Yes, Jackson, Mississippi Loves Soccer
With the FIFA Women's World Cup underway, we wondered, is Jackson, Mississippi a futbol loving sort of city?
Jacksonian, former player and soccer fanatic Catherine Lee says, absolutely!
![Catherine Lee in a soccer jersey](https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Catherine-Lee.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=a109845e5f72e2aa65a4a3ac2084a225 320w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Catherine-Lee.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=d028d9b1e12a1b6273bce5f3d60db78d 540w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Catherine-Lee.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=90fe7e9de01e42b4357f976444300e6e 768w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Catherine-Lee.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=7acae818f52f0b7f9623b21594c89a28 1024w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Catherine-Lee.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=9dcbc5c86334f5c68aeba13f7efcc1d6 1200w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Catherine-Lee.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=cf7f8d06e76da94795117714b026c580 1440w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Catherine-Lee.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=6f9fe813ad8b8f438a3b712b3c28a177 1895w)
Really? We're into soccer here, Catherine?
Jackson soccer fans have so much to cheer for at every level, from youth - even traveling leagues like Mississippi Rush - to adult professional leagues. As a kid, I would have never imagined the sport's popularity here, but I regularly meet supporters of Major League Soccer (MLS), United Soccer League (USL), National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), and of course, English Premier League fans here. When the US National Teams are playing, we can all get under the same tent!
What is your futbol background?
I played youth soccer in Jackson for JFC and college at the University of Tampa. My brother also played at JFC, at college at the University of Evansville, and continues to coach as his profession, so we started out and remain a soccer family. My husband Garrad is also a big fan, so we travel to watch games together as much as we can. We are members of a supporter group for Atlanta United called Footie Mob, and their tailgate and match presence is incredible. But my entire family is totally fanatical about the U.S. Women's National Team. I was a little kid when my mom drove me and a group of my teammates to Atlanta in 1993 to watch them play Germany. I have been obsessed ever since. We also traveled as a family to Detroit in 1994 to watch the first World Cup hosted in the United States. That experience also left quite the impression.
Where are the spots to gather and watch?
Fertile Ground Beer Company will host a Women's World Cup Watch Party, Wednesday, July 26 at 8 pm. The match pits the Netherlands against the US.![Catherine Lee and her mother at a World Cup match](https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Catherine-Lee-and-her-mother-at-a-World-Cup-match.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=a1eb43f1e04c11aa5a8d85081a28fd0e 320w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Catherine-Lee-and-her-mother-at-a-World-Cup-match.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=57e83f83e5d24c713086e515ad977a0a 540w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Catherine-Lee-and-her-mother-at-a-World-Cup-match.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=af5dbe6cbaa0f77fee3dc37b9315dedd 768w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Catherine-Lee-and-her-mother-at-a-World-Cup-match.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=aa5e84e88cfa91079f2fda4045ecba29 1024w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Catherine-Lee-and-her-mother-at-a-World-Cup-match.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=0722b37c1cc70d4b02130cffbd5f0bc2 1200w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Catherine-Lee-and-her-mother-at-a-World-Cup-match.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=23c9517d47824bd7093df7257b24ed78 1440w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Catherine-Lee-and-her-mother-at-a-World-Cup-match.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=6c6ac267002e34517fdd82bd43fac28c 1536w)
Why is this a sport you are passionate about?
Overall, soccer is a beautiful game to watch, and I love that it can be played literally almost anywhere in the world. I fell in love with it as a kid, and I also loved that the game was a common language for people I met in camps and tournaments from small rural areas across the south and dozens of nations. I also love that the U.S. women's program has been the catalyst for so much growth of women's soccer internationally. As the best team in the world, they have pushed not only the U.S. Soccer Federation but also FIFA and other national federations to increase equitable investment in men's and women's programs.
Lee says if you have yet to get into watching soccer or the World Cup before but are curious about the experience, there is no reason to hesitate to check it out. "Head to a sports bar or pub and watch. It's okay to ask questions of fellow fans. Most of them are like me and enjoy helping others learn the sport. In four years, [the United States] will be the hosts for this tournament, so now is a perfect time!"