While the world\u2019s attention turns to the FIFA World Cup final this weekend,<\/a> these women are chasing a championship of their own. Nearly three decades after Cole formed the team, she says the greatest victories have little to do with the scoreboard.<\/p>\n Soccer gave them a chance to pursue dreams many never had growing up. It also gave them something they never expected \u2014 lifelong friendships that have carried them through illness, loss, injuries and the everyday challenges of life.<\/p>\n From sidelines to the national stage<\/p>\n Cole was simply tired of standing on the sidelines.<\/p>\n Her three sons played soccer in Sacramento. For years, she watched from the edge of the field with other parents.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d say to the other moms, \u2018This looks like so much fun. We should do that,\u2019\u201d Cole said. \u201cAt first, we laughed. Then finally I said, \u2018No, we really should do that.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n The mothers rented an indoor field one night each week, found someone willing to coach them and began learning the sport together. They called themselves Moms on the Run.<\/p>\n Cole was 47 years old and an attorney at McDonough Holland & Allen in Sacramento.<\/p>\n Three years later, she wanted to compete in tournaments for women over 50.<\/p>\n \u201cWe wanted to play in the 50 age group tournaments together,\u201d Cole said. \u201cWe were scattered on different teams, and we decided if we wanted to play together and be successful, we had to come together.\u201d<\/p>\n That decision launched Still Kickin\u2019.<\/p>\n Today, at 78, Cole remains the team\u2019s goalkeeper and manager.<\/p>\n The roster now includes women between the ages of 72 and 81 from the Sacramento region. Come tournament time, some players even travel from the Bay Area and Texas to compete with the Sacramento team. During this week\u2019s tournament in Vermont, five members of Still Kickin\u2019 are also playing with a Texas over-75 squad.<\/p>\n For Cole, gathering with longtime teammates remains one of the greatest rewards.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s always good just to get the team together,\u201d she said. \u201cWe have great camaraderie and synergy, and it\u2019s always something to look forward to.\u201d<\/p>\n A second chance<\/p>\n For many of the women, soccer came decades later than they wish it had.<\/p>\n Most grew up before Title IX became law in 1972, when organized athletic opportunities for girls were far more limited.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen we were girls, we were athletic. We loved sports,\u201d Cole said. \u201cWe played in the neighborhood with boys. The boys had opportunities to play organized sports, and we didn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n She remembers physical education classes and neighborhood games, but organized leagues simply were not available.<\/p>\n \u201cFor us to be able to play now is like picking up some of that missed opportunity and having a fantastic time doing things we\u2019ve always wanted to do,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n Since then, Still Kickin\u2019 has competed throughout the United States and around the world, including tournaments in Italy, Australia, New Zealand, Spain and Canada. After Vermont, the women are planning trips to San Diego and the Huntsman World Senior Games in St. George, Utah.<\/p>\n More than teammates<\/p>\n As the years passed, soccer became something much bigger than the game itself.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s good for our physical health because it motivates us to stay active and fit,\u201d Cole said. \u201cBut it\u2019s also really good for our mental health because it gives us camaraderie, connection to others and being part of a team.\u201d<\/p>\n Those relationships continue even when players can\u2019t step onto the field.<\/p>\n One teammate is in Vermont despite recovering from an injury that will keep her from playing.<\/p>\n \u201cI would do exactly the same thing,\u201d Cole said. \u201cIt is that important to us.\u201d<\/p>\n Sam Kalhor has spent more than 40 years in Sacramento soccer as a player, coach and referee. <\/p>\n \u201cI have seen some of these ladies compete for years, and I am inspired seeing them play now at their age,\u201d Kalhor said. \u201cThey are inspiration for me to keep in shape and continue playing.\u201d<\/p>\n Kalhor says soccer offers much more than exercise.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is proof to me that with the proper mindset, some conditioning and a good social network, we can all play the beautiful game well into our golden years,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cMentally, the game demands tactical awareness and application of game strategy. Physically, the game demands coordination and body strength,\u201d he added. \u201cThe social value of being part of a team is incalculable.\u201d<\/p>\n Paying it forward<\/p>\n Cole is doing her part to make sure today\u2019s children will not have to wait until adulthood to discover what soccer gave her.<\/p>\n![\"people](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC02767-1024x721.jpg.webp\")
Goalkeeper, manager and Still Kickin\u2019 founder Dawn Cole, 78, prepares to block the ball at the team\u2019s scrimmage game before heading to the Veterans Cup on Friday, July 10, 2026. (Cameron Clark)<\/p>\n![\"people](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC02652-1024x723.jpg.webp\")
Candy Stickney, Joyce Stephens and Glennis Walters at a scrimmage game Friday, July 10, 2026. Cameron Clark<\/p>\n![\"people](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC02682-1024x733.jpg.webp\")
The Still Kickin\u2019 senior player Debbi Perry, 78, and coach Sam Kalhor at a scrimmage game Friday, July 10, 2026. (Cameron Clark)<\/p>\n![\"women](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DSC02932-1024x642.jpg.webp\")
Street Soccer USA\u2019s Lisa Wrightsman, board member Dawn Cole and development director Tiffany Fraser cheer on Still Kickin\u2019 as the team prepared for nationals in Vermont on Friday, July 10, 2026. (Cameron Clark)<\/p>\n