THE BEGINNING
At that time, we lived in an environment where women’s sports were uncommon, modified, and in the early stages of its existence. It was a common belief that strenuous exercise was unhealthy for females back then, so sports were modified to limit the activity to a minimal level.
Basketball for instance, was played with three players on each side of the court to prevent females from having to run the length of the court, and running was limited to no more than 880 yards at a time. There were very few associations that believed in equal opportunity in sport, and with limited facilities, fields, and playing areas, male sports took precedence in almost every way.
Lamar Hunt, and a few key pioneers of women’s soccer, including Sting Soccer’s Bill Kinder, created leagues and put together teams with female athletes of high school age. They played in a league in Dallas called the High School Girls Soccer League (which has grown into the now prestigious and nationally recognized Lake Highlands Girls Classic League).
With that, the game of soccer for women in Dallas was born. It spread like wildfire with young women throughout the area, so excited to finally be able to participate in sports in a way that allowed them to truly be active and express themselves as athletes on the field.
OUR JOURNEY
PERHAPS THE MOST UNIQUE PART OF THE STING SOCCER HISTORY IS NOT ALL OF THE SUCCESS ON THE PITCH, BUT THE LESSONS LEARNED AND THE JOURNEY OF THE TEAMS OFF THE FIELD
The team code of conduct, discipline, hard work and attitude that was expected of every Sting Soccer player aimed to build character and instill a sense of pride in self and in the team. The tradition of travel placed an emphasis on broadening player education through experiencing many different countries and cultures.
The Sting teams have traveled to communist China, traveling 48 hours by train from Xi-an to Hong Kong, experiencing the rice fields, the water buffalo, and 45,000 fans dressed alike and transported by 40,000 bicycles to their game.
They have traveled around the Baltic Sea to Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania and witnessed in an amphitheater on the hillside, the first time thousands and thousands of Latvian people were able to sing their patriotic songs since the Soviet occupation. They were able to take a train from Helsinki, Finland, into the Soviet Union under the Iron Curtain, and sightsee for a week under strict supervision visiting the Winter Palace, the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, and Peterhof, Peter the Great’s Home estate.
The Sting Soccer Club teams have been to Copenhagen; seen the Mermaid of the Sea; visited the Berlin Wall as it came down; visited the Louvre; saw the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace. They have seen the ballet in Mexico City, the opera in Taipei, and witnessed the excavation of the Terra Cotta Warriors, one of the greatest archeological discoveries of all time. The Sting Soccer Club teams have also traveled to most major cities in the U.S. having seen West Point, Annapolis, Wall Street, New York City museums, and the Statue of Liberty. The tradition of travel, the cultural experience and educational value it has provided for Sting players over time has been invaluable.
UNITED AS ONE
IN A TWIST THAT IS CHARACTERISTIC OF THE STING NAME, TITANS FUTBOL CLUB, THE FORMER BROTHER CLUB TO THE STING SOCCER CLUB WILL NOW SHARE THE STING NAME
We proudly move forward as one organization for both girls and boys, ladies and gentlemen. Titans Futbol Club was established in 2007, and in recent years has exploded onto the youth soccer map, reflecting its exponential growth. The Titans flourished due to their focus on quality coaching and player development, which aligned closely with Sting.
The Titans and Stings have always shared the same operations and administration team, and coaches have often led teams in both Clubs. Integrating the leadership staff was the natural step in becoming one Club. The move truly underscores the collaborative atmosphere that has been characteristic of Sting and Titans independently. We shared the same goals; we shared the same vision; and now we share the same name, we are one.
Sting Soccer Club Boys has been incredibly progressive in its growth and mindset towards player development. Without a doubt, the player-centered program provides the very best learning environment for all its players, and an experience that will maximize development and opportunities for each and every player regardless of their level of player throughout their soccer journey.