Nike Kids

Nike held an event today for a few hundred players from Nike clubs in Southern California which in part allowed the players to watch the U.S. team’s practice, creating some extra atmosphere with all the girls sitting on the sideline stretching from goal line to goal line. The U.S. team had an intense training capped by a small-sided game on big goals in tight confines, which made for some heavy tackles, great saves and more than few cracker-jack goals. We saw Marci Jobon jack one off the underside of the crossbar and in at the upper right corner, Angela Hucles hit a first-time volley spinner into the left side-netting and Heather O’Reilly karate chop a volley home. Needless to say, the team looked sharp and ready for the Finland match, and the challenges that await in the Far East. After the practice and some media interviews, the players signed some autographs for the youth players. One girl asked Abby Wambach to sign her forehead. Abby begged off. She doesn’t sign skin. Makes sense. Why sign an autograph that is going to get washed off in the next shower? Or perhaps Abby doesn’t want to get in trouble with a mom wondering why her daughter came home with a big AW on her face?