Page 22 - ARUBA TODAY

A22 sports
Monday 15 January 2018
Cameron embraces groundbreaking role with Sporting KC

didates running for presi- since I was 3, so it’s always
dent of the U.S. Soccer Fed- been a passion of mine.
eration. Only four countries It’s been kind of a piece of
— Liberia, Turks and Caicos, who I am. I played soccer
Burundi, and Sierra Leone at Rutgers but unfortunate-
— have ever elected a ly my career was cut short
woman to head their soc- and I only got to play three
cer federation. seasons because of injury,”
Chan Yuen-ting became she said. “So at that time I
the first female coach to kind of reevaluated and
lead a men’s team to a thought, there’s a differ-
title in a top-flight league ent way for the sport to be
in 2016 when she guided a part of me, and that was
Eastern Sports Club to the working in the front office.”
Hong Kong Premier League She worked for eight years
championship. as senior manager in player
Corinne Diacre served as relations in the MLS league
manager (coach) of a sec- offices. Her job was to help
ond-division French men’s teams manage rosters and
team, Clermont Foot, for budgets, while also approv-
several years until becom- ing player acquisitions and

In this Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018 photo, Meghan Cameron, Sporting Kansas City’s assistant director of ing head coach of the trades. But she also had a
player personnel, poses for a photograph at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kan. French women’s national hand in non-financial du-
Associated Press team in the run-up to the ties, like youth coaching
By ANNE M. PETERSON ers and the organization’s teristics and qualities. Cam- 2019 Women’s World Cup. initiatives and the league’s
AP Sports Writer academy. “Peter Vermes eron will be working with And last year the Bundes- Rookie Symposium.
Meghan Cameron didn’t just called me,” the long- Director of Player Personnel liga’s Bibiana Steinhaus “For a long time I’ve been
go out looking to break time MLS front office ex- Brian Bliss. “The plan is that became the first female the only female in the
barriers. Instead, Sporting ecutive said about her new I’ll be learning what it is in referee in a top-flight Euro- room. And it has never
Kansas City coach Peter job’s genesis. “Obviously each position that they’re pean league. There were a been an issue for me. I’ve
Vermes came to her. it’s humbling to be the first. looking for in players so that record seven female offi- had the respect of every-
Cameron is settling into But for me it doesn’t mat- I can assist in the scouting cials at the men’s under-17 one around me, and I re-
her job as assistant direc- ter if I’m the first or the last side as well,” she said. World Cup in India last year. spect them. I think as long
tor of player personnel with or the 101st. Peter called Cameron’s new job with Carter, who is on leave as you can handle yourself,
Sporting, the first woman to me to do a job, it wasn’t Sporting — she started last from her position as presi- and it doesn’t matter that
manage player contracts, because I’m a female. He month — comes as wom- dent of Major League Soc- you’re female, you’ll get
salary budget, and acqui- knew what I could bring en are taking on greater cer’s marketing subsidiary, the respect that you de-
sitions for a Major League to the table. I do hope this roles in pro soccer in the Soccer United Marketing, serve,” she said. “As more
Soccer team. opens the doors for others United States and abroad. had high praise for Camer- women move through
Her role will move into an- moving on, but I don’t con- And not just with women’s on. Carter noted that there the ranks and into posi-
other uncharted area for sider myself a trailblazer. teams. aren’t all that many women tions like coaches, it won’t
a woman in MLS: She’ll I’m just doing a job.” Two women — Kathy Carter in the sport’s boardrooms, be, ‘Oh, they’ve got a fe-
evaluate prospective play- Like all coaches, Cameron and former national team but they’re even rarer on male coach,’ it will be,
ers for Vermes, as well as said Vermes has specific goalkeeper Hope Solo — the technical side of the ‘Oh, they’ve got a new
for the Swope Park Rang- ideas about player charac- are among the eight can- sport. “I played soccer coach.’”q
Joshua to fight Parker in

heavyweight unification bout

LONDON (AP) — Anthony knockdown of his career to know it March 31 will be
Joshua and Joseph Park- stop the Ukrainian veteran upon us.” The last undisput-
er will put their titles and in the 11th round. It was the ed heavyweight champion
reputations on the line biggest heavyweight fight of the world was Lennox
when they meet in a world in British history. Lewis in 1999, and Joshua
heavyweight title clash in If Joshua beats the 26-year- plans to emulate him.
Cardiff on March 31. old New Zealander (WBO), But Parker pledged to end
Their eagerly awaited uni- he will likely next take on Joshua’s unbeaten record
fication bout takes place unbeaten American Deon- in style — by putting him flat
at the Principality Stadium, tay Wilder (WBC) in a huge on the canvas.
with the big-punching rivals fight the boxing world des- “Anthony Joshua is in for a
also defending unbeaten perately wants to see. huge shock. A couple of
records. Joshua is 20-0 and “These fights aren’t easy months ago I heard him
Parker 24-0. The 28-year-old because there is a lot on say ‘Why should I be wor-
Joshua (WBA and IBF) is a the line, so respect to team ried about this little kid from
huge fan favorite in Brit- Parker for taking the chal- New Zealand?’” Parker
ain prompting 90,000 fans lenge,” Joshua said. “And said. “Well, now he’s about
to flock to Wembley sta- you know me, I love this to find out. And the world
In this file photo dated Saturday, April 29, 2017, British boxer dium to see his epic victory game. I am looking for- is about to find out wheth-
Anthony Joshua celebrates after beating Ukrainian Wladimir against Wladimir Klitschko ward to it, training camp is er AJ can really take a
Klitschko at Wembley stadium in London.
Associated Press in April. He survived the first underway and before you punch.”q