Cindy Parlow Cone facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Cindy Parlow Cone

Parlow in 2023
Personal information
Full name	Cynthia Marie Parlow Cone
Birth name	Cynthia Marie Parlow
Date of birth	(1978-05-08) May 8, 1978 (age 47)
Place of birth	Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Position(s)	Midfielder
College career
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1995–1998	North Carolina Tar Heels	103	(68)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1999	Raleigh Wings
2001–2003	Atlanta Beat	60	(15)
International career
1996–2004	United States	158	(75)
Managerial career
2007–2012	North Carolina Tar Heels (assistant)
2013	Portland Thorns FC
Medal record Women's soccer Representing  United States Olympic Games Gold 1996 Atlanta Team competition Gold 2004 Athens Team competition Silver 2000 Sydney Team competition FIFA Women's World Cup Gold 1999 USA Team competition Bronze 2003 USA Team competition
President of the United States Soccer Federation Incumbent Assumed office March 12, 2020 Preceded by Carlos Cordeiro Vice President of United States Soccer Federation In office February 16, 2019 – March 12, 2020 Preceded by Carlos Cordeiro Succeeded by Bill Taylor
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Cindy Parlow Cone, born Cynthia Marie Parlow on May 8, 1978, is a well-known American soccer leader. She is currently the president of the United States Soccer Federation. Before this, she was a professional soccer player.

Cindy won two Olympic Gold medals and was a champion at the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup. In 2013, as a coach, she led the Portland Thorns FC to win the first-ever National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) championship.

Cindy also served on many committees for U.S. Soccer. She became the interim vice president in February 2019. In March 2020, she became president after the previous president, Carlos Cordeiro, stepped down. She was re-elected for a full four-year term in February 2022.

Cindy Parlow Cone was honored in the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2018. She was also inducted into the Tennessee State Soccer Association Hall of Fame and the Memphis Sports Hall of Fame in 2019.

Early Life and Soccer Dreams

Cindy Parlow Cone grew up in Memphis, Tennessee. She went to Germantown High School. When she was 13, she met Anson Dorrance, the U.S. national team coach. He was signing autographs after the U.S. team won the first 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup. Cindy told her mom she would play for him one day.

Four years later, she finished high school early. She went to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. There, she played for the Tar Heels women's soccer team, coached by Dorrance. She said she was very focused and driven, even as a teenager. Coming to UNC helped her become a better player and person.

Playing for the North Carolina Tar Heels: 1995–1998

At the University of North Carolina, Cindy was an amazing player. She was named an All-American four times. She helped her team win the NCAA Women's Soccer Championship three times. They also won the Atlantic Coast Conference regular season four times.

Cindy won the Hermann Trophy twice, in 1997 and 1998. This award goes to the best college soccer player. She was the second player to win it twice, after Mia Hamm. In 1999, she was named the ACC Athlete of the Year.

As a freshman, Cindy was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Year. She scored 19 goals and had 13 assists. Her freshman year ended when her team lost in the NCAA semifinals. The next year, she scored the winning goal in the NCAA Championship game. She was also named the Most Valuable Player of the ACC Tournament.

During her senior year, Cindy scored 21 goals and had 11 assists. She won the Hermann Trophy again. She was also named the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year. Cindy finished her college career with 68 goals and 53 assists. Her team had an amazing record of 102 wins, 3 losses, and 1 tie.

Playing for the U.S. National Team

Cindy started training with the U.S. women's national team in March 1995. At just 17 years old, she played her first game on January 14, 1996. She scored two goals against Russia. Cindy played in all six games when the U.S. won the 1999 World Cup. She also played in the 1996, 2000, and 2004 Olympics. At 18, she was the youngest player to win an Olympic gold medal and a World Cup title.

1996 Atlanta Olympics Gold Medal

Cindy was the youngest player on the U.S. team at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. This was the first time women's soccer was played at the Olympics. The U.S. team, coached by Tony DiCicco, reached the final. They played against China in Athens, Georgia. A record 76,481 fans watched the U.S. team win the gold medal.

1999 FIFA Women's World Cup Champions

President Bill Clinton with the '99ers at the White House, July 19, 1999

Cindy played in all six games of the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup and scored two goals. In the semifinal against Brazil, she scored a header goal early in the game.

The final match against China was decided by a penalty shootout. The U.S. team won, making them champions. More than 90,000 people watched the final at the Rose Bowl in California. This set a new record for the most spectators at a women's sporting event. The game also had a huge TV audience in the U.S. A week later, the team met President Clinton at the White House.

2000 Sydney Olympics Silver Medal

In August 2000, Cindy was part of the U.S. team for the 2000 Summer Olympics in Australia. She scored 19 goals in 2000, the most on the national team. She scored three goals in a single game (a hat-trick) against both New Zealand and Canada.

On July 3, 2001, Cindy played her 100th international game. This made her the youngest soccer player, male or female, to reach 100 international games.

2003 FIFA Women's World Cup Bronze Medal

Cindy was on the roster for the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup. She scored a header goal against Sweden in a 3–1 win. She also scored against Nigeria in a 5–0 victory. The U.S. team won third place in the tournament. During the third-place match, Cindy had to leave the game due to an injury.

2004 Athens Olympics Gold Medal

Cindy competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. She scored three goals in one game against Haiti during the Olympic qualifying tournament. On October 21, she scored her seventh hat-trick for the national team.

Retirement from International Play

On July 30, 2006, Cindy announced she was retiring from international soccer due to health reasons. She finished her career with 158 games played for the U.S. team, which was the ninth most at the time. She also scored 75 goals, ranking fifth in team history.

Club Soccer Career

Raleigh Wings: 1999

In February 1999, Cindy joined the USL W-League club Raleigh Wings. She helped the Wings win the W-League title, scoring in the championship game.

Atlanta Beat: 2001–2003

Cindy was one of the first 20 players chosen for the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA). This was the first professional women's soccer league in the United States. She was the captain of the Atlanta Beat. She led her team to the playoffs in all three seasons the league was active (2001–2003).

In the 2001 WUSA season, Cindy scored five goals and had seven assists, leading her team in both. She scored two goals against the San Diego Spirit, including the winning goal. The Beat finished first in the regular season. They reached the Founders Cup championship match but lost in penalty shots.

In the 2002 WUSA season, Cindy scored five goals and had four assists. She even scored a goal against the Boston Breakers while playing with a broken nose. The Beat made it to the playoffs but lost in the semifinals.

Cindy returned to the Beat for the 2003 WUSA season. She scored three goals in one game against the Philadelphia Charge. The Beat finished second and reached the WUSA Founders Cup again. They faced the Washington Freedom but lost 2–1. The league stopped operating in September 2003.

Coaching Career

North Carolina Tar Heels: 2007–2012

Cindy Parlow Cone was an assistant coach for the North Carolina Tar Heels from 2007 to 2012. In 2012, she led practices when head coach Anson Dorrance was away. He called her his "secret weapon." That season was the last time the Tar Heels won the national championship. Cindy also directed coaching for youth soccer teams in Chapel Hill.

Portland Thorns FC: 2013

In December 2012, Cindy was hired as the head coach for Portland Thorns FC. This was for the first season of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She became the first coach to win an NWSL Championship. Her team beat Western New York Flash 2–0 in the championship game on August 31, 2013. She resigned on December 5, 2013, for personal reasons, wanting to spend more time with her husband, John Cone.

Cindy also coached the under-14 and under-15 girls’ national teams from 2010 to 2013. In 2015, she coached at the Berkshire Soccer Academy for Girls with former teammates like Mia Hamm and Kristine Lilly. In 2019, she became a director of coaching for NCFC Youth.

Sports Leadership Role

Cindy Parlow Cone served on several U.S. Soccer committees. She was elected Vice President of U.S. Soccer in February 2019. She was re-elected for a full four-year term in February 2020.

In March 2020, Cindy became President of U.S. Soccer. This happened after Carlos Cordeiro resigned. One of her first actions was to apologize for some statements made by the Federation that did not represent their values. She was re-elected President for a new four-year term on March 5, 2022.

Other Work and Interests

In 2015, Cindy worked with the U.S. Department of State. She helped with a program to empower women and girls through sports. She worked with the Jordanian under-17 national soccer team. Cindy has also been a leader in raising awareness about safety in sports, especially regarding concussions. In December 2018, she was a presenter at the Draw for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.

Personal Life

In 2007, Cindy married John Cone, who was also a soccer player and coach.

See also

In Spanish: Cindy Parlow para niños

• List of women's footballers with 100 or more international caps
• List of Olympic medalists in football
• List of United States women's national soccer team hat-tricks