More than 20 million people watched the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team win the 2015 Women’s World Cup two Sundays ago. With soccer being such a popular sport in Wilton, it stands that many residents–kids included–were fans. So when a ticker-tape parade was organized in New York City to honor the team, many Wilton fans jumped at the idea of going to celebrate the world champs.
Wilton mom Jennifer Patillo was part of one such group that included Julie Hughes and Cathy Ratcliffe, and the nine girls and boys they brought to the parade. They trekked into the city and got front row seats along the parade route. According to Jennifer, they were thrilled to seize the opportunity to cheer on America’s newest heroes.
“My girls are big soccer fans, so between their love of the sport and the fact that this was the first women’s team to get a parade, I knew it would be a great experience for us to all be a part of. It was great being there in the crowd. There was a great energy, and I was so proud of that group of girls. It was good for my girls to see!” she says.
Donna Savage was there with her husband, Brad, and daughter, Ella. “We were with a great and enthusiastic soccer crowd. So wonderful!” she wrote in an email to GMW.com. One special highlight was the fact that the Savage family was also celebrating Ella’s 10th birthday all weekend, and the birthday girl even made it into a tweet from CBS radio reporter Marla Diamond.
With some very enthusiastic soccer fans in the Canyon of Heroes! #IBelieve @bniche @stockmanjr @wcbs880 pic.twitter.com/Uyl7hsRYSy
— Marla Diamond (@MDiamond8) July 10, 2015
Kathleen Fitzgerald also wanted to go watch the parade, taking her two soccer-playing daughters Riley (9) and Hannah (10), as well as Lizzie Kendra (9), the daughter of Jennifer Kendra. She was excited to see so many Wilton families who also made it a point to be a part of history.
“It was the first time they were doing a parade for a women’s team, and the first time they won in 16 years. It was just something we had to do and that the girls had to be a part of. That they play soccer, for them to actually see these players in person was totally huge. It was one of those moments in time, you just had to do,” Fitzgerald says.
For the Fitzgerald girls, sports are a big part of their lives. Dad Brian works for the NFL, and in January they got to participate in all of the pre-Super Bowl activities, meeting players and taking in the pre-game hoopla. So which was a better experience, meeting Super Bowl players or seeing the World Cup Champion USNWT?
“The US Women. I was really excited to see them in person, because they’re so famous, and really good at soccer,” Hannah says, adding that it was especially cool to see her favorites, Alex Morgan and Abby Wambach.
See photos and video of the parade, below.
Kathleen is making sure the memory will stick and be not only something her kids will be able to share with their own children, but something they’ll see related to their own daily lives. She’s making a collage of the US team logo and pictures from the parade alongside Riley and Hannah’s own soccer-playing pictures.
“Riley kept saying, ‘There they are! They’re right there!’ She was so excited to see them not on TV. It made it real. It was a huge moment for them and I’m glad they got to be a part of it,” Kathleen adds. “It’s something they’re going to remember forever.”
Lizzie Kendra, who also plays Wilton soccer, says, “It was amazing to see them and be there,” especially knowing that 1999 had been the last time the US had been victorious on the World Cup stage. Lizzie watched all their 2015 World Cup matches, especially the final. “I was cheering because they hadn’t won the World Cup in a very long time.”
Her mom, Jennifer, saw it as an opportunity for the kids to be inspired in many ways.
“It’s a great experience to see what they can aspire to. Not that every kid is going to grow up to be a soccer champion but to be part of something of such national pride. To celebrate with everyone around you. It’s definitely a ‘Girl Power’ thing for sure, but on a bigger level to be part of that patriotism and USA pride,” she says.
There was another lesson, Jennifer adds, that everyone could take away from seeing the team celebrated as they were, especially girls.
“Ultimately, sports is less about personal achievement and more about being part of something bigger than just yourself, and being part of a team. It’s that you can achieve anything you want and that there are no barriers. Being there helped personalize it for the kids, to see, If I work hard, put my mind to it and set goals, I can get there. It’s about confidence building and the bigger picture of what you can achieve in life.”
In other words, perhaps the best part about being able to see the athletes up close is that the kids got another tangible and relatable connection to what dedication and teamwork can bring.
“I played soccer when I was younger, but I didn’t watch women’s sports, we didn’t have this growing up, so they’re lucky. They had watched the Dare to Dream movie [about the 1999 World Cup-winning U.S. team] and then watched it again after the parade. As a parent it’s so inspiring that our kids have these role models now,” Kathleen marvels.
Video courtesy Donna Savage.
