Soccer mom
Encyclopedia
The phrase soccer mom broadly refers to a middle-class
suburban woman who spends a significant amount of her time transporting her school-age children to their sporting events
or other activities
. Indices of American magazines and newspapers show relatively little usage of the term until a 1995 Denver city council election. It came into widespread use during the 1996 United States presidential election
.
. She is also portrayed as putting the interests of her family, and most importantly her children, ahead of her own.
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. It was also used in names of organizations of mothers who raised money to support their children's soccer teams. 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.
Indices of American magazines and newspapers show relatively little usage of the term until 1995 when, during an election for Denver city council, Susan B. Casey ran with the slogan "A Soccer Mom for City Council." 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," denoting herself as "everyneighbor." 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. Casey won the election with 51% of the vote.
The term came into widespread use near the time of the 1996 Republican National Convention
. The first use of the term in a news article about that election appeared in the July 21, 1996 edition of The Washington Post
. E. J. Dionne
, the article's author, quoted Alex Castellanos
(at the time a senior media advisor to Bob Dole
) suggesting that Bill Clinton
was targeting a voting demographic whom Castellanos called the "soccer mom." The soccer mom was described in the article as "the overburdened middle income working mother who ferries her kids from soccer practice to scouts to school." The article suggested that the term soccer mom was a creation of political consultants. Castellanos was later quoted in The Wall Street Journal
as saying "She's the key swing consumer in the marketplace, and the key swing voter who will decide the election."
Media interest in soccer moms picked up as the election approached. The number of articles on soccer moms in major newspapers increased from a combined total of 12 for the months of August and September, to a total of 198 for October and November. In large part, the intense media interest stemmed from the media's belief that soccer moms had become the most sought-after group of swing voters in the 1996 elections. In the end, suburban women favored Clinton by 53 to 39, while suburban men voted for Dole.
During the election, the soccer mom's most frequently mentioned attribute cited in major newspaper articles was that she was a mother or a woman who had children. The soccer mom's next most frequently mentioned characteristics were that "she lives in the suburbs (41.2% of the articles); is a swing voter (30.8%); is busy, harried, stressed out, or overburdened (28.4%); works outside the home (24.6%); drives a minivan, (usually Volvo) station wagon, or sports-utility vehicle (20.9%); is middle-class (17.1%); is married (13.7%); and is white (13.3%)."
Soccer moms received so much attention during the election that the American Dialect Society
voted "soccer mom" Word of the Year for 1996. The columnist Ellen Goodman
of The Boston Globe
called 1996 "the Year of the Soccer Mom." An Associated Press article named soccer moms – along with the Macarena
, Bob Dole
, and "Rules Girls
" – as the four phenomena that will be forever associated with the year 1996.
; overparenting them in concerted cultivation
rather than letting them enjoy their childhood
. 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".
, and the security of their children.
There is evidence, however, that security moms did not exist in great enough numbers to influence the 2004 election outcome. Democratic women tended to be most interested in healthcare, which Kerry abandoned as a talking point, and may explain Kerry's trouble garnering their support.
It is unclear why critiques of security mom's existence did not attract as much media coverage as claims about their existence and influence. One explanation is that the rhetorical construction of "security moms" was an effort to rally support for the war in Iraq and George W. Bush's reelection.
), in which mothers often take their children to hockey
rinks. The first article in The New York Times
that used "hockey mom" as a demographic term was a 1999 review of the Chevrolet Silverado
, a full-size pickup truck
. In the article, the truck is described as a "smooth and gutsy" vehicle that "ought to please everyone from hockey mom to cattle hauler".
Former Alaska
governor Sarah Palin
, the U.S. Republican vice-presidential candidate in 2008, described herself as a hockey mom as far back as her 2006 gubernatorial race
. In her speech at the 2008 Republican National Convention
and in stump speeches following the convention, she joked that the only difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull
was lipstick
, suggesting that hockey moms are "tough". "Hockey partisans" on the internet claim that hockey moms are "a bit more intense than their soccer counterparts, both in terms of the commitments they make to the sport and the intensity with which they cheer their kids."
Middle class
The middle class is any class of people in the middle of a societal hierarchy. In Weberian socio-economic terms, the middle class is the broad group of people in contemporary society who fall socio-economically between the working class and upper class....
suburban woman who spends a significant amount of her time transporting her school-age children to their sporting events
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
or other activities
After-school activity
An after-school activity is any organized program which invites youth to participate outside of the traditional school day. Some programs are run by a primary or secondary school and some by externally funded non-profit or commercial organizations...
. Indices of American magazines and newspapers show relatively little usage of the term until a 1995 Denver city council election. It came into widespread use during the 1996 United States presidential election
United States presidential election, 1996
The United States presidential election of 1996 was a contest between the Democratic national ticket of President Bill Clinton of Arkansas and Vice President Al Gore of Tennessee and the Republican national ticket of former Senator Bob Dole of Kansas for President and former Housing Secretary Jack...
.
History
The phrase soccer mom generally refers to a married middle-class woman who lives in the suburbs and has school age children. She is sometimes portrayed in the media as busy or overburdened and driving a minivanMinivan
Minivan is a type of van designed for personal use. Minivans are typically either two-box or one box designs for maximum interior volume – and are taller than a sedan, hatchback, or a station wagon....
. She is also portrayed as putting the interests of her family, and most importantly her children, ahead of her own.
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. It was also used in names of organizations of mothers who raised money to support their children's soccer teams. 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
Ludlow, Massachusetts
Ludlow is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 21,103 as of the 2010 census. It is located in western Massachusetts, north of Springfield, east of Chicopee, southeast of Granby, southwest of Belchertown, west of Wilbraham and is considered part of the...
, stole $3,150 raised for the benefit of a local soccer league.
Indices of American magazines and newspapers show relatively little usage of the term until 1995 when, during an election for Denver city council, Susan B. Casey ran with the slogan "A Soccer Mom for City Council." 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," denoting herself as "everyneighbor." 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. Casey won the election with 51% of the vote.
The term came into widespread use near the time of the 1996 Republican National Convention
1996 Republican National Convention
The 1996 National Convention of the Republican Party of the United States convened at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California, from August 12 to August 15, 1996...
. The first use of the term in a news article about that election appeared in the July 21, 1996 edition of The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
. E. J. Dionne
E. J. Dionne
Eugene Joseph "E.J." Dionne, Jr. is an American journalist and political commentator, and a long-time op-ed columnist for The Washington Post...
, the article's author, quoted Alex Castellanos
Alex Castellanos
Alejandro "Alex" Castellanos is a U.S. Republican Party political media consultant who specializes in television advertising, and was a top media adviser to Bush Cheney '04 as well as Mitt Romney's presidential campaign....
(at the time a senior media advisor to Bob Dole
Bob Dole
Robert Joseph "Bob" Dole is an American attorney and politician. Dole represented Kansas in the United States Senate from 1969 to 1996, was Gerald Ford's Vice Presidential running mate in the 1976 presidential election, and was Senate Majority Leader from 1985 to 1987 and in 1995 and 1996...
) suggesting that Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
was targeting a voting demographic whom Castellanos called the "soccer mom." The soccer mom was described in the article as "the overburdened middle income working mother who ferries her kids from soccer practice to scouts to school." The article suggested that the term soccer mom was a creation of political consultants. Castellanos was later quoted in The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
as saying "She's the key swing consumer in the marketplace, and the key swing voter who will decide the election."
Media interest in soccer moms picked up as the election approached. The number of articles on soccer moms in major newspapers increased from a combined total of 12 for the months of August and September, to a total of 198 for October and November. In large part, the intense media interest stemmed from the media's belief that soccer moms had become the most sought-after group of swing voters in the 1996 elections. In the end, suburban women favored Clinton by 53 to 39, while suburban men voted for Dole.
During the election, the soccer mom's most frequently mentioned attribute cited in major newspaper articles was that she was a mother or a woman who had children. The soccer mom's next most frequently mentioned characteristics were that "she lives in the suburbs (41.2% of the articles); is a swing voter (30.8%); is busy, harried, stressed out, or overburdened (28.4%); works outside the home (24.6%); drives a minivan, (usually Volvo) station wagon, or sports-utility vehicle (20.9%); is middle-class (17.1%); is married (13.7%); and is white (13.3%)."
Soccer moms received so much attention during the election that the American Dialect Society
American Dialect Society
The American Dialect Society, founded in 1889, is a learned society "dedicated to the study of the English language in North America, and of other languages, or dialects of other languages, influencing it or influenced by it." The Society publishes the academic journal, American Speech...
voted "soccer mom" Word of the Year for 1996. The columnist Ellen Goodman
Ellen Goodman
Ellen Goodman is an American journalist and Pulitzer Prize-winning syndicated columnist.- Career :Goodman worked as a researcher and reporter for Newsweek magazine between 1963 and 1965, and has worked as an associate editor at the Boston Globe since 1967.In 1998, Goodman received the Elijah...
of The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
called 1996 "the Year of the Soccer Mom." An Associated Press article named soccer moms – along with the Macarena
Macarena (song)
"Macarena" is a Spanish dance song by Los del Río about a woman of the same name. Appearing on the 1994 album A mí me gusta, it was an international hit between 1995 and 1996, and continues to have a cult following. It was ranked the "#1 Greatest One-Hit Wonder of all Time" by VH1 in 2002.The song...
, Bob Dole
Bob Dole
Robert Joseph "Bob" Dole is an American attorney and politician. Dole represented Kansas in the United States Senate from 1969 to 1996, was Gerald Ford's Vice Presidential running mate in the 1976 presidential election, and was Senate Majority Leader from 1985 to 1987 and in 1995 and 1996...
, and "Rules Girls
The Rules
The Rules: Time-Tested Secrets for Capturing the Heart of Mr. Right is a controversial self-help book by Ellen Fein and Sherrie Schneider, originally published in 1995....
" – as the four phenomena that will be forever associated with the year 1996.
Criticism
The phrase has taken on a negative aspect. Soccer moms are sometimes accused of forcing their children to go to too many after-school activitiesAfter-school activity
An after-school activity is any organized program which invites youth to participate outside of the traditional school day. Some programs are run by a primary or secondary school and some by externally funded non-profit or commercial organizations...
; overparenting them in concerted cultivation
Concerted cultivation
Concerted cultivation is a style of parenting that is marked by a parent's attempts to foster their child's talents through organized leisure activities. This parenting style is commonly exhibited in middle and upper class American families...
rather than letting them enjoy their childhood
Slow parenting
Slow parenting is a parenting style in which few activities are organised for children. Instead, they are allowed to explore the world at their own pace...
. In 2003, the car manufacturer Nissan, who had for several years courted the "soccer-mom" image, repositioned its Quest
Nissan Quest
The Nissan Quest is a minivan manufactured since 1993 by Nissan, and is now in its fourth generation. The first two generations of the Quest were a joint venture with Ford, which marketed a rebadged variant as the Mercury Villager...
minivan as "stylish, sexy and desirable".
Security mom
During the 2004 presidential campaign, pundits started talking about the security mom, a successor to 2000's "soccer mom" and in theory a powerful voting bloc. Security moms were supposed to be concerned primarily with issues such as the war in Iraq, domestic terrorismTerrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
, and the security of their children.
There is evidence, however, that security moms did not exist in great enough numbers to influence the 2004 election outcome. Democratic women tended to be most interested in healthcare, which Kerry abandoned as a talking point, and may explain Kerry's trouble garnering their support.
It is unclear why critiques of security mom's existence did not attract as much media coverage as claims about their existence and influence. One explanation is that the rhetorical construction of "security moms" was an effort to rally support for the war in Iraq and George W. Bush's reelection.
Hockey mom
Hockey mom is a term widely used in Canada and northern U.S. states (including AlaskaAlaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
), in which mothers often take their children to hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
rinks. The first article in The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
that used "hockey mom" as a demographic term was a 1999 review of the Chevrolet Silverado
Chevrolet Silverado
The Chevrolet Silverado , is the latest line of full-size pickup trucks from General Motors.-History:...
, a full-size pickup truck
Pickup truck
A pickup truck is a light motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area .-Definition:...
. In the article, the truck is described as a "smooth and gutsy" vehicle that "ought to please everyone from hockey mom to cattle hauler".
Former Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
governor Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
, the U.S. Republican vice-presidential candidate in 2008, described herself as a hockey mom as far back as her 2006 gubernatorial race
Alaska gubernatorial election, 2006
The 2006 Alaska gubernatorial general election took place on November 7, 2006. The former mayor of Wasilla, Sarah Palin, was elected governor.-Republican primary:...
. In her speech at the 2008 Republican National Convention
2008 Republican National Convention
The United States 2008 Republican National Convention took place at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota, from September 1, through September 4, 2008...
and in stump speeches following the convention, she joked that the only difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull
Pit bull
A Pit bull is any of several breeds of dog in the molosser breed group.Many jurisdictions that restrict pit bulls, including Ontario, Canada,, Miami, Florida, U.S...
was lipstick
Lipstick
Lipstick is a cosmetic product containing pigments, oils, waxes, and emollients that applies color, texture, and protection to the lips. Many varieties of lipstick are known. As with most other types of makeup, lipstick is typically, but not exclusively, worn by women...
, suggesting that hockey moms are "tough". "Hockey partisans" on the internet claim that hockey moms are "a bit more intense than their soccer counterparts, both in terms of the commitments they make to the sport and the intensity with which they cheer their kids."
See also
- Mama grizzlyMama grizzlyMama grizzly is a term that former U.S. vice presidential candidate and Alaska governor Sarah Palin coined to refer to herself, then later applied to female candidates she supported or endorsed in the 2010 U.S. midterm elections. Palin first used the term in a May 2010 speech at a fundraiser for...
- Concerted cultivationConcerted cultivationConcerted cultivation is a style of parenting that is marked by a parent's attempts to foster their child's talents through organized leisure activities. This parenting style is commonly exhibited in middle and upper class American families...
- After-school activityAfter-school activityAn after-school activity is any organized program which invites youth to participate outside of the traditional school day. Some programs are run by a primary or secondary school and some by externally funded non-profit or commercial organizations...
- Helicopter parentHelicopter parentHelicopter parent is a colloquial, early 21st-century term for a parent who pays extremely close attention to his or her child's or children's experiences and problems, particularly at educational institutions. The term was originally coined by Foster W. Cline, M.D. and Jim Fay in their 1990 book...
- Angry white maleAngry white maleAngry white male or AWM is a derogatory term which typifies a white male who holds traditional conservative views, especially in the context of U.S...
- NASCAR dadNASCAR dadThe phrase NASCAR dad broadly refers to a demographic group of often white, usually middle-aged, working-class or lower-middle-class men in North America...
- Stage motherStage motherIn the performing arts, a stage mother is a term for the mother of a child actor. The mother will often drive her child to auditions, make sure he or she is on the set on time, etc...
- Will it play in Peoria?Will it play in Peoria?The saying, "Will it play in Peoria?" is traditionally used to ask whether a given product, person, promotional theme, or event will appeal to mainstream America, or across a broad range of demographic and psychographic groups....
- Worcester womanWorcester woman"Worcester woman" is a political term used by polling companies in the United Kingdom. It profiles or describes a type of median voter, a white collar professional who worries about quality of life issues....