OPINION: Soccer builds skills, sparks engagement - what's our problem?

John Harkes, a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame, is a former U.S. national team captain who played in two FIFA World Cup tournaments.

Soccer has always been more popular outside of the United States.

True, there was a full house last week for the exhibition U.S.-Brazil game at the Meadowlands. And Americans came out in droves to watch the World Cup in South Africa earlier this summer. But if the past is any indicator, the love will not last.

Which raises the question: What do our friends around the globe know that we do not?

Abroad, they know the game is about more than victors and losers. They know the sport has changed lives in the unlikeliest of places. The deep fandom that soccer inspires has superseded racial and ethnic conflict, economic hardship, and political strife. We have seen its transformative potential play itself out in underserved communities, bringing messages such as HIV awareness to Africa.

In the poorest areas throughout the world, the youngest of kids can be found kicking a bottle toward a makeshift goal. In the process, they are acquiring fundamental traits: sportsmanship, leadership and commitment. Whether it's learning to pass the ball when you could just as easily shoot the goal yourself, or shaking hands at the end of a contentious match, soccer teaches important life lessons across the globe. And as one of the most popular sports in the world, it offers children in underprivileged areas a meaningful link with the global community.

Isn't this something America needs, too?

After the U.S. team's disappointing World Cup loss to Ghana in late June, there were calls for the United States to develop players with better skills. And while I agree with the need for a wider pipeline of players, that also makes me wonder if we're missing the most important point.

School districts everywhere are being forced to cut physical education - even as the fight against obesity has been waged nationally by powerful people such as first lady Michelle Obama. For children to have a chance at a healthy lifestyle, it's imperative that organized sports like soccer are recognized not just as recreational activities, but as educational tools to promote physical health, academics and social skills.

I've seen this strategy in action as a board member of the national after-school program America SCORES, which has been using soccer successfully for more than a decade to empower students in the nation's most under-resourced school districts. The program uses soccer as a method to provide students ages 8 to 13, 10 times more physical exercise than the national average for their age group. But it also improves literacy skills, increases school participation and sparks community engagement by encouraging kids to use teamwork learned on the field to support each other off it.

Though this structured soccer development opportunity could increase our chances of cultivating an American David Villa - the forward for Spain who's considered the best in the world - don't leadership, cooperation, public service and fitness matter more in the long term for our nation than one more win in the World Cup tournament?

Soccer has power, and not just every four years. After-school soccer programs should be rolled out in every tough town in the country. The social benefits I've witnessed could have a positive impact on the entire nation.

The 2010 World Cup may be fading into the distance, but don't wait until 2014 to think about soccer again. Introduce your children to the game. Support community programs like the Long Island Junior Soccer League, or work to introduce programs like America SCORES into your kids' school. Explore the real potential of this life-changing game.