Ducar and Fotopoulos training to play in WUSA soccer
July 14, 2000
By Michael Kaylor
U.S. Women's World Cup players Tracy Ducar and Danielle Fotopoulos are busy training to play in the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA), and both believe that the fledgling professional league will raise the level of competition in girls' high school soccer across the country.
"This is great for young girls, because they now know that they can be professional soccer players," said Fotopoulos, who will coach young players this fall in her first year as an assistant at Louisiana State. Her husband, George Fotopoulos, is the team's head coach.
"This is an opportunity that I never dreamed of when I was a girl," she said. "After college, I thought the best I would be able to do was try out for the national team. The girls will train even harder now, because they know that there's a league for them."
Fotopoulos, who is pregnant and will give birth before the WUSA camps open in early 2001, said she is looking forward to coaching young players this fall. She knows that some of her players could become WUSA stars in the future.
"I like to help them when they come on campus by sharing my experiences with them," said Fotopoulos, who led the University of Florida to the NCAA national championship in 1998 and will compete for the Orlando franchise of the WUSA.
"I learn so much about soccer from coaching," she said. "(While coaching) You have to step back and think about what you're doing. I analyze the game a lot more while coaching, and it helps me develop tactically as a player."
Ducar, who will serve as goalkeeper coach for both the men's and women's programs at UNC-Greensboro this fall, said that young players will be able to turn their soccer-playing dreams into reality.
"The league will really give them something to aspire to, and that's something that has made us all very happy," said Ducar, who will play for the WUSA's Boston franchise.
"Growing up, we only dreamed of something like this. The young players know that if they work hard enough to get to the next level, they can be professional soccer players."
Young women's soccer players will now have a league that they can truly call their own, Fotopoulos said.
"They will be able to continue our dream," she said.