WSW USA Team News

The player I always admired most;-
for her skills-
for her physical presence-
for her commitment in 90 minutes-
for her amazing ability to battle injuries and sicknesses-
for her "team first" attitude-
for her headers-
for her shots

It was tough to read the news this morning, Michelle is going to retire - only few days after playing against her in Kansas City and few weeks before Olympics.

Now I regret not stopping you in the hotel elevator to have a chat. In typical style you finished a workout some hours before kick-off.

Thanks for all the the years on the field and all the good games, even though you influenced my record!!

Hope I will see you back in soccer business!

Even Pellerud

Combination of shoulder injury and ongoing battle with Chronic Disease Syndrome forces Michelle Akers to hang up her international boots

Michelle Akers, a member of the U.S. National Team since1985 when she played in the second-ever U.S. National Team match on August 21, 1985, against Denmark has decided to leave the international arena.

Today at the age of 34 with 153 Caps and 105 Career Goals she anounced her retirement from the National Team. She will not compete in the 2000 Olympic Games.

"After winning the gold medal in 1996, I promised myself to never again play in the condition I was in during those Olympic games," said Akers. "Since then, retirement has been a big issue with me and the decision to continue on with the national team has always been a prayerful and careful one. This year was no exception, and after the 1999 World Cup, I wrestled for months about whether to play or not, but eventually decided to go for it because I knew unless I was absolutely sure I had spent every possible ounce of myself trying to play, I would beat myself up with second guessing for the rest of my life. But after battling back from a messed up shoulder and making the Olympic Team, I found myself at the end -- physically and mentally -- with a body ready for a M*A*S*H unit. It has been a hard fought year, and the decision not go to Sydney was just as agonizing, but I have huge peace in knowing I fought to the very end and have nothing else to give."

More than 20,000 tickets have been sold for the September 1 doubleheader at Spartan Stadium featuring the U.S. National Team versus Brazil

More than 20,000 tickets have been sold for the Sept. 1 doubleheader at Spartan Stadium. To accommodate the demand, the upper deck of Spartan Stadium will be opened for a MLS contest for only the fifth time in club history. The U.S. will take on Brazil at 5:30 p.m. PT (Live on ESPN) in theirfinal match prior to the Sydney Olympics. The roster boasts several local products such as Brandi Chastain, Julie Foudy, Lorrie Fair, Nikki
Serlenga and Danielle Slaton.

Tickets are still available for the doubleheader. Core seats ($55) and Rumble seats ($30) are still on sale for the match. Group tickets (20 or more) are $15 in Rumble sections. Both Epicenter seats ($70) and Shaker seats ($45) are sold out, and Core seats are going quickly. For ticket information, please call (408) 985-GOAL or visit www.sjearthquakes.com.

Planning on watching the U.S. Team?

Ticket information
USA versus Italy at EAB Park in Central Islip on Long Island, N.Y. Tickets available only at EAB Park ($17-35) USA versus Brazil on September 1, 2000, at Spartan Stadium in San Jose, California are on sale now and can be purchased by calling 408-985-GOAL. The game will be televised live on ESPN, kicks off at 6 p.m. PT

Television news
USA versus Germany on July 22 in Braunscheig, Germany, and the team's second of two matches in Norway against the 1995 Women's World Cup champions on July 30 in Oslo will be aired live in the U.S. on pay-per-view. The other matches in Germany (USA v Norway on July 16 and USA v China on July 19) will air tape-delayed on Fox Sports World.

USA versus Russia on Sunday, August 13th at the Navy-Marine Corp Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Md., will live on ABC beginning at 2 p.m. ET. (kickoff 2 p.m. ET, live on ABC). The match was originally scheduled for a 5 p.m. kickoff on ESPN.

USA versus Canada on Sunday, August 20th, at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. (kickoff 2 p.m. CT, live on ESPN2).

Brianna Scurry 's continued shin problems bring Jenni Branam in as replacement in U.S. National Team

Scurry has been replaced on the roster for the second tournament in a row by 19-year-old Jenni Branam.

Brianna Scurry returns to U.S. National Team Roster for First CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup

Heinrichs adds Scurry in place of Branam and calls up Bush to replace Wagner.

United States National Team

David Vanole named as U.S. National Team goalkeeper coach by Heinrichs

Vanole takes over a duty handled by Tony DiCicco since 1990. DiCicco served as the U.S. Women's National Team goalkeeper coach from 1990-94, and then continued in that capacity while also serving as the head coach from 1994-1999. Vanole earned 14 caps for the U.S. National Team from 1986-'89, starting all 14 games, and was the starting goalkeeper for the USA in five qualifying matches for the 1990 World Cup before giving way to Tony Meola due to a severe leg injury. Vanole will work full-time through the Olympics.

Jan Smisek and Janet Rayfield appointed as National Staff Coaches

Jan Smisek appointed as National Staff Coach for Region IV
Smisek is one of the pioneers of the women's game in the United States. She started the women's soccer program at UC Santa Barbara in the 1970s and went on to become the first woman to earn a USSF "A" License in 1982. She has been full-time with U.S. Soccer since 1996 serving as the Under-14 National Coaching Coordinator. She has served as head coach for Region IV ODP girls and amateur women as well as an Olympic Development coach for the state of Washington from 1982-'96. She served as the head women's coach at Evergreen State College from 1992-'96 and also coached Forest Ridge High School from 1985-'92, winning a state title in her final season. She also participated as a player in the early years of the women's national team program.

Janet Rayfield appointed as National staff Coach for Region II
Rayfield played at the University of North Carolina from 1979-'82, playing on the Tar Heels' first NCAA championship team. Rayfield served as the head women's soccer coach at the University of Arkansas from 1993-'98 after serving as an assistant coach from 1990-'92. She served as the state Director of Coaching for Arkansas girls ODP and a Regional ODP staff coach. Rayfield also served as a scout for the U.S. Women's National Team for both the 1995 Women's World Cup and 1996 Olympics.

Smisek and Rayfield join Jeff Pill (Region I) and Dave Simeone (Region III) as part of Project Gold, a 10-year plan designed to keep the U.S. women on top of the world. The women's National Staff Coach is one of the key components of Project Gold. The role of these individuals is three-fold: 1) to help develop players, 2) to work with the Olympic Development Programs across the country to identify players and 3) assist in coaching education.

U.S. National Team Captain Carla Overbeck has arthrocopic surgery on right knee

U.S. captain Carla Overbeck underwent arthroscopic knee surgery on May 15 to repair an injury to the articular cartilage in her right knee. U.S. Soccer Orthopaedic Surgeon Dr. William Garrett at UNC Memorial Hospital in Chapel Hill, N.C., removed a small piece of loose cartilage from the area that buffers the tibia and the femur. Overbeck has begun rehabilitation and is expected back on the field at the beginning of July. She injured the knee during an inter-squad scrimmage in San Diego during the USA's Olympic Residency Training Camp. "I am extremely optimistic about a full recovery," said Overbeck. "I'll be working very hard to get back on the field in July for the final run to the Olympics."

U.S. National Team regroups at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California for four days of training before departing for Australia on Thursday May 25, 2000

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