A long-time goal of U.S. Soccer was scored on Thursday, the grand opening of a singular home for the sport in the United States. (photo: Vanessa Angel for the SDH Network) Sometime Friday morning, a 13-year-old boy will pull on a U.S. Soccer training kit, lace up his cleats, and walk out onto a natural grass field in Fayetteville, Georgia. He will not fully understand what he is standing in the middle of. He probably will not know that U.S. Soccer has existed for 113 years wi

"When you say you're with Atlanta, then people know and understand. Atlanta is U.S. soccer to people around the world." — Vic Rouse, Atlanta Chiefs head coach, February 1969 Atlanta did not discover soccer when Atlanta United arrived. Atlanta United discovered what had been here all along. This is that story. The history of soccer in Atlanta stretches back more than a century, to immigrant communities kicking a ball at Piedmont Park in 1908 and a handful of Scotsmen and Engli

Stewart Lathan didn't come to Atlanta United as an educator. She came as a parent. Six years later, the school she built at the training ground is the quiet engine behind everything the academy is becoming.

Former U.S. Men's National Team captain Carlos Bocanegra has launched Atlanta FC, a new youth soccer club for boys U-8 through U-13 built around a one-team-per-coach development model. Tryouts are May 18-20 in Brookhaven.