It's no secret that soccer is one of the fastest growing sports in the United States. Youth participation was up to over three million children in 2014 and will likely only continue to grow, especially after the booming summer the sport has had. With the US Women's National team capturing our hearts with their World Cup win, the Gold Cup gripping all of North and Central America, and another spectacular season for the MLS, it's hard to imagine any kid in America not saying to their parents, "Hey mom, hey dad, I want to be a part of that!"
Simply put, soccer is a sport that is buzzing across the United States --- and Fox Sports got to see just how passionate fans can be, and just how much America's youth are enjoying the sport, at an invitation only event held by Adidas this week.
The event was called "Be the Difference" and was set up to show off Adidas's newest signature soccer cleats, the X15 and Ace15. As the media in attendance learned, each shoe has specifically designed technology for the person who wears it. The X15 is lightweight, and was created for the offensive playmakers on the pitch, while the Ace15 has impact absorption for defensive players.
For those in attendance at "Be the Difference," Adidas even did a demo --- with members of the media going through drills in the new cleats, thanks to the help of a few guest "coaches" from the LA Galaxy. Later in the evening, new Galaxy superstar Steven Gerrard made an appearance, where he took a famed selfie with fans, and later helped "judge" a soccer tournament featuring local youth players from the Los Angeles area. The tournament was a unique, two-on-two event, in which wins and losses weren't just determined based on goals, but on which team created hype amongst the crowd.
Overall, the "Be the Difference" launch party caused quite a bit of buzz, and showed just how far the interest level in soccer across the United States has come.
That interest level will only continue to grow when players get their hands on the X15 and Ace 15's, Adidas' newest soccer cleats.
