the the the women's program in the end in the United States is is extremely strong. The the national team is feared around the world and is the Premier team. It's almost taken on the role of Brazil in the men's game. Everybody fears. The the u.s. Women. The Collegiate play is at an incredible level throughout the United States and the unbelievable opportunities for the female athlete here in the state of Minnesota. We have a division 1 team of the U of M and ranked nationally and doing a tremendous job of a playing at an incredibly high level and and keeping the Minnesota players in state. The women's game is super but I love watching the women's game. I had a daughter that come through the program and enjoyed it immensely supergame greatest try to squeeze in one more call a Kristin a car phone. Go ahead. Thank you for taking my call. I came out of the Chicago developmental system ever since I was five and now that I'm up here I seen the differences in the two programs the systems in the suburbs out there seem to be a little bit more developed. But from what I've seen here it is growing at a nice rate than I am. And I'm kind of excited about I think one of the reasons why soccer is getting so big in the US was because the presence of the World Cup in 94 here and I think that a lot a lot of people to see professional ball and when you see that kind of level of play it allows people to get more excited because they can show you more things in the game for the even the people who I don't know much about soccer a lot of people that I took to the opening round games in Chicago said, you know the same thing I've never I never knew was this exciting enough that they that there's so much to it. I think of the World Cup really helped us in terms of US soccer in developing it. Thanks for the call. Thank you. Yeah, I mean it's it sounds like it's certainly has brought a lot of attention to the sports. And this is nothing like this type of thing. I really does start to go to excite people and does Chris mentioned that when they witness it firsthand then they realize what excitement is all about in the fervor of the the crowds and the passion that is that sport. I suppose you it's different to go to the until the event versus watching on TV. It's just a whole different experience and but I was like and you see and appreciate the physical at elements that are out there that the plaza just incredible athletes Allen that we have to end the conversation, but we sure appreciate you coming in today feed a pleasure Allen Merrick and I'll run to the Allen Merrick soccer academies if you want for me. Can you can get ahold of him? So you're in the in the phone book somewhere, correct, and give him a call former member of the Minnesota kicks in the strikers and telling me thanks for coming in and thanks for all the calls today. I'm Ray Suarez President Clinton is signing a massive Transportation Bill designed to revamp the nation's infrastructure. Senator. Pat Moynihan says it's about time. We are sticking with that four-lane Highway and that four wheeled car past its prime as a mode of transportation will look at highways Bridges and mass transit today and in the future on the next Talk of the Nation from NPR news. And you can hear Talk of the Nation this afternoon at 1 right after midday here on Minnesota Public Radio. It's now 5 minutes before 12 noon.