Football

When someone says “football in South Lake Tahoe”, he or she is most likely not referring to the rough tackle-type sport of American football. No, he or she is probably referring to what some would call “association football”, or “soccer” to most of us.

Now, to have better appreciation for this sport and the appeal of football in South Lake Tahoe, let us have a short discussion about association football. Association football is a team sport played by teams with eleven members each: one goalie, and ten outfield players (further subdivided into defenders, midfielders and strikers). Unlike American football, this sport has very little to do with strength, impact and contact; rather, it is focused on speed, flexibility and dexterity. The game is often and preferably played on a grassy area – which South Lake Tahoe has in abundance, by the way – with a netted goal two opposite ends. The object of the sport is to get the ball into the opposing team's goal; the outfielders will do this by using their heads, knees, legs, or feet while the goalies try to protect the goal. Only the goalies may touch or propel the ball with their hands. Unless you're primarily a goalie, your role on the team could be very fluid – you could be defending in one play and striking in the next. It is quite possibly because of this nature and aspect of the game that it is considered the most popular sport in the world. That's why it's no surprise at all that football in South Lake Tahoe is quite popular.

South Lake Tahoe takes pride in the fact that it has a very rich soccer tradition, especially among the youth. A symbol of this tradition would be the South Tahoe Football Club, whose young girl's U11 team had two championships under its belt since its inaugural season. The boy's football in South Lake Tahoe isn't to be sneered at either, as the South Lake Vikings (boy's soccer team of South Tahoe High School) have been consistently among the best teams of the Northern 4A region just this past season – they've even had two state championships to their name since 2003. With the successes of these young teams, it is no surprise at all that association football in South Lake Tahoe is generating a lot of support and sponsorship offers for itself. Case in point would be the South Tahoe Football Club's plans for expansion into creating U12 and U11 teams for both boys and girls, with much thanks to sponsorships by local businesses.

Football in South Lake Tahoe isn't all about winning or business, however. To the locals, it is a means of building character for the children and for fortifying their communities. The girls and boys who play football in South Lake Tahoe truly enjoy being athletes, truly enjoy playing the sport, and they are supported not only by their families, but also their teams and other community leaders. So to those who are visiting the area, why don't you watch a few of the practice matches or even join in on impromptu games held at the various parks and fields all over the city? It's a great way to learn to love the sport.