U.S. Women's World Cup Wows

Goosebumps.

Seriously.

Image credit: AP via The National

Between Nike's women-power ad and the unbelievable, come-from-behind win by the U.S. Women’s Soccer team to advance to the semi-finals of the World Cup, I am truly reveling in the awesome lessons that the team’s performance is providing all three of my kids, as well as the respect that my sons are rapidly gaining for the women’s game as they're now almost as into this World Cup contest as The Girl is. (She's even more thrilled because she met a couple of the players who've competed for the World Cup when she and her soccer team attended a Boston Breakers professional women's soccer game earlier this year, a wonderful experience for my gal.)


Image credit: Getty Images via The New York Times

This morning, the kids happily perused the newspapers sitting on the kitchen counter, amazed by the still photos which uniquely capture the amazing feats of Abby Wambach’s pivotal header goal as she leapt high into the air and Hope Solo’s game clinching save which makes her look like a superhero as she’s seen sailing over the grass to snag the ball.

During the quarterfinal game against Brazil, the TV commentators seemed to be dumping the dirt upon the grave of this 2011 U.S. World Cup bid at the end of the game after Brazil broke the tie. Yet the U.S. team came back, a player down -- as Brazil's players tried to kill time and fake injuries -- and proved, not just to us, but to all sports fans how the gender of the players on the field doesn’t matter because determination, spirit and tenacity are universal, and universally thrilling to behold.

UPDATE: Read my Pop Culture piece on the importance and meaning of watching and celebrating the Women's World Cup with The Girl here.

Image credits: Getty Images via the New York Times, the Associated Press via The National.