Editor’s book strengthens soccer’s foothold
Soccer is gaining ground in North America, but we've still got a long way to go before we begin to match the rest of the world's passion for the game they know as football. The passions it fuels in numerous countries make Canada's response to Sidney Crosby's Olympic "golden goal" look like the rowdy section at a shuffleboard tournament. These guys take their game seriously.
But that is changing. Part of the reason is that the World Cup tournament every four years is as big a deal as the Olympic Games. It is riveting. National pride and sporting contests go together like candle and flame. Another reason is that many younger North Americans grew up playing more soccer than baseball, hockey, football or basketball. Players become fans.
And then there are some like ChristianWeek managing editor Jerrad Peters who simply love the game. Soccer fueled his passion to write; he got his journalistic start doing blogs and columns for soccer sites and magazines. In addition to his duties here he writes a weekly "Kickabout" column for the Winnipeg Free Press. And last summer he was very busy finishing a book manuscript that will be launched in April.
We Call it Soccer: Understanding the World's Most Popular Sport (Studio Publications: Winnipeg, MB) is a user-friendly guide to the global game for the average North American. It's not about the rules. Rather, Jerrad shows that the way soccer manages its business and organizes its tournaments differs from the sports scene in North America.
With clear and energetic writing, Jerrad enlightens readers using numerous anecdotes and incidents. He tells stories about players, coaches, fans, thugs and includes countless curiosities. Did you know that the pope presents the Clericus Cup trophy each year to the winner of the Vatican league? Were you aware that the Church of Maradona, established formally in 1998, has more than 120,000 members? The knowledge he shares will enrich the experience of anyone who takes in part of the World Cup in Cape Town, South Africa this June.
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