WSW USA National Team News

May 5, 2005

Tim Schulz appointed by U.S. Soccer as head coach of U.S. Under-20 National Team

Schulz was head coach for the Region IV Olympic Development Program from 2000-2004 and assistant coach for the U.S. Under-18 Men's National Team from 1998-2000. Like Greg Ryan also from Region IV, who recently was appointed as the National Team Head Coach, he takes over another winning program. In this instance Head Coach Tracey Leone developed the team and won the inaugural FIFA World Championship in 2002 in Canada, and later became the assistant Coach for the U.S. National Team.

FIFA has moved the Under-19 group to an Under-20 group to equal the men's championships.

U.S. Olympic Team arrives in Greece

The squad arrived today and will spend a few days at the Athlete's Village. The temperature there is normal for this time of the year, low humidity and in the mid nineties Fahrenheit.

Their team media has sent the following first impressions.

U.S. captain Julie Foudy at her third Olympics.

It's awesome. The USOC did a great job of putting together the ACG for our athletes, although I lost a game of UNO there this afternoon. The Athlete's Village is great. We went to the cafeteria and there are lots of desserts, tons of chopped fruit, and more desserts. They even have ice cream to-go and I think it's open 24 hours. What more could you want? You see people everywhere walking around in their national team gear. Some of the rookies had no idea it was this big. They asked me if the Olympic experience got old. I told them it never gets old, first time or third time around.

U.S. forward Abby Wambach at her first Olympics.

It's overwhelming. It feels good to finally be here and feel what it's like. We have had so many different things and visions in our minds, but nothing compares to the reality of being here. It is thrilling to see so many different athletes and feel how much hard work everyone has put in to get here.