On Friday, July 17, 2026, Mark C Franek, author of American Soccer Nation: The Remarkable 150-Year History of Yanks on a Roll, from Mob Football to the Modern Game joined us for a discussion about teaching soccer history.

Franek teaches English at YSC Academy, the independent, college-preparatory school founded by Philadelphia Union minority owner Richie Graham in 2013. The school is embedded within the club’s’s academy system and combines rigorous academics with professional-level soccer training. Part of the academic program includes a yearlong course Franek teaches on the history of American soccer.

Franek’s presentation focused on his work as a teacher, the components of his course on American soccer history, and the classroom experiences that led him to writing American Soccer Nation.

American Soccer Nation recounts the history of elite men’s soccer in the United States while also offering a roadmap for how the US can go from good to great on the international stage—based on firsthand accounts from professional athletes and experts in the sport.

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Podcast produced by Brian Quarstad.

Music created by LiteSaturation and found at Pixabay.

View the video of the session at httpshttps://youtu.be/RDV0Ba-At9g

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