Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

The Sisterhood: The 99ers and the Rise of U.S. Women's Soccer

2023; University of Illinois Press; Volume: 50; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.5406/21558450.50.1.21

2155-8450

Lindsay Parks Pieper,

Sport and Mega-Event Impacts

In The Sisterhood: The 99ers and the Rise of U.S. Women's Soccer, Rob Goldman provides an overview of the rise of the US Women's National Team (USWNT), from its ragtag start in 1985 to its iconic penalty-kick-victory in 1999. Based on interviews with thirteen players, one coach, and a handful of others close to the team, Goldman offers biographical information about key athletes and accounts of key matches. Taken together, the thirty-five chapters of The Sisterhood offer a descriptive history of the USWNT.Part 1, the “Rough and Tumblers,” examines the USWNT under the legendary University of North Carolina (UNC) coach Anson Dorrance. The United States Soccer Federation (USSF) haphazardly organized a squad in 1985, giving star athletes like Michelle Akers and April Heinrichs just two weeks to prepare for the first Mundialito Cup in Italy. According to Goldman, the Mundialito Cup was “a crash course,” during which the USWNT did not win a game but planted important seeds for the development of women's soccer. Dorrance assumed the coaching reins from Mike Ryan in 1986 and revamped the program. Not only did he prioritize fitness, but he brought on board “the Babies,” teenage standouts who are now household names—Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, Joy Fawcett, and Kristine Lilly. The strategy proved successful, and the USWNT defeated Norway in the 1991 FIFA World Championship for Women's Football.Despite the importance of the victory in what is now recognized as the first Women's World Cup, the USWNT remained undersupported and underfunded. Goldman points out that only family and friends greeted the players at the airport, while the USSF diverted funds from the team's win to the men's program in preparation for the 1994 Men's World Cup. Lack of support from the USSF for the USWNT is a theme throughout The Sisterhood. Despite facing financial difficulties, the USWNT went 12-0-1 in 1994, Dorrance's last season.Part 2, “The DiCicco Method,” covers the USWNT under its next coach, Tony DiCicco, from 1994 to 1998. The section offers biographical information on Brandi Chastain, DiCicco, Shannon MacMillan, and Brianna Scurry, as well as a day-by-day account of the team during its disappointing loss in the 1995 Women's World Cup. Here Goldman again highlights the thorny relationship between the USSF and the USWNT. After receiving unlivable wages, the national team players threatened to strike during the 1996 Olympics. The USSF attempted to form a replacement team—which opened the door for Chastain and MacMillan to eventually join the squad—but the federation recognized the importance of showing star power on home soil and eventually agreed to increase player salaries. Goldman also touches on the 1998 sexual harassment lawsuit filed by a UNC athlete against Anson Dorrance, which was later joined by USWNT player Debbie Keller. He provides a summary of the complaint but primarily focuses on the tumult the lawsuit caused the team.Part 3, “To the Cup,” discusses the road to the 1999 Women's World Cup. Goldman offers a game-by-game account of Group A games, followed by a detailed play-by-play of the final match. An entire chapter is dedicated to how the coaches decided who should take the penalty kicks for the USWNT. The USWNT win was a milestone in the history of women's sports; however, Goldman suggests that the USSF failed to capitalize on the moment. In his words, the federation “seemingly did everything in [its] power to undermine the team” (254). Buoyed by the momentous victory, the USWNT threatened to sit out of the 2000 Olympics. Again, the national team players successfully fought for increased earning potential. They also laid the foundation for the advocacy of future generations. As Goldman argues, “Today's national team, along with millions of people young and old, male and female, stand firmly on their [the 99ers] strong shoulders” (262).The Sisterhood provides an oral history-like account of the USWNT. While it hits familiar beats, such as the loud cheerleading camp that kept the national team players awake during their first training session in 1985, it also offers new insights gleaned from interviews. For example, the first USWNT head coach, Mike Ryan, required players to shout the national anthem to better understand the magnitude of the situation. However, in focusing on the positive impact of the team, Goldman does seem to gloss over some of the more negative aspects of the story. For instance, he mentions Scurry was only the third Black woman to play for the USWNT but underplays the systemic racism she experienced because she never mentioned explicit acts of prejudice from her teammates or fans. Moreover, Goldman infrequently analyzes the key points derived from interviews. For example, he notes that Mia Hamm was the face of the team without assessing how norms of whiteness and femininity impacted such representations of her. Likewise, Goldman does not delve into why the USSF only employed men as coaches for the women's team. Nevertheless, The Sisterhood succeeds in its intention, offering a descriptive history of the most successful women's sports team in the United States.