Author: Sarah Dejak

“Someone once asked me, were you pioneers, or was 99 an anomaly?”
-Julie Foudy, Captain of 1999 Women’s National Team

After 90 minutes of regulation play and 30 minutes of overtime play, the 1999 U.S. Women’s soccer team defeated China in a penalty kick shootout for the World Cup championship title, officially giving them the name the “99ers.” The U.S. women’s team earned an opportunity for women’s soccer to launch into the limelight. Their journey from the start of the World Cup tournament began in the Giant’s stadium in June and ended in Southern California’s Rose Bowl stadium with the iconic image of Brandi Chastain celebrating after her final penalty kick secured the U.S. a World Cup victory.

1. While the women won gold and bronze respectively in the 1991 and 1995 World Cups as well as gold in the 1996 summer Olympics, the first time people really took notice of women’s soccer was with the 99’ers World Cup victory.

2. The 1999 game versus China set an attendance record for most people at a single game for a women’s only sporting event.

3. The final game was the most watched soccer match in the U.S., for men or women, with a record 40 million TV viewers in the US alone.

4. Brandi Chastain’s celebration created a defining and iconic moment for women’s sports and is still widely recognized.

5. This World Cup tournament held a FIFA attendance record of over one million people.

6. The final shootout with China was the first time penalties ever decided a game in the FIFA World Cup.

7. Largest arena that a women’s sport had been played in was at the Rose Bowl stadium in Southern California.

8. With their win against China in the finals, the US team became the only country to win the tournament on their home country’s soil.

9. In their opening game against Denmark, the 99’ers played in Giant’s stadium in New Jersey. More than 78,000 people attended the game creating an attendance record for most people in Giants stadium with the exception of the Pope’s appearance in 1995.

The post Brandi Chastain
[Blog] 9 Ways the 99ers Impacted Women’s Sports appeared first on Witnify.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeJLYk3Z5Kk

The members of the 1999 US Women’s soccer team changed history in the summer of ’99 when they broke numerous records throughout their World Cup tournament.In this first person account, members of the team talk about their excitement to see the traffic, fans, and sold out crowds in their first game at Giant’s stadium versus their opponent, Denmark.

The post Brandi Chastain
The 1999 Women’s Soccer Team Remembers Their Experience appeared first on Witnify.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5j4nlD3Q4Q

ABC News speaks with Julie Foudy, Mia Hamm and Brandi Chastain who were all stars of their 1999 team that helped to defeat China on July 10th for the victory in the Women’s World Cup. These three talk about the positive changes they helped to bring about for women’s sports in this first person account.

The post Brandi Chastain
Members of the 1999 US Women’s Soccer Team Remember Their Victory appeared first on Witnify.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbTiiAtLXnE

Brandi Chastain was a member of the 1999 Women's national team and also took the final penalty kick on July 10th when they faced China in the finals of the World Cup. In this first person account, Chastain describes the wide array of emotions running through her mind as she took the shot that would change women's sports forever.

The post 1999 Women's World Cup
Brandi Chastain Remembers Scoring Game Winning Goal appeared first on Witnify.