Younger people are especially keen on the game, and making sure they have areas to play has become more important. That was true back in the latter part of the 1990s in Montana, when members of a community used tractors to turn hayfields into soccer pitches, according to a report from the Flathead Beacon newspaper.
The inspiration for the fields near Kalispell came from Billy McNicol, who has coached the U.S. Women's soccer team in the World Cup, along with having other legacies tied to the sport. Seeing the fields of local orthodontist Mike Stebbins, McNicol commented on how they would make great soccer fields.
Now, Stebbins hosts training on those fields, thanks to the work of some used tractors and grass seeders. The Flathead Soccer Camp is hosted every year and features room equivalent to about three fields.
This year's World Cup was held in South Africa, while the U.S. last hosted it in 1994. However, given the enthusiasm expressed by Americans this year, it could be possible that the world's game may return stateside in the future.
