    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (1999, Book II)]
    [July 19, 1999]
    [Pages 1245-1246]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks to the 1999 Women's World Cup Champion United States Soccer Team
    July 19, 1999

        The President. Good morning. Please be seated. Hillary and Al and
    Tipper and I are delighted to welcome all of you here, the members of
    the team, the Members of Congress, who are here. We want to welcome
    Marla Messing, the president of the Women's
    World Cup; Donna de Varona, the chairman of
    the Women's World Cup Organizing Committee. Thank you and--yes, give
    them a hand. [Applause] And we want to welcome this remarkable team.
    They are all here, but two, today; that's an amazing turnout. Give them
    a hand. [Applause]
        We all know this is both a moment of celebration and a moment of
    sadness for the United States, and our thoughts and prayers are with the
    families of John Kennedy and
    Carolyn and Lauren
    Bessette. It is at times like this that we
    really stop to recognize that, as big and diverse as our country is, we
    can come together as a national family. We can come together in sorrow
    or in joy if it reflects the values that we honor most.
        This is one of those moments. The Women's World Cup champions, here
    at the White House, brought America to its feet, had us screaming our
    lungs out with pride and joy. They also didn't spare us the suspense.
    [Laughter] But their triumph has surely become America's triumph. We are
    all proud them, and we are thrilled to have them here at the White House
    today.
        As someone who got to watch the game at the Rose Bowl, who sat so
    far on the edge of my seat I actually almost fell out of the skybox, I
    can't help recalling just a few moments of that game. Kristine
    Lilly heading away what would have been a
    game-winning goal for the other side, in overtime. She's not here, but I
    have to mention Michelle Akers charging up

    [[Page 1246]]

    and down until she collapsed from shear exhaustion. The perfectly timed
    leap Briana Scurry made to the left to block
    China's third penalty kick.
        I might say, I saw the last three games, and I concluded that if I
    had to do it all over again, I'd like to be a goalie. [Laughter] No
    pressure. [Laughter]
        And of course, Brandi Chastain's perfect
    shot right into the top right corner of the goal to win the World Cup.
        The day after the game, a lot of us who aren't so young anymore were
    trying to search the whole cluttered attic of our memories to try to
    think if there was ever a time when there had been a more exciting
    climax to an athletic event that meant as much to so many. I'm not sure
    that in my lifetime there has been. It's no wonder that so many young
    girls like Stefaney Howell here are
    following the lead of our World Cup champions.
        Over a half million girls and young women have begun playing soccer
    in the 8 years since America won the World Cup in 1991. Thanks to these
    women, America's passion for women's soccer and women's sports in
    general is growing, and we owe them a lot for that.
        I also can't help mentioning briefly, again, the role that Title IX
    has played in all this, and for all of you who have supported it, I
    thank you very much. I can say this: For the Clintons and the Gores, the
    proud parents of daughters, it is always a wonderful thing to see women
    finding new ways of expressing their God-given talents and abilities.
    Because what we want for our children is what I think all Americans want
    for all of our children, whether they're girls or boys, which is a
    chance to find their way and to follow their dreams.
        These women have sent a signal, loud and clear, to millions and
    millions and millions of girls that they can follow their dreams. And I
    thank them for that.
        Now, you will be happy to know I have exercised some leadership
    today. It's over 90 degrees out here, and I cut my speech in half.
    [Laughter] Who's next? Are you next? I don't know who's next--I think
    Hillary is next, the First Lady.

    [At this point, the First Lady, DC
    SCORES youth soccer program participant Stefaney Howell, Tipper Gore, Vice President
    Al Gore, and team cocaptain Julie
    Foudy made brief remarks. Team cocaptain Carla
    Overbeck then presented several gifts to the
    Clintons and Gores.]

        The President. You have all been very patient in this warm, hot sun.
    I want to, again, say thank you all for coming. Thank you for supporting
    America's soccer team. I want to thank the women on the team. I would be
    remiss if I did not say, also, how profoundly impressed I was at the
    quality of their opposition.
        You know, when we had the last NCAA men's basketball championship,
    and UConn beat Duke, the Duke coach said something I think every coach
    would like to say. He said, ``We did not lose this game; we were
    defeated.'' The German team, the Chinese team, the Brazilian team, they
    can honestly say that, too. And this is something happening all over the
    world, for which I am very grateful. And again, I am very grateful that
    our women are leading the way.
        Thank you very much. Thank you.

    Note: The President spoke at 11:12 a.m. on the South Lawn at the White
    House. In his remarks, he referred to Marla Messing, president and chief
    executive officer, 1999 Women's World Cup Organizing Committee; and Duke
    University men's basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski. The President also
    referred to Title IX, Prohibition of Sex Discrimination, of the
    Education Amendments of 1972 (Public Law 92-318).