If you’ve watched any TV in the past few months, you may have caught a cute little commercial from Sprint, featuring the likes of junior soccer team from South Windsor, Connecticut. The team, enthusiastic as they are about soccer, have the unfortunate record of not winning a single game last season.
The South Windsor Thunder, stars of a current Sprint commercial. Photo credit John Huba
In the ad, Sprint encourages people around the country to like the team’s Facebook page and text the coach words of encouragement, flashing his personal cell phone number on the screen, to help push the girls into the winners’ circle, and “help make a team of underdogs America’s team.”
“I was contacted by the ad agency through the president of my soccer club. He forwarded and email which explained the intent of the campaign and told me it was up to me if I wanted to proceed,” said coach Hank Cullinane of how the South Windsor Thunder became the subject of the ad.
The commercial was shot over 2 days at Rye St. Park in South Windsor.
“It was interesting to experience the process. We were told that it would basically be a practice and they would film it. It turned out to be a series of stop and starts. The director or producer would see something they liked and say “do that again.” I was surprised by the amount of material that was filmed to produce a 30 second ad,” said Cullinane.
“The overall reaction from the public has been 98% positive. There are a number of teenage boys who feel the need to get attention. The girls are overwhelmed by the support the commercial generated from all over the country,” said Cullinane.
As if their newfound fandom wasn’t enough, the girls were already enjoying their success when former Olympic Captain Julie Foudy surprised them at the field to coach them for a day. Not a bad day on the field!
To check out the team and send them your own best wishes, like their Facebook page here. You can also watch their Sprint commercial below.
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