What is a 'soccer mum'?

[DannyM]

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[RickD]

The term "soccer mom", is used here in the U.S. to describe a busy mom who drives her kids around to soccer. Or, a soccer mom can also mean a player's mom who organizes team events, and activities.

[inlovewiththe44]

People usually refer to it in a negative light.

Like I was watching The Office and Kelly made the comment: "I am NOT gonna be one of those soccer moms schlepping my kids around in a minivan." (She goes on to say that she wants an SUV ) But it basically refers to a mom who is the stereotypical stay-at-home mom that cooks, cleans, nurtures the children. A complete disgrace to the feminists, in other words.

[Danieltwotwenty]

I always thought a soccer mum was the one yelling obsenities from the side lines and then abusing her kids if they lost.
Unfortunately there is a big culture of this happening in Australia from both parents.


Dan

[RickD]

I always thought a soccer mum was the one yelling obsenities from the side lines and then abusing her kids if they lost.
Unfortunately there is a big culture of this happening in Australia from both parents.


Dan

No Dan, that's a soccer hooligan. Or to you non-Americans, football hooligan.

[DannyM]

Good to see that the 'great British culture' continues to export itself worldwide

[zoegirl]

soccer mom

The phrase soccer mom generally refers to a married middle-class woman who lives in the suburbs and has school age children.[1][2] She is sometimes portrayed in the media as busy or overburdened and driving a minivan.[1][3] She is also portrayed as putting the interests of her family, and most importantly her children, ahead of her own.[1] The phrase soccer moms was first published in the Springfield Press, Springfield, Pennsylvania October 17, 1973 in an article written by Ray Lynch, Director of Soccer for the Springfield Athletic Association. In the weekly article that listed the scores and highlights from the previous weekend games, Mr. Lynch thanked all the soccer moms for their support. The phrase soccer mom derives from the literal, specific description of a mother who transports and watches her children play soccer.[3] It was also used in names of organizations of mothers who raised money to support their children's soccer teams.[3] The first reference to the phrase soccer mom in the US national media has been traced to 1982. In that year, Joseph Decosta, the husband of the treasurer of the "Soccer Moms booster club" of Ludlow, Massachusetts, stole $3,150 raised for the benefit of a local soccer league.[3][4]
Indices of American magazines and newspapers show relatively little usage of the term until 1995[3] when, during an election for Denver city council, Susan B. Casey ran with the slogan "A Soccer Mom for City Council."[3][5] Casey, who had a PhD and managed presidential election campaigns, used the slogan as a way of assuring voters they could trust her to be "just like them,"[3] denoting herself as "everyneighbor."[5] The phrase addressed anxiety about women's achievements, and the stereotype that smart, accomplished women were not able to manage professional careers and still show love for their family.[3] Casey won the election with 51% of the vote.[6]

The phrase has taken on a negative aspect. Soccer moms are sometimes accused of forcing their children to go to too many after-school activities; overparenting them in concerted cultivation rather than letting them enjoy their childhood.[14][15][16] In 2003, the car manufacturer Nissan, who had for several years courted the "soccer-mom" image, repositioned its Quest minivan as "stylish, sexy and desirable".[17]