Sorting through the clinching rubble

Teams have been clinching left and right here in Greensboro. It's been hard to keep up with all the action. But now that games are wrapping up, we'll try to sort out some of the chaos.

The Columbus Crew took care of business by handling Real So Cal 4-0 to clinch the U-17/18 Great Lakes Conference. 

CASL defeated Potomac this afternoon to wrap up the Atlantic Conference in both the U-15/16 and U-17/18, joining LAFC as the only two clubs to accomplish the double.

The Chicago Magic could only manage a draw on Monday, but it proved to be enough to give them the conference crown. The single point tied them with Sockers FC for the lead in the U-15/16 Mid America Conference, and the head-to head advantage gave the Magic the tiebreaker.

One conference remains unsettled, as three teams in the U-17/18 Mid America Conference still have a chance and games to make up. Sockers holds the lead as of now, but the Chicago Fire and Magic could still complete the comeback.

Carmel is going to the show

Apparently no one thought a team from Indiana could compete with the traditional youth club powers in the Great Lakes Conference - except, of course, the players and coaches from Carmel United. By defeating Northeast Conference Champions Albertson Soccer Club in their final match of the Summer Showcase, the Carmel 'team that could' secured a place in the final eight of the inaugural season of the Development Academy. Only three spots remain up for grabs as the competition in Greensboro draws to a close ...

How the U-15/16 West was won

Real Colorado has clinched the U-15/16 West Conference after defeating Schulz 3-1 on Monday. The win gives them 72 points, just one point ahead of conference foe Crossfire.

Crossfire made things interesting when it beat Metro United 3-0, pulling momentarily ahead of Real Colorado. The only way the Rocky Mountain team could reclaim the conference lead was through a win, and that's exactly what it did.

Real Colorado becomes the 11th team to punch a ticket to Finals Week, with five spots remaining.

Colorado Rush advance

The Colorado Rush found out they advanced to the finals before they even stepped on the field today. With Real Colorado dropping its morning game to Schulz Academy, the U-17/18 Rush clinched the West Championship.

That's our third clincher already today. Six spots are still open for Finals Week.

LAFC lands double berth

The U-15/16 LAFC team joined its big brother club as So Cal Conference Champions, securing the Finals Week berth with a 5-0 win against AFC Lightning. The two squads will head to Carson in July. 

PDA begins Monday clinching madness

PDA defeated the Richmond Strikers 3-2 this morning, to claim the U-15/16 Mid Atlantic Conference crown. The win gives PDA the eighth of 16 spots in Finals Week from July 12-19 in Carson, Calif.

It's just the start of a day that should be filled with excitement. Check back here for updates as more teams wrap up their titles.

College coaches in the house

It's been a popular weekend at the Summer Showcase for college coaches and scouts. Already, we have seen representatives from schools as nearby as Duke and Virginia Tech, to as far away as Stanford and Washington. 

Several Big East, Big 10, Pac 10, ACC and Atlantic 10 schools surrounded one game on Saturday between Scott Gallagher and Albertson (U-15/16). Their presence was so obvious on the sidelines the players couldn't help but notice.

Last hurrah

This is it.

The final day of the Development Academy Showcase is here, and it’s judgment day for several U-15/16 and U-17/18 teams. Seven teams have clinched their conference titles, assuring their spot in finals week. But that means nine conferences have yet to declare a champion. Check here to see the playoff scenarios for today.

That will all end today.

There’s a nice layer of morning fog hovering over fields, but the weather forecast is looking good for the final day of the showcase. The anticipated high is just 83 degrees today with a mixture of clouds and sun, and less than a 20 percent chance of rain. It should be a beautiful day here in Greensboro.

Q&A with Crossfire Premier FC player Brandon Zimmerman

On rejoining Crossfire Premier after graduating from U.S. Soccer’s Residency Program:

Brandon Zimmerman: “When I started out I joined Crossfire a little over a year before I came to Residency. And it was a lot different being scouted then because they’d bring you into a lot more camps and you’d be involved with ODP (Olympic Development Program) and with your regional team, and eventually I got seen. I spent two years in Residency under John Hackworth, which was a great experience. Then I graduated in December and I had some free time before I started college in April, so I trained with the Development Academy league team Crossfire for about three months. Right away I noticed a big difference in the mentality of the club.”

On playing at Santa Clara:

BZ: “I’m at Santa Clara right now, I started in April, committed last fall and that’s been a great experience as well. You could say both Residency and the Academy program has prepared me for that. I’ve been talking to Santa Clara for a long while and I ended up going on my visit and turned out to be a great place for me.” 

On the similarities and differences with the Under-17 Residency and the Development Academy:

“I think the Academy program has taken up the essentials of Residency, where you’re training every day and then a game every week which is the most important thing obviously because it’s soccer.  I can’t speak for the other teams, but Crossfire is getting involved with agility and weights and then you have your training uniforms, which are all things that we see down in Residency. It’s turning players into good professionals and getting them ready for the next level, because that’s exactly what we need right now.”

On his thoughts of being a part of U.S. Soccer:

“I just want to say that U.S. Soccer is definitely taking the right steps and making players more professional and putting them in the professional atmosphere because that’s what’s most important. It’s also giving players a lot more opportunities to get seen because there are teams all over and you come to Showcases like this and every player is getting seen and if you’re good enough you’re going to be there. Before, despite best efforts, not every player got seen and this gives players a lot better opportunity.”

 

Closing Out The U-20 WNT in Puebla

Well... it's time to go our separate ways. The team had an early (really, really early) wake up call to make an hour and a half bus ride to Mexico City. Now we're at the Houston airport, ready to go our separate ways. It was a successful trip in many ways, despite not taking home gold, because the team did what we came to do - give ourselves a chance to compete in the World Cup in Chile in November/December.

The YNT Blog will be back with the U-20s during the build up to Chile in November ... In the mean time, stay tuned to the Development Academy Summer Showcase in Greensboro, and the U-23 MNT as the Olympics approach in Beijing!

Who will win EURO 2008? Spain or Germany?

Dan Delgado (left): Forward for the Nomads (U-16)

-SPAIN

Josh Estrada (right): Right midfielder for the Nomads (U-16)

-SPAIN

Matt Kassel: Center midfielder for the Red Bulls (U-18)

-GERMANY

Christian Alvizar: Midfielder for LAFC (U-18)

-SPAIN

Cameron Meeke (left): Forward for LAFC (U-16)

-SPAIN

Michael Gates (right): Midfielder for LAFC (U-16)

-GERMANY

Athletes' lounge draws morning excitement

With the first round of games finishing up and the next rounds about to begin, many athletes have made their way to the lounge once again.

Players filled the seating areas to view highlights from Saturday's games before heading out to the field to make their own highlights.

The jukebox has been filling the lounge with some great tunes all weekend. Here are some of the more popular selections from the Summer Showcase.

We're back

Yeah, we're still here in Greenboro, and so are the nation's top youth soccer players.

We've already begun day three of games here at the Development Academy Summer Showcase, and every game is becoming more important. 

Seven teams have clinched, but that means there are nine spots still up for grabs. Here are some important games to keep an eye on today.

U-17/18

FC Greater Boston vs. Chicago Fire - 9:15 a.m.

The Fire has the lead, but the race is far too close to call in the Mid America Conference.

U-15/16

CASL vs. Real Colorado - 10:30 a.m.

A CASL win, coupled with a Bridge FA loss or draw gives them the Atlantic Conference Championship.

Michigan Wolves vs. Crossfire - 10:30 a.m.

Both teams trail in their conferences, but a win for either club would go a long way towards keeping their finals hopes alive.

U-15/16 Highlights from Day 2

U-17/18 Highlights from Day 2

Q&A with San Diego Surf player John Fitzpatrick

John Fitzpatrick from the Under-17/18 San Diego Surf (San Diego, Calif.)

How did you come to join the Under-17/18 San Diego Surf Development Academy team?

“We have the 16s, 17s, and 18s. The 16s is an Academy team, so I could have played on the 16s because I’m a ’91 (born in 1991). The team I was originally on was the 17s, and they’re not in the Academy so I chose the 18s because I wanted to be in the Academy. It’s a way more professional environment. I like having one game a day. It’s really good because we focus on quality of play more. You get to practice more and work on things and sometimes they give you things to work on. Usually, before when we used to play in tournaments with two games a day, you’d just get really run to the ground. You’re so tired all the time and the quality just shoots down.”

What do you think so far about the first year of the Development Academy?

“I think it’s really good for players who want to get called up to the U.S. team. I got called up partly because I’m involved in the Academy. I got called into the U18 camp. I went to Ukraine last summer but that was with the U17s. It was an international tournament, which is amazing. There’s a pool of 40 kids I think and they just kind of mix it and you just keep getting looks. Hopefully I’ll get called for another trip.”

What do you think of the level of play?

“The Academy gives us the opportunity to play on the highest level. Obviously, when you play on the highest level you get better and your game improves a lot more. Experience is a huge part of your game. Little things that happen during the game, if you have the experience and you’ve been through little situations and take advantage of them, then that can end up helping you win the game.”

Do you prefer playing one game a day?

“With one game a day, your mentality…you just got a focus on the game and you get prepared and everything. When you have two games a day you don’t have the time to ice yourself and then eat proper foods and then wait and digest and just be ready. With two games a days you have to rush and everything’s not healthy.”

Coaching Education

SPARQ, Gatorade, and ProZone teamed up to speak to the Development Academy club coaches present at the Summer Showcase about the future of soccer in America by lecturing on three major topics in training - preventing injuries and building up the mechanics and strength; hydration; and evaluating player progress.

Inside the Athletes' Lounge

With a little time off between games, many coaches and athletes have made their way to the Athletes' lounge. Here's an inside look at the scene where the stars of tomorrow refuel for later in the day:

Academy athletes watch highlights from yesterday's game on the projection screen.

Even parents and fans are putting the Gatorade booth to good use.

The Referee Area gives the officials a place to find any information they need, as well as a cool shady, place to escape the hot Greensboro sun between games.

Fans visit the U.S. Soccer store, located in the lounge.

Albertson U-16 players watch highlights and wait eagerly for the score to be posted that clinched their Northeast Conference title.

It Starts Here: Gatorade, ProZone, SPARQ, Coaches, Referees...

SPARQ training provides an outlet for the players to TRAIN right and reach their protential fitness level. The Spring Showcase was used to record training scores, and this showcase provided their results and allowed them to keep track of their progress in their speed, power, agility, reaction, and quickness.


You gotta have the right MENTALITY to play your best. This U.S. Soccer store allows players to purchase U.S. Soccer and "It Starts Here" gear.


The REFEREES are getting opportunities to advance their officiating skills by working with U.S. Soccer at the Showcases, receiving guidance from referee assessors as well as mentoring from two U.S. Soccer full-time referees, Ricardo Salazar and Terry Vaughn.



You gotta make sure you're hydrating and staying HEALTHY. The Gatorade Bar provides nutritional facts about eating right and making sure to rehydrate.

ProZone helps track progress and evaluate your games so you can improve your SKILLS.

TALENT is found at the Developement Academy Showcases, and coaches like U.S. boss Bob Bradley are always watching.

Albertson joins Schulz in finals

Albertson wrapped up the U-15/16 Northeast Conference Saturday with a 4-3 win over Scott Gallagher. The club joins Schulz as the second team in that age group to clinch a finals berth.

More than 15 coaches and scouts from universities ranging from as close as Duke to as far away as Stanford were in attendance at the game. Albertson did not disappoint, and pulled away from Scott Gallagher in the second half to clinch the championship.

And the winner is ...

Schulz became the first U-15/16 team to claim a conference championship when it defeated PA Classics, 2-1, this afternoon. Schulz took an insurmountable 14-point lead in the Southeast Conference, with Miami having just four games remaining.

With the Southeast Conference crown, Schulz also seized the first berth into Finals Week. They will travel from their hometown of Boca Raton, Fla. to Carson, Calif. to compete from July 12-19 at the Home Depot Center.

A total of 10 spots for Finals Week remain unclaimed, including seven of the eight U-15/16 slots.

Keep checking back for updates as more teams punch their tickets to Carson today and tomorrow.

Development Isn't Just for the Kids

While the thousands of kids in Greensboro this weekend are here to develop their skills, get better and move up the ladder...they're not the only ones. Around 100 referees are on hand here at the Showcase and, besides officiating games, a big part of the weekend for them is learning how to develop their skills, get better and move up the ladder...ah, the synergy, isn't it great.

Every referee here will be "scouted" by a referee assessor, who will provide him or her with feedback on how they did during the game. It will not help them with their eyes...joking! Seriously, these guys and gals are working their tails off every day here on the field in the scorching heat, while also meeting with U.S. Soccer referee officials to go over what they did good and bad.

Two of U.S. Soccer's full-time referees - Ricardo Salazar and Terry Vaughn - are here to do both as they will officiate a handful of games (gotta keep sharp!), but also try and hand down some of their wisdom for the younger referees.

Considering that Salazar and Vaughn are here, we decided to switch up this week's "Referee Week in Review."

What's that?

You...

...haven't heard about the "Referee Week in Review??"

C'mon people, get with it. We've been doing it for 12 weeks...well, now 13.

Usually, we're talking to the top U.S. Soccer officials - Paul Tamberino, Brian Hall or Alfred Kleinaitis (they actually happen to be here, too, but we figured we'd get some youth into the weekly podcast...those guys are old...we're sure they'll really enjoy we wrote that).

Anyway, the "Week in Review" breaks down how the officials did during their Major League Soccer games, providing the good, the bad and the ugly (not much ugly to tell the truth).

For this week's podcast we flipped it on 'em. That's right, instead of Paul, Brian and Alfred talking about how the referees officiated, we corralled Ricardo and Terry to give us insight into how they think the "Week in Review" helps them.

http://podcast.ussoccer.com/06-28-08Week13.mp3

Enjoy...

ProZone brings analysis to athletes' lounge

Players and coaches looking for some insight during their off time at the Summer Showcase might want to head over to the ProZone, located inside the athletes' lounge.

The ProZone uses Matchinsight software to analyze performances on the field. Coaches can go to the booth and see what areas their teams need to improve to fair better in the standings. Players can see what skills they need to develop to make the leap to the next level.

While viewing the materials, on-hand professionals can help make sense of all the data and help both players and coaches learn how to make the most of the information.

The ProZone booth uses a flat-screen television to display the software large enough for groups to all get a look at the analysis. While they are in the area, players can check out the displays on the walls that show how Academy stats compare to other national teams and premier club teams.

Concorde wins Southeast, moves on to Finals

The Concorde Fire became the fifth team to clinch a conference championship when it defeated Potomac 2-0 this morning in Greensboro. The Fire assured its position at the top spot in the Southeast Conference (U-17/18), and earned a berth to Finals Week in Carson, Calif. from July 12-19.

Here are some reactions from Fire players and the Concorde head coach.

Riley Sumpter - Center Midfielder for Concorde

On clinching the Southeast Conference title

"It feels good to finally get it over with. Now we can focus on getting ready for the national finals. We looked at the standings before, so we knew we just had to play well today and we would win it."

On getting the chance to play on ESPN

"It's very exciting. I'm probably going to tell all my friends to watch me play."

On what he will do to celebrate the win

"I'll probably sleep. I don't know, maybe we'll go to a nice restaurant or something. I think we'll watch a movie tonight."

Kevan George - Center Midfielder for Concorde

On winning the conference title after leading for weeks

"It's such a relief. Midway through the season I had a feeling we were going to win it."

On what he expected this weekend

"I expected three victories. So it was about what I expected. I looked at these teams and I expected three victories only."

On playing on national television

"It's great. I'm gonna be a hometown hero again."

On playing with his teammates

"This is the closest group of players I've ever been with. Everyone is so humble. It's like I've been on a vacation even though I'm playing in the hot sun."

Gregg Blasingame - Concorde head coach

On the team's successful season

"Toward the end of the season we had a tough go with injuries and commitments. We had to play some more of the players from the U-16 team. So that was a little more of a struggle. But I think it adds character to the players."

On coaching on ESPN

"That's definitely going to be a pleasure. Im sure the kids are going to to be up and motivated. Every event has been first class. Hopefully we represent the region well."

On the Development Academy experience

"I feel terribly honored to be associated with the elite clubs in the country. I am proud to be a part of that fraternity so to speak. It's a pleasure to play great competition on great fields."

U-17/18 Highlights from Day 1

Good Morning from Greensboro (Day 2)

We're back in Greensboro for another day of exciting youth soccer.

The Development Academy Summer Showcase is off and running, and four teams have clinched berths in Finals Week by claiming their conference championships. Four spots remain up for grabs in the U-17/18 division, while all eight spots are still open in the U-15/16 ranks.

Things to look for today:

1. Clinchers - Several races became more clear (or confusing when you factor in all the extra games the Concorde Fire and Miami FC Kendall have to play), so we should see some more clinchers today. With just two games remaining on the schedule for most teams, the chances of a comeback are becoming slimmer and slimmer.

2. Tight races - There were actually some races that became much more exciting with the chips falling the right way for the underdogs. Sockers FC needed both the Fire and Magic to falter in the U-17/18 Mid America conference ... and that's exactly what happened. Now it's a three team race, with any club having a chance to win. Many other races are far from being decided, making every game important down the stretch.

3. Coaches' demonstration and SPARQ training in the athletes' lounge at 3 p.m. - Players will have an opportunity, with a break in the game schedule, to hone their skills in the lounge.

4. U-17/18 Youth National Team vs. B/W Gottschee (7 p.m.) - This is the prime time game of the night. All other games should be completed before starting time, so it's a great chance for all players, families, coaches and fans to watch some of the best young soccer players in the country.

U-15/16 Highlights from Day 1

MPF?

Talk about a trip down memory lane! You hard core - and we mean seriously hard core -fans will recognize the t-shirt we spotted today. In case you missed it (and if you lived in New York you probably did), the ill-fated MetroStars playoff marketing campaign in 2003 was tagged with the slogan "MPF (MetroStars Playoff Fever) - Catch It!" Pretty sure the only thing that got caught that year was this t-shirt. Well done, lad!

FC Westchester punches ticket to Finals Week

FC Westchester didn't even have to play a game in Greensboro before winning the Northeast Conference at the U-17/18 level. When the Irvine Strikers took down BW Gottschee, 3-1, this afternoon, FC Westchester quietly clinched the conference's top spot.

Westchester becomes the fourth club to earn a spot in the finals from the U-17/18 division. CASL (Atlantic) and the Baltimore Bays (Mid-Atlantic) won their titles before the weekend, and LAFC wrapped up the So Cal Championship this afternoon.

There are still 12 spots up for grabs here in Greensboro, including all eight berths from the U-15/16 division.

Pardon the Interruption...

While the U-20 WNT is busy here in Mexico and the Development Academy Summer Showcase is in full swing in Greensboro, we're certainly not forgetting about the Olympic team! Midfielder Stuart Holden will be throwing out the first pitch tonight at Minute Maid Park as the Houston Astros take on the Boston Red Sox.

We'll be checking in with Stuart to make sure his pitch didn't bounce, but you might be able to catch him live on Fox Sports Net. The game starts at 7:05 p.m. so be sure to tune in!

Last Training in Puebla...

A brief photo album from our last training session in Puebla ahead of tomorrow's final:

Casey Nogueira


Alyssa Naeher


Gina DiMartino


Jessica McDonald


Ingrid Wells


Kristin Arnold and Christine Nairn


Team..



Keelin Winters talks to Puebla's Channel 35

Just to give you a little taste of what's going on here in Greensboro...

The four bowls were used for the 2007/08 U.S. Soccer Development Academy Finals week drawing.

Above is the Finals Week Draw for the U-16 and U-18 Divisions.

With the U.S. Soccer store set-up in the Athlete's Lounge, fans can purchase the national team's latest gear and sport some nice 'It Starts Here' slogan tees and authentic jerseys.

The players take a break from their games outside to compete on the virtual field indoors.

Players frequent the Gatorade bar for rehydration and quick facts on how to stay healthy in the heat of hard training and Greensboro's strong sun!

Players look on to the list of Development Academy players who have been called into U.S. Youth National Team camps for 2008: 31 are in the U-17 pool, 53 in the U-18 pool, and 14 in the U-20 pool.


Look at all of the people visiting ussoccer.com! You should visit too!

LAFC headed to California for finals

LAFC became the third team in the U-17/18 division to clinch a finals berth. The club pulled off a 2-1 victory against Seacoast United in the Development Academy Summer Showcase in Greensboro to clinch the So Cal Conference title. LAFC will go into group B in the finals draw, which was announced today at noon.


The Baltimore Bays (Mid Atlantic Conference) and CASL (Atlantic Conference) own the other two finals spots at this point. Five spots remain up for grabs in the U-17/18 age group, while all eight conference championships have yet to be decided in the U-15/16 division.

Q&A with Fordham head coach Jim McElderry

Fordham head coach Jim McElderry is in attendance at the Development Academy Summer Showcase in Greensboro. He joins an assortment of college coaches looking for talent from a pool of the top young players in the country. McElderry - entering his sixth season as head coach of the Rams - has never been to an Academy event before, but he is using it as a way to evaluate players he knows, and to look for some hidden gems. He took some time off during his visit to give us his thoughts on the recruiting process.

ussoccer.com: What has your experience been like so far at the Showcase in terms of your recruiting efforts?

Jim McElderry: It's a great concept. US Soccer has put a lot of time and effort into it. It's still evolving and I think they know that. It's part of the process.

US:What are some things you would like to see done better?

JM: As a college coach I wish there was more information about the kids. Sometimes it's a lot of time we spend just figuring out who's who.

US: What are you looking for when you go on these recruiting trips?

JM: Most of the time there are two different types of recruits. You've got the group of kids who contact you, and you make a point to go out and watch them play. There's also going to games and looking for players you like and trying to recruit them cold, so to speak.

US: Which type are you looking for now?

JM: There's a kid I'm watching right now that's already visited the school on his own. So we know he's obviously very interested because he took the time to do that on his own. At the same time I'm watching to see if anyone jumps out.

US: Has the recruiting process changed at all recently?

JM: Kids are starting to commit to universities earlier than before. Maybe it's a little bit different, but I don't know if it's better or worse. 

US: Are you planning on watching the finals on ESPN?

JM: Yeah, I'm not going to go out to the finals, so I'll watch it on TV. I think it's great for US Soccer and the kids.

Finals Week draw

The groups for the Development Academy Finals Week were announced at noon today in Greensboro. The eight conference champions from each age group (U-15/16 and U-17/18) will compete in Finals Week from July 12-19 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.

The games can be seen on ESPN networks, with the U-17/18 title game appearing on ESPN2. All other matches will be broadcast on ESPNU.

The eight teams in each age group were split into two groups of four. As of Friday morning, just the Baltimore Bays and CASL - both U-17/18 teams - had clinched berths in the Finals Week. The remaining teams will secure a bid this weekend by winning their conference championships at the Development Academy Summer Showcase in Greensboro.

Here's how the groups break down:

Group A (U-17/18)

A1: Mid-America Champion

A2: Baltimore Bays (Mid-Atlantic Champion)

A3: West Champion

A4: Northeast Champion

Group B (U-17/18)

B1: CASL (Atlantic Champion)

B2: Great Lakes Champion

B3: Southeast Champion

B4: So Cal Champion

Group C (U-15/16)

C1: Northeast Champion

C2: So Cal Champion

C3: Great Lakes Champion

C4: Southeast Champion

Group D (U-15/16)

D1: Mid-America Champion

D2: Atlantic Champion

D3: West Champion

D4: Mid-Atlantic Champion

Player's perspective

Michael MacVane, a goalie for Seacoast United (U-16) is entering his final weekend of the Development Academy's inaugural season. It's been a long journey to Greensboro for the Hampton Beach, N.H. resident, filled with long flights and longer delays in the airport thanks to weather and air traffic. We caught up with MacVane after his team's first match to talk about his travels, his future and his experiences with the Development Academy.

ussoccer.com: How did your team deal with the three-hour delay in the airport?

Michael MacVane: We were just all eating, talking and watching the UEFA Cup match (between Spain and Russia).

US: What do you guys do at the hotel at night?

MM: We usually just sit around and eat and watch movies. Last night we watched "The Longest Yard."

US: What's it like to travel around the country to play soccer?

MM: It's a lot of fun. I love traveling and seeing new places.

US: What do you have planned for the weekend off the field?

MM: I'm going to visit some colleges with a couple of the guys on the team.

US: What do you have to do to improve your game to play at the next level?

MM: For me personally, I have to get bigger. And I just have to keep working in goal.

US: What are your thoughts about the Development Academy experience now that the first season is coming to a close?

MM: It's been great. We've definitely become more of a team. We have bonded a lot more. It's been great playing better teams than we've ever played before.

1st Games Kicking Off...

Games just about to kickoff here and the Tent is already rocking. EA Sports' has offered up their latest game, UEFA Euro 2008, and you better believe that the Gatorade bar is already seeing heavy turnover. There's a huge video screen - perfect for today's Finals Week draw at 12 pm. There's also a FREE Jukebox, probably the best addition ever for our big tent. Currently, the Chemical Brothers' Star Guitar is playing. Despite the fact that it is 8:30 am, it can never be too early for some good house music...

Good morning from Greensboro

It's 7 a.m. in Greensboro, and the staff is preparing for a busy day at the Development Academy Showcase. As you can see, the fields are empty, and so are the parking lots, but already the busy workers are filling the tent to prepare for the long day.

Competition will begin at 8:30 a.m., continuing well into the night, with the last match starting at 6:30 p.m., so make sure to check back for updates throughout the morning and afternoon.

The big event for the day will come when the draw is set up for finals week, which will take place from July 12-19 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. The eight conference winners from each of the U-15/16 and U-17/18 age groups will be split into two groups of four for the finals. 

The games will be broadcast live on ESPN networks, with the U-17/18 Championship match to be seen on ESPN2.

To this point, only two teams have clinched a spot in Finals Week (U-17/18 Baltimore Bays and U-17/18 CASL). The rest of the teams will clinch their championships here in Greensboro. 

Check back here and at USSoccer.com for more information as the day goes on.

Looks Like We Were Right

...about the weather anyway. This afternoon's storm was a doozy, rolling in a little earlier than usual, but hitting our hotel a little more than normal...

The coaching staff was having a meeting in one of the rooms, when a strike of lightning hit the tin roof that the room overlooks. It was, of course, followed by a huge clap of thunder - the combination raised some heart rates to say the least. The roof was smoking for a few minutes and the room smelled like burning for a bit, but there were no injuries to report.

Task One Complete...

Today's training started out with a congratulations to the players for achieving the first of their two goals in Puebla - qualifying for the World Cup in Chile! (The second goal is to beat Canada on Saturday for the regional championship.)

Yesterday's 4-0 over a feisty Costa Rican side clinched the USA's place in Chile. You can read about the game here.... look at photos from the game here ... and you can watch the game in it's entirety here.

After that, those who played yesterday went for a recovery run and stretch, while those who didn't play had a small-sided game. It's a beautiful day here in Puebla so far, but the rain may still come later...

Two Push Ups!

One of the running subplots of our time in Mexico has been the "two push up" punishment implemented by assistant coach Tom Stone on defender Nikki Marshall. Why would he single out a player? In her own words: "It's for saying or doing 'stupid' things. Like at dinner I called something chicken when it was obviously steak. Typical blonde moments I like to call them."

The "tradition" has evolved to the field as well. During one fateful training session, Tom was crossing balls in from the corner that the forwards were supposed to finish. Every time they scored, Nikki did two push ups. Every time they didn't score, Tom had to do the push ups - that's right. Nikki is fighting fire with fire.

"Today I made my penalty kick (at training)," said the defender with the now-huge arms, "and to celebrate I pranced back to top of the box. He tried to mock me by prancing, and he looked so silly that I just had to say 'Tom...' and he did two push ups."

Guest Blog: Keelin and Kling Checking In!

Hey Everyone - It's Keelin and Kling(enberg) checking in from Puebla.

Today, our "day off" started with a 16-minute jog. We ran behind the hotel and the people who work at the Car Rental place next door cheered for us as we went by! They said "Go Americans!!" It was rather inspiring.

During our afternoon off, we took a team trip to the nearby town of Cholula - not to be confused with the "Chalupa" from Taco Bell, even though most of us called it that anyway. We went there to explore the town and to see the Great Pyramids (Tlachihualtepetl).

The pyramid itself was hidden under what looked like a hill, but we went through this tiny cavernous path to get through the mountain. It was very narrow and sometimes very low... there were some claustrophobic people on our team who had a bit of a hard time getting through it, but it wasn't too long, and everyone made it out.

Once we got to the other side, we climbed a TON of stairs up to the top of the hill - talk about altitude training. The stairs were awful. But, when we got to the top of the hill/pyramid, there was this beautifully decorated chapel. Kling really wanted to light a candle, but they didn't have any there! In lieu of the candles, we decided to sacrifice Christine Nairn - she's the youngest on the team so it makes sense if you think about it. We REALLY need to win on Wednesday and we thought it would help. Unfortunately, there were way too many altars to choose from, so we didn't end up sacrificing anyone due to indecision.

We went off on our own adventure and found a big wall made up of skeletons, including two decapitated children and people who had deformations. We saw a guy excavating in one of the holes and he didn't speak English so we talked him in to letting us past the fences to explore a little bit more. He wouldn't let us take any pictures though, so in an act of rebellion, Kling took a souvenir from the ground - a rock. It's not a skeleton, but while she was bragging about her "ancient rock", she realized that pretty much all rocks are ancient.

Then, we went shopping. The streets were lined with little shops that had all sorts of traditional local gifts - everything was so colorful! However, there was one gift that stood out above everything else, and that was the sombreros. Pretty much everyone purchased one, and that's when hilarity ensued. We did not discriminate with the hats - we bought all shapes and sizes. Kling got one that's Carolina Blue and Keelin's is Portland Purple. Meesh (Michelle Enyeart) got one in lime green. Alyssa got a tiny little sombrero that was dubbed "the Mexican Yarmulke (yamukkah)" by Casey Nogueira and Beto (the equipment manager) picked the store dry with his enormous selection.

We had an AWESOME dinner at a local restaurant, La Casona, that opened just for us - they're usually closed on a Monday. The place was beautiful - there was a huge garden in the center and tables all around, and the staff were sooooo nice. They gave us this yummy red soda that we'd never had before. They served homemade tortillas and these GREAT appetizers. For dessert we had strawberries and cream and caramel crepes. It was a great experience. The hotel food has been really good, but it was nice to get out and have something different.

After dinner it was back onto the bus, where we had a sombrero/dance party. Equipment manager Beto brought some great dance tunes and blared them throughout the bus. It was a good time, and a good way to pass the 30 minute bus ride.

We all had a great time getting out and exploring. Chalula is unlike any place you could find in the United States.

We'll be back later in the week to keep everyone posted!

Sinecerly,
Blogmasters Keelin and Kling

USA 3 - MEX 0 - FINAL

GOAL NIKKI WASHINGTON!
Washington makes it 3-0 in the 87th minute! Alex Morgan picked up a through ball, and with one defender in front of her, she looked up and saw a streaking Washington heading into the box. Morgan touched it over and Washington took one touch before slipping it past the goalkeeper


GOAL USA!
Michelle Enyeart is just on fire this tournament, putting away her sixth goal in the 69th minute to double the USA's lead. Enyeart went on a 40-yard run, outpacing every Mexican defender and slotting the ball past the goalkeeper.

It is POURING here in Puebla right now. the thousands of fans have taken shelter under the limited overhang - your trusty blogger has found a place in the VIP booth...

HALFTIME: USA 1, Mexico 0
The U.S. takes a halftime lead on O'Hara's 10th minute goal. The teams have been trading possessions, but the US has been getting the better of it. They're stringing passes together and moving forward, while much of Mexico’s possession is sporadic and unorganized. Stay tuned for the second half!

We've got some new fans here at the stadium - the entire Trinidad & Tobago team has stayed after their win over Cuba to cheer on the U.S. They're waving flags, and even sang the entire Star Spangled Banner - really impressive, and we're happy to have their support in a hostile environment!

GOAL USA - Kelley O'Hara 10th minute
O'Hara capitalizes on a great build up from the USA out of the back. Winters fought off a defender and snuck a ball through a tight seam. O'Hara had timed her run perfectly and was in alone, slotting the ball to the far post

This is your place for live game updates! The USA and Mexico have taken the field in front of a VERY loud pro-Mexico crowd! The USA has been in this type of environment before, in the Pan American game

U.S. Soccer Does the Double

Unfortunately, we won't be doing Match Tracker from Estadio Cuauhtemoc tomorrow, but that's because our game overlaps with the MNT's World Cup qualifier in Barbados. No matter, we'll still be cheering for the guys down in the Caribbean!

But have no fear - We'll be providing in-game updates right here on the YNT blog! It'll be similar to the live blogs that our friends, the MNT Blog does before games. While it won't be as comprehensive as our MatchTracker, we'll provide updates as much as humanly possible - especially when goals are scored and at halftime, so make sure to stay tuned!

11 Questions with Nikki Washington

Get to know U-20 WNT forward Nikki Washington by reading our exclusive Center Circle interview here. Nikki is currently third on the team with two goals in the tournament, both scored on Friday against Cuba, and she and her teammates will be hungry for a win tomorrow against Mexico.

Swimmers Turned Fans

We've mentioned before that our training field is in the midst of a huge sports complex that houses Estadio Cuauhtemoc, a huge baseball stadium, a ton of basketball hoops and a pool. The pool deck is the closest arena to our field, just across the fence from one of the goals and we've seen people swimming there just about every day.

Today, however, was our first taste of a swim meet. We couldn't see everything, but there were a lot of people and a lot of excitement. Some of the relay teams would stand along the fence after their race to watch portions of our training - applauding good shots and saves. Maybe we converted some fans to our side for tomorrow's game? Okay, maybe not...

That Went Well

As you can see, everyone survived the marshmallow war (and thankfully Ingrid didn't get eaten). The team accomplished what we needed to against Cuba, and now we have a tiebreaker advantage over Mexico should Sunday's match end in a tie.

The team spent the afternoon napping, recovering, getting massages... the usual post-game routine. Sydney Leroux got to spend some time with her family, who made the journey to see their favorite player today. More families are arriving tomorrow in advance of Sunday's game so everyone is excited about that.

Tonight is pretty low key, although anything seems low key compared to last night... We'll be back to the grind tomorrow in preparation for the hosts. A game that we now know will determine the Group A winner!

Marshmallow Madness

Right now we're taking a break from the madness happening in the team hotel. We have escaped from the marshmallow melee on the team floor that have seen quite a few of us take a mallow to the noggin. (Don't worry they don't hurt). We've taken refuge in the equipment room after risking our lives for the newly purchased snacks and water, and our entertaining ourselves with Mario Kart for Wii.

We think the coaches have some pent up aggression as they seem to want to throw the most marshmallows. Ironically our team psychologist Tiffany Jones is leading the attack. She and the team doctor were actually the ones who bought us the bag of the biggest marshmallows in the world from the market this afternoon.

Our Pringles are almost gone, so we're not sure how much longer we'll last. Our food rations are quickly dwindling. If the war keeps going much longer, we might have to eat Ingrid. We're going to try to sneak back to our rooms just before curfew down the back steps, but tonight is a full moon so we just hope to make it 'til morning. Make sure you watch tomorrow's MatchTracker to see if we all made it out of the equipment room alive.

Signed,
Kling, Keelin, Elli, Lauren and Ingrid

p.s. This is what happens after two weeks in a hotel together.

Sexo en la Cuidad

The team took the afternoon to escape the hotel walls, heading to the local theater to check out "Sex and the City". First-run movies are shown here in English with Spanish subtitles, just like some of the television shows and stations here. The reviews are in: SATC is a hit with 20-year-old women...

In Case of Emergency

When roster size limits a team to just two goalkeepers, there is usually a contingency plan in case something crazy happens. On this team, there are two. Casey Nogueira and Kelley O'Hara have been training a bit with goalkeeper coach Kat Mertz, and today they jumped between the pipes and took some live shots.

Both field players did pretty well... there was a long shutout streak during finishing drills. But in the end, Alyssa Naeher and Kristin Arnold probably don't have much to worry about yet. The four net minders all made friends in the end (with Kat in the middle):

We Told You This Weather Was Crazy..

You may have noticed that our game on Friday has been pushed up an hour to noon CT... CONCACAF made that decision in light of the fact that it has stormed every day at about five o'clock. We weren't kidding! Today the thunder and lightning held out until about 6:30, but for the most part you could set your watch by it.

Anyone who caught yesterday's game between Costa Rica and Jamaica knows what we mean... there was a pretty lengthy rain delay. No, let's reword that. A HAIL delay. Hail on the field during the storm. Really, pick any day in Puebla and it looks like this.

Back to Life

Well, it seems as if the players are mostly recovered from this afternoon's game - cat naps and massages seem to have done their part. The quiet halls of the team floor from this afternoon are back to normal. What are players doing with their down time tonight?

Most are watching the Brazil - Argentina match...

Some are half-watching while playing JENGA (Casey and Kristin)

And some treating the crowd to a dance-off at halftime...
(Jess McDonald, left and trainer Mike Martinez and Meghan Klingenberg, right)

Off to a Good Start!

Well, it was a nice win for the U.S. this afternoon and a good way to kick off Qualifying! You can read all about it here .... We'll also have some game photos up soon on ussoccer.com.

In the mean time, you can watch this afternoon's game in its entirety (albeit in two separate halves), on concacaf.com here. We think that's pretty cool, especially for family and friends who couldn't make the trip to Puebla (and Mr. Morgan, who DID make the trip for today's game but will probably want to watch it again later anyway).

The rest of the day will be a quiet one, as the players get massages, treatment and naps to recover from today's game. After all, they only have a day's rest!

It's Time!

The team is warming up on the game field, getting ready for their first match of the tournament against Trinidad & Tobago. We'll have MatchTracker going shortly, but in the mean time here are your starters for today as the USA lines up in a 4-3-3:

Enyeart - Morgan - O'Hara

Winters - Noguiera
Edwards

Dallstream - Marshall - Fowlkes - Klingsburg

Naeher

We'll see you at ussoccer.com for MatchTracker - Enjoy the game!!

Local Attention

Today the U.S. team got its first taste of media attention, with a swarm of reporter descending on today's training. Both television cameras and print media were there to talk to head coach Tony DiCicco and tri-captain Keelin Winters. While this was the team's first experience with media here in Puebla, we expect the attention to increase leading up to the USA-Mexico clash in the final game of Group A on June 22.


Head Coach Tony DiCicco:
On how Puebla has been for the team so far:
Mexico has been awesome for us so far. The people have all been very nice and we love the facilities. It's good for Americans to be in a football culture. I think we're ready. Of course, you always want to be 'more' ready for your first game but I think we're there. We'll see tomorrow.

On the strengths of his team:
I think our team has a lot of depth and a lot of good players. We may not have a 'superstar' but we have a lot of players who can star in any one game. We're going to use the tournament to play a lot of players and hopefully that will work for us.

On Trinidad & Tobago:
I expect Trinidad & Tobago to be athletic and organized defensively. They'll have some speed in their counter-attacks so we're going to have to be very conscious of that.


Midfielder Keelin Winters:
On what the team expects from Trinidad & Tobago:
We're looking forward to getting our tournament underway. We're more focused on how we're going to play than how they're going to be playing. We've been training since January for this tournament so we are all full of anticipation.

On the strengths of the U.S. team:
I think we're ready for a great competition and I think the tournament will provide that. I think that our team will be a part of that.

Ready to Roll

The team went through it's final training today before the opening game against Trinidad & Tobago - a light session mostly made up of walk throughs as the the team was in final preparation mode. The anticipation has been building for months! It's finally time to play in a game that really counts, and we know the players will be dreaming of T&T tonight...

Nikki's Transition

Nikki Marshall, despite not starting soccer until age 11, is a highly-decorated forward for Colorado University and the holder of at least 17 school scoring records. But when she’s with the U-20s, Marshall turns into a fierce central defender. We sat down with the Colorado native to talk about her transition and her growing role with the team. You can listen to the whole interview here.

Too Much Down Time?

How players spend their downtown is one of the YNT Bloggers favorite story lines, because the U-20 WNT is very creative in their efforts to have fun in the hotel. Today, some players did homework (yes, you read that right), while others read or watched television.

One group played a game where the object is to not spit water out of your mouth. Seems easy, right? But if you've ever filled your mouth with water and had Nikki Washington try her hardest to make you laugh, you know that it's hard not to burst out laughing! Casey Noguiera was the clear winner, beating out her closest competitor, Alex Morgan.

Up on the team floor, Kelley O'Hara got her hands on one of those blow-up punching bags from Wal-Mart (yes, there is a Wal-Mart in Puebla!). She and Nogueira burnt off some pent-up energy...

You'll notice that Shrek and Donkey grace the front of the kicking toy. We hope they didn't take it too personally that a bunch of girls were kicking them. Really, really hard...

Their Sights Are Set!

Today before training, the team got to take a look at Estadio Cuauhtemoc from the inside, on their official walk through before Wednesday's game. While we won't get to train on the stadium field, the team now knows what to expect when the games begin. Here's what we saw this afternoon:

A tour of one of the locker rooms we might be using throughout the tournament, complete with turf carpeting!

Walking up the ramp and into the bench area just like we will on Wednesday

Getting a feel for the HUGE stadium from ground level

The goalkeepers got to check out the nets and their penalty areas

Catching Up With KEE-lin

Keelin Winters was a little under the radar when she began her freshman year at Portland, but appeared in 21 games in 2007 and has become a mainstay with the U-20 Women’s National Team.

We sat down with Keelin between breakfast and training this morning and talked about soccer, her basketball family, Michael Jackson and Prison Break. You can read our whole interview with Keelin here.

Left On Shuffle

We've had an interesting mix of music here in Mexico, especially in the meal room. Today at breakfast we were treated to the following three songs, in order (we're not making this up):

-YMCA
-Kenny G's "A Christmas Carol (Chestnuts Roasting)"
-REM's "Losing My Religion"


We mentioned that the training field is part of a huge sports complex for the city, and our field is right next a pool. (Okay, it's separated by a few fences.) Anyway, the music from the public pool is also overheard on the soccer field. Their playlist includes Prince and Ricky Martin among others.

The players, while not training, are up for impromptu sing-alongs. Yesterday we were treated to Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" - not the easiest song to sing, but the girls did an excellent job with the high notes...

Only Tough on the Outside

This guy looks tough, to say the least. And they are. They are our security duty, and they started "helping" us get from Point A to Point B, which basically means to and from training. The world "helping" is in quotes because we got a little lost trying to find the right entrance to the training field, which was the same one we played on yesterday. Don't worry, we got there on time anyway, and we didn't really question the guys with the M-16 rifles.

By the end of training, the players personalities broke through the Policia's tough exterior and got some photos with both the officers and their guns.

Actually, at one point during training, some fireworks went off at the baseball stadium next to the fields, and it really sounded like one of the rifles went off. Momentary panic subsided when we realized what was going on, and normal training activities resumed.

Weird Weather Watching

Weird weather patterns have been coming through Puebla over the past couple of days... We showed you pictures of the beautiful day we had at training yesterday. In the afternoon, the temperature dropped about 30 degrees and we saw rain and crazy thunderstorms, which were reminiscent of our drive from Mexico City.

The good news is that training was again essentially perfect weather-wise. Sunny and in the 70s, with not much of a breeze... not too shabby, especially since the players are finally adjusting to the 7,000 feet-above-sea level altitude.

The team went through some defensive drills before moving to crossing and finishing, and some dead balls, and things of that nature. It was a relatively low-key day compared to yesterday, but the team looks sharp and quick three days before game time...

In Their Sights

The team's training field is in the shadows of Estadio Cuauhtemoc, where the team will play each game of the upcoming tournament. The route to the training field took us right past the stadium, where the players' eyes lit up with excitement.

Cuauhtemoc (which is also the first name of a mildly famous Mexican Major League Soccer player) is the home of Puebla F.C., and holds over 42,000 spectators. The high stands tower over just about everything else in Puebla... okay, except for Mt. Popocateptl....

First Photos

Below are a few photos from our first training session here in Puebla. After a rough night of weather yesterday, the morning brought clear blue skies and plenty of sunshine. The team went through a two-hour session that had plenty of fitness-based drills as they continue to get accustomed to the altitude, and now the atmosphere of Puebla.

The Legend of Popocateptl

Okay, maybe it's not a "legend" but our hotel has an amazing view of Mount Popocateptl, which we had a great view of on this clear morning. The picture above was taken from the top floor of our six-story hotel, which is also where the pool and fitness center are located. It is an active volcano, but it hasn't erupted since December of 2000.

Bienvenidos!

Friday morning marked the U-20 WNT's arrival into Puebla, Mexico from their high-altitude

training camp in Park City, Utah. It was an early morning, as the bus pulled out of the resort at 5:45 a.m. to make the 45-minute trek to the Salt Lake City airport for the four-hour flight to Mexico City.

After a looooong wait in the customs line at the Aeropuerto Internacional Benito Juarez, it was onto a very nice bus for the last leg of the journy - a two-hour drive into Puebla.

The final leg of the trip saw everything from 75 degree sunshine to a hail storm. We've never before been asked to buckle our seatbelts on a bus (by the driver, no less), but with the windy roads and the hail-covered surface, we didn't take any chances. Thankfully, everyone made it one piece on what was a very nice charter bus.

We pulled up to a beautiful hotel on the outskirts of Puebla, and checked into huuuuge rooms. The hotel comes equipped with giant bathrooms (always helpful for a group of mostly women), and lots of space both in the rooms and in the common areas. In fact, the common area on the team floor is so massive that the players went through a regeneration session right in the elevator lobby area. (Sadly, those photos didn't turn out).

We will, of course, be checking in more than once daily from here on out, but after a long travel day, and somehow taking two hours and three phone calls to connect to the internet, we're going to call it a night!