Soccer Column: The Case for Showing Up
SIU women's soccer has the blueprint, the buy-in from its roster, and a coach with a proven track record. What remains to be seen is whether fans will buy in too.
Southern Illinois women’s soccer opened its season last week with a bang — a 4–0 win over Eastern Illinois, the largest margin of victory in program history. Four different Salukis scored. A transfer goalkeeper, Reagan Miller, was named Missouri Valley Goalkeeper of the Week after pitching a shutout in her very first game.
Not bad for opening night.
The question is: How many fans were there to see it?
I’ve got three daughters. They’re not on the soccer field — their stage is the stage, musical theatre, scripts, spotlights. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned sitting in auditoriums, it’s that an audience matters. It changes the energy. Performers rise to the occasion when the seats are full and the applause is real. Athletes are no different.
Women’s sports, unfortunately, still fight for that audience.
The Women’s World Cup keeps proving people will show up — stadiums are packed, ratings climb, stars are born. But that momentum can’t just live on television every four years. It has to trickle down to places like Carbondale, to teams like SIU.
Head coach Graeme Orr knows what that takes. When I caught up with him this summer to preview his soccer camp in Marion, he was optimistic. “We’ve been laying the foundation brick by brick,” he said. “This group is hungry. They’re ready to put SIU on the map.”
Orr would know. He’s in his third season at SIU, but this isn’t his first building project.
A native of Eaglesham, Scotland, Orr spent 12 years at West Alabama, literally starting the program from scratch and turning it into a perennial winner — 10 straight winning seasons, 11 straight postseason trips, and more than 100 career victories.
Since arriving in Carbondale, he’s guided the Salukis to just their second postseason appearance and coached players who’ve earned conference and academic honors. He’s got the blueprint, the buy-in from his roster, and a team already producing results. What remains to be seen is whether fans will buy in too.
That opportunity comes tomorrow night — Thursday, Aug. 21 at 6 p.m. when SIU hosts SEMO at home. Admission is free. No season tickets required, no parking pass, no excuse.
And for those who want to support off the field, there’s another option. After overwhelming interest, SIU has launched a BSN Team Store with official Saluki Soccer gear — hoodies, tees, hats, the works. All proceeds go directly toward enhancing the players’ experience. But it’s a limited-time offer: The store closes tomorrow.
Shop here: bsnteamsports.com/shop/25salukisc.
These athletes are already doing their part. They’re training, competing, and even making history. The only question is whether fans will treat their performance as worthy of the stage.
As a dad, that’s what I want my daughters to see — that excellence, whether in theatre or in soccer, deserves attention. That when women put their talent on display, people show up.
SIU soccer has delivered a record-breaking start. Tomorrow, they’ll deliver another chance for fans to notice.
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