San Francisco 2012 - In Their Own Words

I can still remember the incredible excitement of the 1984 Olympic Games soccer competition at Stanford Stadium. Little did I know then that only fifteen years later I would be returning as an Olympic gold-medallist with my U.S. teammates to play in the groundbreaking 1999 World Cup Competition. At both competitions, as well as for the 1994 men’s World Cup, the Bay Area embraced the soccer competition with sell-out crowds and frenzied fans. The vast mix of cultures and ethnic groups that make up the Bay Area, with so many residents growing up worshipping soccer as their national sport, and its sports-minded culture make huge crowds customary for both amateur and professional athletic events.

The Bay Area has fast become soccer capital USA, with Santa Clara, Cal and Stanford so often contending for NCAA titles, and the San Jose CyberRays (my team!) and the San Jose Earthquakes bringing home 2001 championships in the WUSA and MLS respectively. With an abundance of open space and soccer facilities, the opportunity to practice year-round due to our perfect California climate, and some of the most experienced coaches based in our region, it’s no wonder that we’ve had so much success.

With proven facilities at the Oakland Coliseum, Memorial Stadium at Berkeley and San Francisco Stadium at Candestick Point, the Bay Area community and San Francisco 2012 are prepared to put on a magnificent soccer competition as part of an unforgettable Olympic Games!”

-Brandi Chastain, 1996 & 2000, Football (Soccer), Gold Medalist