By HEIDI SMITH
PLAY ON
From Adversity to Advantage Through 140 Years of Women’s Soccer
Women’s soccer is a powerful global force and a vehicle for creating individual and societal change. While the sport has advanced in meaningful ways, the challenges facing today’s players are not new. Violence, ridicule and obstruction have been obstacles since the game began in the 1880’s. Play On explores that history through the lens of soccer’s advantage, or ‘play on’ rule: if a player has been fouled but is still in an advantageous position, play can continue. There is no better analogy for the women’s game. Despite chronic and outrageous fouls — low to no pay, poor playing conditions, media mockery — women have persevered. In doing so, they have changed the game and the world.
Author
Heidi Smith
Heidi Smith is a former high school and community college teacher, magazine editor, soccer coach, trail crew leader, ropes course facilitator, counselor, banquet server and humor columnist. She holds a B.A. in English from California State University, Chico and a Masters in Teaching from The Evergreen State College. Her work has appeared in South Sound Business, Tacoma Weekly, Educational Leadership and Connected Science Learning.
Telling stories like this is important to shape our understanding of women’s experience in sport.
– DR. Jessica Vredenburg, Senior Lecturer, Auckland University of Technology
‘Play On’ is a powerful tribute to the resilience, passion, and progress of women’s soccer. This book doesn’t just chronicle a sport—it celebrates a movement, a legacy, and the trailblazers who turned adversity into triumph.
– Dr. Marilyn Giroux, Assistant Professor, University Laval
Women’s football, which faced adversity for years, is now on the brink of being the most played sport in the world for girls! That’s the advantage of belief. ‘Play On’ shines a light on those challenges while celebrating how far the sport has come.
– Fran Hilton-Smith, Technical Director, south African Football Association
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