One former female player noted that playing for the Bead ling Club in 1989 didn't necessarily carry a lot of meaning. It was, in essence, just a place to play. Today, the sense of pride in being a player with the Beadling Club is almost tangible, demonstrated by the impressive number of players that tried out for the new U-12 team this year.

Since their inception into the club, Beadling girls' teams have advanced to the Region I quarterfinals, semi-finals and to the final round. Our teams have traveled as far as California, Massachusetts and Florida. The Beadling girls are succeeding in competitive tournaments once thought too difficult to attend. As western Pennsylvania battles to break out of soccer adolescence, the Beadling Club girls have led the way. Now able to compete with soccer "powers" like Virginia and eastern New York, players are gaining confidence.

As a Beadling coach now for several years, I have had the opportunity to watch the program advance. I have witnessed a change in player attitude and watched the pride in the club grow. I noted the increase in opportunities for my players as they entered colleges two years ago, as opposed to the relatively limited soccer opportunities in 1987 when I graduated from high school. This in only nine years! In general, there has been no better time in the history of the United States to be a female athlete, and more specifically this is an incredibly exciting time to be a soccer player. We watched the Women's National Team win the gold at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996. In 1999, the Women's World Cup comes to America. Women's collegiate soccer programs have more than doubled what they were just ten years ago. The Beadling Club has advanced to the point where former players are now returning as coaches. Players will benefit from trainers who are also role models, and who have shared their club experience.