The game of soccer, always enormously popular outside the United States, is finally taking the U.S. by storm. The U.S. Youth Soccer organization, the largest sports group in the country, reported a 9 percent membership increase in  2014. Annual registration soared to over 3 million players 18 years old and younger age group.

The excitement about the play of the U.S. Men’s National Team at the 2014 FIFA World Cup is partly responsible for the sudden uptick in soccer’s popularity. Parents have also discovered that soccer is a great student athletic activity that promotes teamwork and encourages fitness. Children see it as just plain fun.

Players Who Shine

Soccer teaches a variety of skills, including sportsmanship, leadership, teamwork and overcoming obstacles which transfer well into everyday life. The best youth soccer players are also the most well-rounded individuals. Here are just a few examples of youth soccer players around the country who are exemplary both on and off the field.

Claire lives in St. Augustine, Florida, and is captain of her middle school varsity soccer team. A member of the National Junior Honor Society, she maintains a 3.91 GPA. Claire mentors elementary school children, has to date over 650 volunteer service hours and raised over $3,000 in charitable donations.

Anthony is from Akron, Ohio, and is center back for the Internationals SC. He also plays hockey, competes in track and field events and is a competitive swimmer. He enjoys sports, but is also a straight A student. He volunteers for the Cancer Foundation and participates in fundraising events.

Makena lives in Meridian, Idaho. She plays competitive soccer year-round and was recently selected for the U.S. Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program state pool. Makena plays the violin with her school orchestra and maintains a 4.0 GPA.

Charlie lives in Park City, Utah, near Salt Lake. Recently inducted into the National Junior Honor Society, Charlie is not only a great soccer player, he also coached a free soccer clinic for young children in his community.

Erica is a gifted soccer player who never gives up. She is also a below-the-knee left leg amputee. She doesn’t let her disability stop her. She’s the starting center forward on her club team and last winter scored 22 goals for her recreational team. Erica also volunteers at summer horse camp for children with disabilities and helps the homeless through school programs.

Liam lives in Sugar Land, Texas. He has played soccer since he was 10. Liam’s family has moved a lot and Liam has learned how to quickly adjust to new people, places and cultures. His excellence on the soccer field is equaled by his academic success. He is an A student and active Junior Honor Society member.

Kyle from Fayetteville, Georgia, led his high school soccer team in scoring as a freshman despite having Celiac Disease. Kyle is a straight A student and made the high honor roll his freshman year.

Alex Perdikis, general manager at Koons of Silver Spring, feels a sense of pride when he thinks about the Ford Motor Company. Since 1903, when the company sold its first Model  A, down to the newest GT, Ford has been an innovation leader in the automotive field. It’s founder, Henry Ford, is an American icon. It’s a fascinating story.

From the Quadricycle to the Model A

Henry Ford’s first vehicle was called a quadricycle. It was powered by a four horsepower engine and propelled itself on four bicycle wheels. There was no reverse and the gearbox had only two gears. It used a tiller for steering instead of a wheel. It was a new, if humble beginning.

Ford joined a group that founded the Detroit Automobile Company but left after a year to start his own auto manufacture business, the Henry Ford Company. Although not successful, Ford tried again, gathering investors, incorporating the Ford Motor Company and manufacturing the first Model A. Cash investments were almost depleted when the first Model A sold in July 1903. By October  1 of the same year, however, the company had turned a profit.

Wheels for the Masses

Most vehicles in the early 1900s were high-priced luxuries. The Model T was introduced in 1908 at a time when there were only 18,000 miles of paved road in the United States. Ford realized the potential of appealing to a mass-market and designed the Model T for the millions of new drivers to come. Over 15 million Model Ts were sold before production ceased in 1927.

Changing the Way Employees Work

Ford’s innovations didn’t stop with automotive advances. He also changed the way people worked. In 1913, he integrated the moving assembly line which accelerated Model T production. Assembly lines reduced the chassis manufacture time from 12.5 to 1.5 hours. In 1914, Ford reduced the workday from what was then nine hours to eight and doubled the pay rate for workers. The raise not only improved employee retention, it also gave many employees the means to actually purchase the vehicles they constructed. Ford’s actions were instrumental in creating the middle class in America.

More Innovations

Throughout the years, the Ford Motor Company has been a leader in innovative auto manufacturing design. Here are a few of the most significant Ford events in history:

• 1932: Ford introduced the flathead V8 engine.
• 1941: Ford produces jeeps for the military war effort.
• 1948: The F-Series truck line was introduced.
• 1949: Ford introduced the first American car design out of Detroit after World War II. The 1949 Ford was a radical change in shape and had an updated V8.
• 1954: Ford began crash testing vehicles to improve safety.
• 1964: The first Ford Mustang went on sale.
• 1986: Ford introduced an automated modular assembly line in its St. Louis plant.
• 1990: The Ford Explorer was introduced.
• 2004: The GT premium sports car was first introduced, inspired by the GT40 models that dominated Le Mans from 1966 to 1969.
• 2009: The turbocharged EcoBoost engine line was introduced
• 2016: A landmark year ahead with the release of the new Ford GT and addition of Sync 3.