Jeff Van Gundy becomes soccer fan as family hosts 2 Dash, World Cup players – KPRC Houston

DRIVER’S SIDE PASSENGER WINDOW COVERED IN PLASTIC. IT WAS A HUGE VICTORY FOR THE U.S. WOMEN’S SOCCER TEAM. AMERICANS TOOK GERMANY 2-ZERO, SENDING TEAM U.S.A. TO THE WORLD CUP FILES. THE TEAM U.S. HAS TIES TO HOUSTON. RANDY McILVOY JOINING US WITH JEFF VAN GUNDY’S TIE TO THE U.S. SOCCER TEAM. WE REMEMBER VAN GUNDY’S NAME AS THE HEAD COACH OF THE ROCKETS’ FOR YEARS. HE LOVES THE GAME OF BASKETBALL, BUT NOW HE’S A BIG FAN OF THE SPORT OF SOCCER. A LOT OF THE LEAGUES LIKE THE SCOTT PETERSON AND HOUSTON DASH SOCCER CLUB HERE IN TOWN, THE ROSTER IS FULL OF PLAYERS THAT DON’T MAKE A LOT OF MONEY AND THEY NEED HOUSING HELP, AND THAT’S WHERE THE VAN GUNDYS STEPPED IN. HIS SPECIALTY IS BASKETBALL, BUT NOW THE ANALYST HAS FOUND A NEW PASSION WITH SOCCER. ONE MEETING WITH FORMER DYNAMO STAR AND CURRENT DASH MANAGER BRIAN CHING WAS ALL IT TOOK TO VINCE VAN GUNDY THAT HE AND HIS FAMILY WOULD OPEN THEIR HOME AND SERVE AS A HOST FAMILY FOR DASH PLAYERS. HE MENTIONED HOST FAMILIES, IT SOUNDS GREAT TO ME. I FORGET TO AND MY WIFE FIRST. HOW DID THAT GO OVER? IT WASN’T GREAT, BUT NOW THEY’RE TIGHT, THE GIRLS AND HER, AND I’M SORT OF ON THE PERIPHERY. Reporter: THE VAN GUNDYS HAVE LOVED THE EXPERIENCE AND THE RELATIONSHIPS THEY’VE BUILT ALONG THE WAY. THEY ATTEND DASH HOME GAMES, BUT NOW THEY ARE HOOKED ON THE WORLD CUP BECAUSE BOTH OF THEIR HOUSE GUESTS ARE WEARING THE RED, WHITE AND BLUE. WE’VE GOTTEN OUT OF IT 10-FOLD THE EXAMPLE THEY SET ABOUT HARD WORK, PERSISTENCE, NO SENSE OF ENTITLEMENT, ALL OF THE GREAT THINGS THAT YOU CAN LEARN FROM SPORTS. Reporter: VAN GUNDY KNOWS PRESSURE FROM HIS LONG RUN AS AN NBA HEAD COACH, BUT HE ADMITTED TO ME FROM A SOCCER FAN SEAT HE NOW ENJOYS, IT’S STRESSFUL. YOU’VE SEEN HOW MUCH WORK HAS GONE INTO IT, THE SACRIFICES, AND SO IT’S ABSOLUTELY NERVE-RACKING TO TRY TO WATCH. GREAT CONVERSATION WITH VAN GUNDY THIS AFTERNOON. HE RAVED ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE. HIS MESSAGE TO HOUSTON SOCCER FANS, GO OUT AND SUPPORT THE DASH. THEY HAVE THREE PLAYERS RIGHT NOW, PART OF TEAM U.S.A. PLAYING FOR WORLD CUP TITLE. BILL, LAUREN, MARK YOUR