Boston Sports Then and Now

Tony DiCicco is all smiles after finding his way on to the ballot for the Soccer Hall of Fame

The National Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum has announced that Boston Breakers Head Coach Tony DiCicco has been named to the Hall of Fame’s Election 2010 Builder Ballot.  DiCicco is one of four highly respected soccer coaches and six nationally recognized administrators selected for the ballot.  2010 Hall of Fame inductees will be announced early next year.

DiCicco is one of the most recognizable names in women’s soccer, serving as the U.S. Women’s National Team head coach from 1994 to 1999.  During his six year tenure, he coached the women’s national team at the 1995 Women’s World Cup, the 1996 Olympic Games and the 1999 Women’s World Cup.  He guided the USA to the 1996 Olympic Goal Medal and the historic 1999 World Cup championship.

He accumulated a record of 103-8-8, making him the all-time wins leader in U.S. National Team Soccer history.  Most recently, DiCicco served as head coach of the U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team, guiding the Americans to the 2008 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup championship in Chile.

After his success with the National Team, he served as the COO of the Women’s United Soccer Association (WUSA) in 2001 and its Commissioner in 2002 and 2003.  A true soccer enthusiast, he was the Chairman of the Re-launch committee in 2004.

In addition to DiCicco, the other finalists are:

• Bruce Arena, current coach of the Los Angeles Galaxy
• Chuck Blazer, FIFA Executive Committee Member General Secretary of CONCACAF
• Dr. Bob Contiguglia, past president of U.S. Soccer and U.S. Youth Soccer
• Bob Gansler, retired U.S. National Team and Kansas City Wizards coach
• Don Garber, commissioner of Major League Soccer
• Francisco Marcos, president emeritus, Senior Director of International Development of the United Soccer Leagues
• Fritz Marth, past administrator of U.S. Adult Soccer Association
• Kevin Payne, president and chief executive officer of D.C. United
• Sigi Schmid, current coach of the Seattle Sounders FC

About the Hall of Fame

The Mission of the National Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum is to Celebrate the History, Honor the Heroes, Inspire the Youth and Preserve the Legacy of Soccer in the United States. The Hall of Fame is a private, non-profit institution.  Located in Oneonta, NY, the National Soccer Hall of Fame opened a new 30,000 sq.ft., state-of-the-art multimedia museum in 1999.

The Hall of Fame tells the story of soccer in America through artifacts, photographs, video and written narratives. The main Video Wall portrays some of the greatest moments and the greatest goals in soccer history, as well as, live soccer action from the World Cup, MLS, WPS, and U.S. Soccer matches. The Hall features an extensive interactive, youth oriented Kicks Zone, including a kid-sized indoor field, where visitors have fun kicking, heading the ball along with playing soccer video games.

Unique and rare artifacts on exhibit range from the Dewar Challenge Cup, the oldest team trophy in U.S. sport, to the Women’s World Cup won by the USA in 1999, the uniforms of Pele and Mia Hamm, Kristine Lilly’s golden shoes, and NASL championship rings. In addition to the interactive Museum, the National Soccer Hall of Fame’s 61-acre complex boasts the Kicks Hall of Fame Museum Store, a research library, four world-class soccer fields and office/meeting facilities. Visit the Hall of Fame at www.soccerhall.org

The previous story was excerpted from a press release by the Boston Breakers and reprinted with permission of the Women’s Professional Soccer ans Sports, Then and Now. Todd Civin is a freelance writer for Sports, Then and Now, Seamheads and Bleacher Report.