I first discovered soccer as a college freshman and fast became a fan of both West Ham United ("I'm forever!") and the sport in general. Crazy fans, fast-paced action and the creative nature of the sport lured me in, and I have been in love ever since.

It was an interesting time in history, being the year (1993) that Major League Soccer was founded, and soccer fans all over the country were ecstatic. The United States would finally have a league of our own, and show the world that, well, we rock!

The league got off to a very slow start, however, and many fans, like myself, went back to watching Manchester United pound Chelsea. MLS became almost stagnant -- at least until the 2002 World Cup, when the U.S. national team made it to the quarterfinals and everyone took notice. MLS was off and running.

Fast forward to 2009, and Salt Lake City is one of only 15 cities in the country that has a major league team, Real Salt Lake. The sport is fast becoming Utah Valley's sport of choice for kids, many adult recreational leagues are starting up, and soccer is listed as the No. 1 recreational sport among the 60,000 college students in the Provo-Orem area (Scarborough Research 2008, Release 1 Utah County).

So, with a brand-spankin' new stadium just around Point of the Mountain in Sandy, why are parents not flooding the games with family members in tow? Maybe the answer is, they just don't know it's one of the best family activities around!

John Koluder, a media representative for Real Salt Lake, said, "Families are a priority for us. We are always looking for new ways to cater to that segment of our audience and get them excited about what our games have to offer."

Real Salt Lake has done a good job of that this year, with many new programs and offerings geared toward family fun. Some of the best are the RSL Family Pack ticket offer (check it out online at web.mlsnet.com/t121/tickets/), which includes four tickets, four hot dogs and four sodas for just $88; the Carnival Real pre-game festival, which includes all kinds of free family fun two hours before the start of each game; birthday party packages; and a special family section that is free of spilled beer and raucous soccer chants -- which is a big plus. You can even attend most of the team's practices for free.

My personal favorite is the Real Salt Lake Summer Soccer Series (web.mlsnet.com/t121/fans/soccer_clinic/), which is a series of free two-hour clinics for kids the team offers throughout the summer. Five of them will be conducted bilingually, in English and Spanish.

It's important for kids to have sports heroes they can watch and admire and learn from. We are lucky to have a home team right around the corner that can provide that to our athletes in training. The only thing they are asking in return is that you come and be a fan. You don't need to paint your face (although I'm sure your kids would love it), run across the field in your underwear (not the best show of support ever created), or dress in red, yellow and blue from head to foot -- just come and have fun.

Bring your kids and enjoy one of the best sports in the world. Be a fan!

Michele Roberts is the Editor-in-Chief for www.utahadventurer.com. She enjoys anything fast, high, or just plain fun. Visit www.utahadventurer.com for more of her stories.

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Visit www.utahadventurer.com online for video soccer tips from Ian Joy and Tony Beltran. These are drills that kids can do alone, or with Mom and Dad. Keep clicking for additional tips and soccer camp information.

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