Ask Carli

Carli Lloyd had a pretty good 2008. Career highs in goals and assists for the national team. The U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year Award. Allocated to the Chicago Fire of the WPS. And oh yeah, she scored the winning goal in overtime in the Olympic gold medal game. So, in a special feature on the WNT Blog, we're giving you the chance to ask Carli some questions. (The first edition, "Ask Chups" with Lori Chalupny was quite successful). So, post your question(s) for Carli and we'll take a few of the good ones and have her respond in kind on the Blog in a few days. As always, we are looking for original, insightful and interesting questions. So go ahead, Ask Carli...

Who are those guys with O'Reilly?

U.S. midfielder Heather O'Reilly traveled to Zurich, Switzerland two weekends ago to attend the FIFA Gala Awards at the magnificent Zurich Opera House and accept an award from FIFA President Sepp Blatter on behalf of women's soccer. You can read about that here, but the real fun, besides spending some time exploring the almost 800-year old city, was meeting some of the superstars of world soccer. We thinks you may know the boys in these pics. For probably about $300 mil, you can have them on your soccer team.

I Need Proof

You think the struggle between club and country creates some issues in the soccer world, you should see the struggle between school and country for the many college-aged athletes who have played for the U.S. Women's National Team over the years. For sure, it's a huge challenge to balance a heavy academic load with the commitment required to play for the U.S. WNT, and the U.S. players have long relied on the kindness of their professors to be flexible and understanding with missed classes, make-up tests, exams taken on the road, etc. Just this week young U.S. midfielder Tina DiMartino told one of her professors at UCLA that she would be missing class for this two-week training camp to play for the U.S. Women's National Team. The professor looked the five-foot-two DiMartino up and down and said incredulously, "I need proof." True, until she puts on her soccer cleats and becomes a dribbling dynamo, DiMartino, in her baggy sweats, may look more like a gymnast or a 10,000-meter runner, but we are talking about a player that finished in the top three for this season's Hermann Trophy (the Heisman of soccer), has played for the USA in U-20 Women's World Cup and has one cap for the WNT, a game in which she got an assist. So, for proof, see above pic, and if needed this link.

And Then There Was One...

The ten-year anniversary of the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup will happen this summer. Of the 20 players that represented the USA in that historic tournament -- to this day the largest women's sporting event in history -- only one remains. That would be U.S. captain Christie Rampone. Of course, while most of the players are retired, several of the them are still active, and could be called back to the WNT in the future, but Rampone was the only veteran of that legendary 1999 WWC Team called into this training January camp. Rampone, then Christie Pearce, did not play much in that 1999 WWC, but would go on to play major roles in the next two Women's World Cups and next three Olympic Games. Rampone (third row, second from right, under the e) comes into 2009 with 211 caps, fifth best all-time in U.S. history.

Yes, We Can

As the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team begin a new era on Jan. 20, kicking off its next cycle toward the 2011 Women's World Cup and the 2012 Olympics, so did the United States with the inauguration of Barack Obama. In December of 2007, new U.S. head coach Pia Sundhage came to the USA with a message of change for the WNT program while the Senator from Illinois was well into his campaign for President based on that same word. Sundhage's changes reaped gold on Aug. 21 in Beijing, China, and for Obama, it all came to fruition today (well, last Nov. 4 as well). Unfortunately, most of the U.S. players were traveling into Los Angeles this morning so they were only able to see bits and pieces of the historic day. Many caught enough to share some thoughts with the WNT Blog.

Abby Wambach lives in Los Angeles and was able to watch the whole day on TV

“When I woke up this morning and saw not just the festivities, but the amazing amount of people that were there, you wouldn’t be human if you couldn’t feel how powerful a moment it was and how far we have come. The speech was amazing and the whole day has been amazing. Just being a woman and having to fight for those rights for however long, I can’t imagine how he must have felt and I’m proud to be an American today.”

Lindsay Tarpley saw the speech and part of the parade

“Just seeing all the people piled into the mall and all over all the buildings, it was amazing to see how many people were excited about this day. After watching the speech, he called us to action and that was inspiring to me. He’s such a powerful and charismatic leader.”

Angela Hucles saw it as a culmination of an amazing two-year campaign that enlightened America

“What’s been exciting about this election is that it forced people to pay attention and not be apathetic like I feel we have been in the past. It’s exciting to see people in this country actually taking action and personal responsibility and paying attention to politics in a different and positive way.”

Shannon Boxx had to go out in the morning on errands, forgot to record Obama’s speech, and ran back in to set her DVR

“My emotions, first listening to it in the car, and then watching on TV, were that I just felt a part of it, like I was a part of something big. I am excited for change.”

Heather O’Reilly is 23 years old and was traveling from New York City today

“I missed most of inauguration day flying from New York, but this day will go down in history and it was cool to be part of the youth movement -- this young generation -- that was so important for this election and that really made a push for him. Our country is excited and hopeful and that’s a cool feeling. And if Sasha and Malia need a soccer trainer, I am available.”

Both of Tina Ellertson’s parents emigrated from Africa to attend college in the USA

“My parents loved it. My mom threw a party for every speech he had. Grown women screaming and shouting, and men too. They are just ecstatic. I don’t think I’ve ever seen my mom so happy.”

Abby Wam-BACK!

If the volume at training today was just a few decibels louder than usual, it's probably because it was Abby Wambach's first practice with the U.S. team since breaking her leg in the final Olympic tuneup match on July 16 of last year. The 5-foot-11 forward may not be 100% fit (heck, who is at this time of the year?), but she participated fully in training and yes, scored at least one goal that we saw. Long one of the USA's most emotional and loquacious players, Abby looked like she was having as much or more fun than anyone out there. Who cares if she could hardly breath after it was done? After her horrific injury against Brazil (she still has a titanium rod in her leg), Wambach has met her goal of getting back on the field in six months, and the USA once again has one of its leaders back in the fold.

Eye on Germany

The U.S. Women's National Soccer Team returned to the field today for the first time in 2009 as head coach Pia Sundhage put 25 players (well, 24 as Tobin Heath had travel issues) through a pretty intense 90-minute workout. There was definitely an energy to the practice as team seemed genuinely pleased to be together once again in what marks a first step on the long road to the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup in Germany. With the U.S. MNT practicing on the adjacent fields at the same time, the Home Depot Center soccer fields were buzzing with activity on a warm, luxurious night in Los Angeles. This was the first of what will be about 17 trainings and four scrimmages over the 17-day training camp, after which Sundhage will choose 18 players to attend the 2009 Algarve Cup in Portugal, one of the most coveted trips for U.S. players due to the location (south coast of Portugal), the food (best pizza and crepes you'll find in Portugal) and of course the competition (almost all the best teams in Europe + China). While there will be many games, many trips, many players and the start of the new pro league before the next Women's World Cup, it's time to start the bus. The journey to Germany has begun...