Getting Adjusted

The first day in China is in the books and it was a good first day. The U.S. team usually arrives during the evening on its trips to China, meaning the players just have to stay up a few hours before crashing. As the team arrived in the morning this time, it meant an entire day fighting to stay awake so that the process of adjusting to the massive time difference from Los Angeles goes as smoothly as possible. Eating three meals and a 5 p.m. training session certainly helped, and most players got some good sleep during the night despite the inevitable 3, 4 and 5 a.m. wakeups that are a part of the jet lag process. The team did not practice at the Guangdong Olympic Center as China was having a scrimmage there against the Guangdong Province team, but went to a smaller stadium close by where the USA has played several closed door scrimmages in the past. Today’s training will be at the Olympic Center. Most of the players seem to be energetic after a quality breakfast at the team hotel (This just in: there is really good watermelon in Guangzhou) and eager to get their legs under them in preparation for facing Canada on Jan. 16. A couple players have some minor strains and aches, but overall the team is healthy and excited to get ready for the first match of 2008.