Celebrating Soccer in the Lehigh Valley

BETHLEHEM, Pa. (WLVT) - A sea of red, white and blue took over SteelStacks for SoccerFest on Friday to watch the big match between the United States and France in the FIFA Women's World Cup.

Soccer’s smallest fans showed off their skills right before the game. Bass Abdelnour owns Soccer Shots Lehigh Valley, which opened a free clinic for kids.

“There’s two things that I've seen that bring children off the streets, and that’s church and sports," he said, "and with soccer being the most popular sport in the world, I think it’s very important that we bring the sport of soccer in the lives of children at a very young age.”

The program coaches kids ages two to eight. Abdelnour says it’s more than just teaching children not to pick up the ball with their hands.

"We don’t only develop them in gross motor skills, but we also develop them in character," he said.

The crowd outside SteelStacks in Bethlehem came from around the area to watch the game. Fans say the sport has a following in the Lehigh Valley.

“Soccer is pretty strong," said Whitehall resident Beth Oudin. "I think field hockey is coming along as well, but focusing on the youth, we’d like to see more women and girls in sport.”

“I went to Liberty, and that was big in Liberty High School," said Bethlehem resident Bob DeSilver. "Soccer was big, and a lot of my friends played.”

Cheering on Team USA was just another way some of these fans celebrate sports in their own lives.

“We’re into athletics. I coach field hockey, so we’re into athletics. Her daughters are both soccer players," Macungie resident Wendy Sheetz said, alongside Oudin.

“We watched them the other day on Monday, and it was a great game," DeSilver's wife Roseanne said. "Our grandchildren play soccer, and we’ve been watching more soccer than we ever have.”

The U.S. women won Friday's game, so the fun continues next week when Team USA plays England in the World Cup semifinals.

SoccerFest will be back at SteelStacks for that game on Tuesday, July 2.