Dynasty: University Of North Carolina Women's Soccer

I'll admit it: when this set of tapes crossed my path, I was less than thrilled. Was I in for a surprise. As sports videos go, Dynasty is classy, cleanly produced, and effective at chronicling the overwhelming success of the UNC Women's Soccer Program. Tape one covers the 1981-1990 seasons; tape two, 1991-94. Check out the numbers: since the mid 80's, the Lady Tarheels have outscored opponents 1,488 to 131, with a team record of 329-9-10. One would be hard-pressed to name any other team with comparable dominance in any other sport. Such a success story could be smug, or even boring. Not this one; listening to interviews with players, including Mia Hamm, Tisha Venturini, and Carla Overbeck, I came away with admiration for the confidence, intelligence, and sense of fun with which they approach soccer. One reason to purchase this tape is that the featured players make excellent role models for girls, athletic or not. Too, for young female (or male) soccer players, the tips on strategy and skill development will be useful. Finally, the players' intimate recollections of various championship matches are more interesting than you might expect. Packaged in a strong dual-video case, Dynasty is a recommended purchase. (A. Laker)