U.S. Soccer News: San Diego’s Soccer Fanatic Wins Best U.S. Soccer Specialty Store - U.S. SOCCER ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF 2010 BEST OF U.S. SOCCER AWARDS
UPDATED - December 23, 2010
U.S. Soccer has announced the winners of 9th Annual Best of U.S. Soccer Awards. These awards were decided entirely by fan ballots cast from Nov. 22 to Dec. 10 on ussoccer.com. Best Academy Story, Best Fan Costume, Best Performance: Player and Best Soccer Specialty Store were presented on ussoccer.com's popular web show Studio 90.
San Diego’s local soccer store, Soccer Fanatic earned the top spot for Best Soccer Specialty Store with huge 29 percent of the vote, making it back-to-back titles for the Southern California store after its 2009 victory. John Lococo, owner of Soccer Fanatic says “I am thrilled and very thankful to everyone who voted to our store.”
Lococo says "I believe the most valuable asset in any organization or teams are the people within it. I want also congratulate my Family and the Staff, in our Retail stores, in our Team department, and in our Web Department at SoccerFanatic.com for their passion and dedication to our wonderful game and for sharing this feeling with our customers – everyday." Realizing that it is the soccer fans who have made this all possible, John continues "A warm thank you to the many, many soccer fanatics that have voted on our behalf, and have supported soccer during this last year. -a salute y centi anni!”
The 2005 winner, Chicago Soccer, placed second with 14 percent of the vote. Third place for Best Soccer Specialty Store went to two-time winner Angelo’s Soccer Corner in Pennsylvania (12 percent).
The ninth annual installment of the Best of U.S. Soccer Awards
U.S. Soccer has announced a total of eight winners of the 2010 Best of U.S. Soccer Awards following the conclusion of voting on ussoccer.com. The winners of Best Academy Story, Best Fan Costume, Best Performance: Player and Best Soccer Specialty Store join yesterday’s announcement Best Goal, Best Photo, Best Performance: Team and Best South Africa Moment. The final four winners will be revealed Thursday
Several U.S. soccer players distinguished themselves on the world stage in 2010, fans had the tough task of choosing between several career-defining individual player performances.
Topping the list for Best Performance: Player was Tim Howard for his crucial role in the USA’s opening game of the World Cup on June 12 in Rustenburg, South Africa, against England.
The 31-year-old veteran garnered 45 percent of the vote for his role keeping the U.S. in the game against England by providing six key saves. Howard was also named ussoccer.com’s Man of the Match for his performance.
Second place went to U.S. midfielder Michael Bradley for his effort against Slovenia on June 18 in the World Cup (35 percent). Coming in third place with 13 percent of the vote was Abby Wambach’s performance on May 22 against Germany.
“It's a pretty cool award and a nice honor,” said Howard speaking on Studio 90 to accept the award for Best Performance: Player. “I certainly would like to thank the fans who voted for me at ussoccer.com. It's very special and to win two years in a row means a heck of a lot.”
“It was my first World Cup game and against such an incredible opponent," continued Howard. “There was so much riding on that game and so much a emotion. I remember a sense from the guys that we weren't scared going into that game and were really up for the challenge.”
Best Fan Costume gave voters the chance to decide which outrageous outfit worn by U.S. Soccer fans trumped all challengers in patriotism and creativity. Fans from across the country submitted photos showing their sartorial support for the team. “South Africa Starting 11,” which featured a group of U.S. fans head to toe in U.S. gear, topped the polls with 26 percent of the vote. Coming in second was “Ultimate Fans” which showed some of U.S. Soccer’s furriest canine supporters decked out in red, white and blue (15 percent). Coming in third with 12 percent of the vote was “Traditional Garb” which featured two U.S. Soccer supporters ready for the USA’s match against Poland outside of Chicago’s Soldier Field.
Best Academy Story recognized Gale Agbossoumonde (IMG Academy) and Juan Agudelo (New York Red Bulls) as the first two Development Academy alumni to get the call into the U.S. Men’s National Team. Both earned their first caps against South Africa on Nov. 17 in the Nelson Mandela Challenge with Agudelo popping up to score the game-winner late in the match. Second place in the category commended the influx of homegrown academy players in Major League Soccer while the continued success of Academy Alumni moving to clubs abroad was deemed the third best Academy Story of 2010.
The final four awards for Best Assist, Best Soccer Bar, Best Soccer Blog and Best Studio 90 Feature will be presented on Thursday, Dec. 16 on ussoccer.com.
The 2010 Athlete of the Year Awards include Male, Female, Young Male and Young Female Athletes of the Year and will be announced early next week. As the oldest and most prestigious awards of their kind, U.S. Soccer’s Athlete of the Year Awards date back to 1984 for the men and 1985 for the women. As in years past, online votes for the annual award were tallied and counted for 50 percent of the total, while the remaining 50 percent was compiled from members of the national media and U.S. Soccer representatives, including National Team coaches and members of the U.S. Soccer Board of Directors.
2010 Best of U.S. Soccer Results – Best Performance: Player, Best Fan Costume, Best Academy Story, and Best Soccer Specialty Store
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Best Soccer Specialty Store
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1. Soccer Fanatic, San Diego
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29%
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2. Chicago Soccer, Chicago
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14%
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3. Angelo’s Soccer Corner, Pennsylvania
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12%
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Best Performance: Player
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1. Tim Howard, June 12 vs. England
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45%
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2. Michael Bradley, June 18 vs. Slovenia
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35%
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3. Abby Wambach, May 22 vs. Germany
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13%
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Best Fan Costume
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1. South Africa Starting 11
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26%
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2. Ultimate Fans
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15%
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3. Traditional Garb
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12%
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Best Academy Story
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1. First Two Academy Alumni Play for U.S. Men’s National Team
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39%
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2. Influx of Homegrown Academy Players in Major League Soccer
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21%
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3. Academy Players Finding Success Abroad
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14%
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RELATED ARTICLE: First Four Winners of U.S. Soccer Awards and John Lococo, founder of Soccer Fanatic chats with SN
For more information on these awards and other soccer news, please visit: U.S. Soccer Website
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