Nikesoccer

Shutout in Chicago

Gronamo — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:24:39 GMT

After honoring Shannon Boxx for her 100th cap before the game, the WNT set out at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, IL to bring home their record 29th win in a single calendar year.

Boxxy was given captain’s honors for the first time in her career, but she shared the spotlight with Lindsey Tarpley and Carli Lloyd, who will be playing for the WPS Chicago Red Stars in the upcoming season.

And in the 19th minute, Tarp and Carli gave the fans a taste of what to expect from the stacked Chicago team. On a one-two play, Carli first found Tarp inside the area on a short ball. Tarp, with a cool head and smooth touch, touched it off to set up a wide open teammate from ten yards. Shot, goal. It’s that easy Chicago.

The WNT dominated the rest of the game, holding the Irish side to just one shot and finishing with a 2-0 score. It was a fitting end to the three-game series – one that echoed the US domination.

The “Achieve Your Gold Tour" is not over, but the girls are taking a well-deserved break from national team play for the month of October. Keep in touch to hear the locations of the upcoming games.

The Final Pass

Gronamo — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 21:14:44 GMT

Sunday was a success, but there's still room for the US WNT to improve. A victory over a team as talented and competitive as Brazil is always something to feel good about, and it's clear that both teams will benefit from these two games of pre-Beijing preparation.

Sure, Marta and Cristianne weren't on the field, but the fact is that the Americans dominated the majority of the game, even despite a relatively average performance. A couple positive things stood out. First and foremost, this younger US roster has the depth necessary to do well in a major tournament, when games are played only a few days apart and legs start to grow weary with lactic acid. What we sacrificed in experience, we gained in team speed. Yesterday was hot, hot, hot, and when a few of those Brazilian midfielders started to slow down and the defenders lost concentration, our substitutes and young guns picked up the tempo. That's why we scored the goal. That's why a player like Angela Hucles is so valuable to the American side.

Secondly, our backline--minus Cat Whitehill--looked organized against creative opponents. Brazil relies on beating defenders 1 v 1 and this time we held our ground. Neither Hope nor Nicole Barnhart was ever seriously threatened by a dangerous shot on goal.

Thirdly, some of our players looked incredibly strong when shielding the ball. Abby (still sitting on 99), Boxxy and Carli all used their bodies so well against the smaller Brazilians. That ability is pivotal to playing the possession game this American team prefers.

On things to improve, Coach Pia said it best: "If you look at the final pass, I don't think that it’s good enough yet. In the second-half, I thought it was pretty good. If you could add the final pass as well I think we will win many games in the Olympics."

The US WNT has one more friendly before Beijing. Let's see if they can find that final pass this Wednesday in a rematch with Brazil, which will be televised live on Fox Soccer Channel at 7 pm PT.

Baby Steps to Beijing

gabejazzy — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 03:37:10 GMT

When the 2008 Games kickoff in Beijing, U.S. soccer will be there. This much we know. The question is will it be just the men's team or will the women step up and join the guys in China?

If history has anything to say about it the defending Olympic champions should be shoe-ins, but we all know that in soccer what's happened in the past stays in the past.

So with their eye on creating a new legacy, the US WNT travel down to Mexico where they'll take the first step in qualifying for this summer's Olympics. That first step will come against Jamaica on Friday, April 4th at 7:30 pm PT. The next match for the red, white and blue will be against hosts Mexico on Sunday, April 6th at 12:30 pm PT. Tune into U.S. Soccer's "Match Tracker" to follow all the action.

"Things are different this year compared to ‘04. You have to change every single time, because if you're not evolving as a person and as an athlete then you're not going to keep up with the Jones," says U.S. striker Abby Wambach. "The team is so different than it was in '04. We've got a different coach that we hope can put us in an environment to contend for a gold medal, and I couldn't be more excited."

That new coach is Pia Sundhage and she's got a unique way of putting the team in the right "environment."

"In our first meeting ever with Pia she just started singing in front of us Bob Dylan's ‘The Times They Are a-Changing,'" Wambach says. "She's a strong, confident woman and I think we need that and now she makes it a habit to sing to us."

Pia's attitude is a breath of fresh air for the team and her emphasis on taking it one step at a time is resonating with the players.

"I do better when I have baby steps," says attacking middy, Lindsay Tarpley. "Yes, the ultimate goal is to win the gold medal, but there're a lot of little steps in that journey. And if we're fortunate enough to win the gold medal, the journey will be complete."

One person who's well aware of what it takes to win at the Olympics is Shannon Boxx. Boxxy was not only part of the team that took home the 2004 gold medal, but her sister, Gillian, won gold with the U.S. softball team at the '96 Games.

"People are so surprised when I tell them my sister and I have both won gold medals," Boxxy says. "My sister actually convinced me to get a tattoo with her after I won gold in '04. I don't think I'll ever regret it, because people come up to me all the time and ask me about it. So it's a good ice breaker."

If Boxxy wants another tattoo the team has to first get through the CONCACAF qualifiers and into the Olympics. But, if Tarp's any indication the squad is on the right track.

"I know the team's prepared for the Olympic qualifiers," Tarp ensured. "We're doing everything in our power to be at our peak performance. We're confident in who we are. We're playing for each other and coming together to compete as a team. And I think at this level, it's little things like that that can make the difference."

So with everybody gunning to take them down, can the US WNT successfully defend their Olympic crown? Well, tomorrow's match against Jamaica will go a long way in deciding whether Pia's singing the blues or belting out "We Are the Champions."

Boxxy Breaks it Down

mickey_pickles — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 02:51:58 GMT

The US WNT is absolutely unstoppable at the moment. They just booked a spot in the finals of the Algarve Cup for a record sixth time. The team followed their opening win against China with a 2-0 defeat of Italy and a stunning second-half performance against Norway for a 4-0 victory.

The women will now take on Denmark this Wednesday to see who gets to lift the Cup.

One woman doing everything she can to make that a reality is midfield maestro, Shannon Boxx. Shannon is the glue that holds this young squad together as they look to build momentum toward Beijing.

But, before she was training for world championships, she was just a young girl with a dream growing up in Southern California with her sister and mom.

So sit back and let Boxxy tell you her story in her own words.

How did you get started playing soccer?

Well, my sister, Gillian, is four years older than me, and right away I saw her playing and tried to make my mom let me play. My mom even had to pretend that I was a little bit older than I was when I first started playing.

You and your sister seem to have a pretty strong bond?

My sister and I are close now, but we weren't always. Now, we know how to handle the competition between us. When we were kids it was hard. My sister had to take care of me after school and she hated it and I was a little brat. But, now that we're adults we definitely love each other and we're there for one another.

Which people have helped catapult you to where you are today?

First and foremost would be my mom. She was able to pay for us to play these sports and got us to every game and every practice. And, she's never said you can't do something. So I think her having backed us through everything we wanted to do has really helped me get to where I am.

I think also my sister's Olympics in '96. When I saw her do it, it made me think why not me? And that was when I said alright what can I do to make the Olympics?

Do you have any pre-game rituals that you have to do?

I do. If I can find banana pancakes for breakfast with coffee that's what I do. So I make sure that I have a really good breakfast, and banana pancakes have just become a tradition. Now my teammates make sure I've had my banana pancakes before a game. Other than that I just make sure I French braid my hair.

Speaking of food, I understand your mom's chili is your favorite?

Well, my mom doesn't cook that much, so we didn't have much to choose from. Sorry mom. But that was one thing that she loved to make when we were kids. She would make so much that we would have it for days and days, and it would still be so good. Now I make it for my friends and have passed the recipe on to them. So good job mom.

So, is there anything you can tell our 365 readers about yourself that they don't know?

I'm kind of a closet case country person. I love horseback riding. I love the whole cowboy thing. I'm into country music. If I've gone to a concert, it's a country concert. So I think that's something people don't know so much about. I do like my hip hop, but I will definitely listen to my country music. From an early age I was like cowboys are kind of cool and cowgirls are awesome. I've just always been attracted to that style. I used to collect horse figurines when I was a kid. And I'm still into it.

Thanks for taking the time to share some stories with us Boxxy, and best of luck against Denmark.

And, for those of you who don't know, you can follow the US WNT as they play in the final of the Algarve Cup. All you have to do is click on MatchTracker at ussoccer.com's homepage.

Keep checking back here at 365, as we've got interviews with Tarp and Hope coming soon.

2008 Starts Now

gabejazzy — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 19:41:55 GMT

Where do we go from here? For the members of the U.S. WNT, the day after is a time for reflection; it’s a moment to look back at all the hard work invested in a dream that stopped just a game too short. For the real fans that have been watching from day one, it’s a chance to recognize some of the amazing achievements of this exceptional group of American athletes.

Until yesterday, they had played 51 games in two and a half years without a regulation loss, taking home the Algarve Cup, the Peace Cup, the Gold Cup, and the Four Nations Cup. There were amazing goals and amazing saves, first caps, courageous comebacks, five staples, 11 stiches, and, most importantly, an infectious spirit and camaraderie that made waking up to watch early morning Cup games something we looked forward to. A loss hurts, no doubt about it. But the loss of a championship hurts beyond words . However, knowing the competitiveness of this group, reflection will quickly turn into reaction. Let’s be real, for this team, playing for 3rd place was not the plan - it was not their intended way to cap off the trip to China. For them, Sunday's game vs Norway is now the first step towards Beijing 2008.
"Amazing saves, first caps, courageous comebacks, five staples, 11 stiches, an infectious spirit, camraderie..."

Forget about all the stories swirling around the media right now. To say things didn’t go our way yesterday would be a DRASTIC understatement. Brazil is a strong team that features a couple magicians up front, but an early own goal and playing a woman down certainly didn’t help our chances.

There’s nothing much to be gained from harping on poor refereeing, the fact that losing Shannon Boxx before halftime for a phantom foul was a small-scale tragedy. Not only did she not initiate contact, but she was a necessary component to a US comeback, not to mention someone who had worked so hard over the last year to recover from knee surgery and find her way back onto the the field. Thankfully Boxxy is the last person who’d waste time feeling sorry for herself. You’ll see her back in China soon enough, this time leading the charge for gold.

We know there’s still a game against Norway to be played, but thank you Abby, Tarp, Tash, Carli, Hope, Boxxy, Cat, Brianna, and the rest of the U.S. WNT for giving us all those weeks away from family, for your health, for your fight and for providing an example to which all athletic teams should strive. It’ll be bittersweet watching another Cup final without you, but we’re thinking of it as a chance to scout out the team you’ll be taking down next year.

Tune in on Sunday at 4:55AM EST to see our U.S. WNT take on Norway.

US WNT - The World

gabejazzy — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 16:42:43 GMT

The US WNT is feeling the pressure and nerves before they take on the world, but they are ready.

Preview: US vs Korea

gabejazzy — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 21:10:48 GMT

The US WNT has been in China for quite some time now, gearing up for their first game against North Korea with training sessions, sightseeing and everything else you could imagine doing in Chengdu, China a.k.a. the Panda Capital of the World. The Cup is only a weekend away, and with hordes of media crews trying to snap a photo or grab an interview with anyone wearing the red, white and blue, the WNT definitely feels the excitement. North Korea, our first opponents on September 11th and the fifth-ranked team in the world, is gearing up for the game too, but probably without all the hullabaloo (and yes, we just used the word “hullabaloo).

What are we going to see out of the North Koreans? Based on qualifying, a lot of competitive spirit. Like the other top teams from their region, they’re also technical, disciplined, and in top shape. Striker Ri Kum Suk, a Women’s Player of the Year nominee in 2006, leads the offense and will likely determine if the team can stay afloat in the Group of Death. Aside from that, there isn’t too much that’s known about the side.

On Tuesday the 11th, we’ll just have to wake up at 5:00am ET to check them out for ourselves (ESPN2).

US WNT - USA v. Finland

gabejazzy — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 16:40:31 GMT

A 4-0 win in the final game of their Send Off Tour shows that the US WNT is ready.

US WNT - USA v. New Zealand

gabejazzy — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 16:33:17 GMT

A fantastic 3-0 win over New Zealand was a big confidence booster for the US WNT.

Tipping Point

gabejazzy — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 21:20:39 GMT

“The Americans are red-hot. They’re unbeaten in forty-odd games and the best team in the world—but on any given day the best can be tipped over. It’s up to the players to rise to the challenge.”

So says John Herdman, head coach of the New Zealand team that faces the US WNT this Sunday (12:00 CT) on Chicago’s Soldier Field. Herdman and his young, inexperienced team have made the 24-hour trip with the hope of earning a positive result against the best in the world. For them, that might be a win, a tie, or even a hard-fought loss. To be perfectly honest, anything but a blowout would be a step in the right direction. New Zealand waltzed threw qualifying in an Oceania region that no longer includes Australia and now needs to acclimate itself to new environs and a higher level of play. After this upcoming meeting with the Americans, they’ll have to contend with Denmark, Brazil and host China in September.

For the US WNT it’s a different story altogether. No disrespect, but this team has the players and confidence to win by a plus-four margin. Anything less can be considered a misstep. Abby, Tarp and Carli need to jump on the New Zealanders early and often. Boxxy needs to continue here climb back to dominance. Tash needs to fight tooth and nail for as much time on the field as possible. Cat and Hope need to keep things clean and steady in the back. The rest of the world is looking for a way to rise up to the WNT’s standard of excellence. The WNT is looking for a way to rise even higher. If it can avoid injuries and complacency, the sky’s the limit. And if you’re out of reach, Mr. Herdman, you can’t be tipped over.

US WNT - USA v. Japan

gabejazzy — Sat, 28 Jul 2007 16:29:26 GMT

The win over Japan proved that the US WNT is finding their rhythm.

US WNT - Making the Cut

mickey_pickles — Sat, 28 Jul 2007 16:20:54 GMT

The cut is what separates the women from the girls, and being on that bubble can be really tough. That’s why Shannon Boxx was there to give support to Natasha Kai.

US WNT - USA v. Norway

gabejazzy — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 16:31:45 GMT

The US WNT executed its game plan to perfection and got the 1-0 win over Norway.

Live from China: Three Points for USA

gabejazzy — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 17:29:11 GMT

There is no doubt that Abby Wambach came to China with one purpose: to win. As did her 20 teammates. And I was fortunate enough to witness that determination from the 7th row amongst Team USA's friends and family who flew across the world to see the red, white and blue...and gold...play in the biggest tournament in the world.

Coming into the second game of pool play, the US needed the three points of a victory after their draw against a very strong North Korea a few days prior. So they took care of business with a hard fought 2-0 win.

Of course, it did not come easy. In fact, in the first four minutes of the game, third-ranked Sweden had four corner kicks while the US barely made it across midfield. Needless to say the friends and family section was a tiny bit anxious.

That didn't last for long. After a few great chances out of Carli and Tarp, the US finally got the goal they needed when Abby scored off a PK fourteen minutes into the game. Phew. We could finally breathe! (I happened to be sitting right behind her parents who I think may get more nervous than she does.)

The Swedes continued to bring on the attack, only to run across the Wall of the US defense, with Cat cleaning up anyone sneaking through and Hope saving any ball that came her way. The 1-0 lead was nice, but just not enough.

Thankfully, with 20 minutes left in the game, Abby took a beautiful chest trap off a well-placed ball and ripped a shot that Swedish keeper Lindhal had no chance at keeping out of the back of the net. The stands erupted. I was relieved. And the woman sitting next to Abby's parents yelled, "You guys made such a wonderful person!" I'd have to agree.

Watching these girls in person on the World's Stage I am convinced that these ladies represent the ultimate definition of a great team. (More of that to come on nikesoccer.com later when we share the vids we've grabbed while here.) After speaking with them throughout the week, I am sure they are very happy about the win, but their minds are already set on the next game ahead: Nigeria.

Stay tuned for more stories, live from China.

Boxx is Back

gabejazzy — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 23:14:29 GMT

Sometimes a season, let alone 365 days of training can feel insurmountable. For US WNT defensive midfielder Shannon Boxx, the latter half of 2006 was practically Mt. Everest. But after a grueling base-climb rehabbing a knee injury suffered over the summer, the player teammates and coaches casually refer to as “Boxxy” is finally ready to sprint towards the summit, take a nice long look towards China 2007 and firmly plant the stars and stripes over the women’s soccer loving world. For now though, it’s all about March’s Algarve Cup and defending her title as reigning tournament MVP.

This story is about a truly uncommon player battling through an unfortunately all too common injury. After a stellar four years at the University of Notre Dame, including the 1995 Div. I National Championship as a freshman, Shannon took on the challenge of a professional career overseas with Saarbrucken, a club in the German women’s Bundesliga. It was not the smoothest of transitions and she briefly left the game and Germany to return home, just in time, as it so happened, for the launch of the WUSA. Drafted by the San Diego Spirit, Boxxy’s meteoric rise to national team stardom began when she was traded to the New York Power two seasons later. With Germany and the Spirit in her past, Shannon found a personal trainer and a new never-quit attitude to ensure that New York would be the perfect meeting point for everything to come together. The next season she started all 21 matches for the Power and her tenacious defensive play, now her trademark, was impressive enough to garner a spot on the All-WUSA First-Team, as well as shot with the WNT. She didn’t waste any time. Not only was she named to the 2003 Cup squad despite only having two caps to her name, but she went on to start all five matches and was one of three Americans named to the 2003 FIFA Women’s World Cup All-Star Team. The rest is a beautiful history.

Until this summer, that is. In July, upon returning to play following hip surgery, Shannon tore her ACL (as well as her MCL), an injury which female soccer players are reported to be four times more likely than male soccer players to sustain. Privileged with a relatively injury-free past for most of her career, Boxx approached rehab as just another one of the many challenges in the game she loves, the game she lives.

“Very devastated, that was my first feeling,” Boxx said in a 365 Todays telephone interview. “But once I went through my two surgeries I think my focus then became about getting better. As soon as my first surgery was done I was in PT physical therapy by the end of that first week because I knew that the faster I could bend my knee, the faster I could get the swelling out of my knee, I could go in for my second surgery, which was a month later, and my process of healing would be that much faster.”

An optimist and fighter by nature, Boxx is also human. “Every day I took it step by step,” she said, but admitted, “I got discouraged sometimes when the simple things seemed so hard and I got so winded doing them. But I knew I was getting better and that was very uplifting…I’m not going to say that there weren’t days I was crying because everything was taking so long, but I had a positive outlook.”

Shannon used her recovery period to spend much-needed time with family, friends and a home in need of some redecoration, but soccer was never placed on the backburner. The injury allowed her to work on the physical and mental aspects of her game that needed improvement. While she focused on bettering her agility and quickness three times a week in physical therapy and supplemental fitness workouts, Boxxy also made sure to show up to every residency training session. She wanted to demonstrate her commitment to the team and be available as a mentor to the younger players who were carrying the torch in her absence.

It was also a chance to take in the game from a new vantage point. “I would say to myself, ‘Oh my god, I could be doing this better,” Boxxy admitted. “I’m telling Leslie (Osbourne) ‘you have so much more time than you think’ and in my head I knew, ‘That’s exactly what everybody was telling me when I was saying, ‘No I don’t!’ You see so many more little things. As a player, you’re going to get better watching the game. I was still working, still practicing in my mind, ‘This is where I should be; this is what I need to do to come back to the ball.’”

And as the well-known saying goes, time flies when you’re having fun. The WNT program brought in a crop of young players that have gone on to an undefeated record under head coach Greg Ryan. “I’m considered old now, which is a little bit strange,” said a laughing Boxx, who is still only 29. “I think I went from pretty young to pretty old very quickly.”

Now the experienced vet is set to learn a few things from her green counterparts like Natasha Kai and Lindsey Tarpley. “One thing I’ve noticed is these young players love to take people on, they’re not afraid to take people on, and they’re not afraid to take touches.”

As she works to gradually return to her usual form, which Shannon admits might take some time, she will be relied upon to fulfill a somewhat uncharacteristic role in the midfield of the unsettled WNT roster. “I want to be able to go forward more, score more goals, help on the other side of the ball,” she said. “I am always so focused on the defensive side—and I want to continue to do that—but also improve my offensive side.”

In the end, however, Boxxy’s exceptional contribution will always be her leadership and attitude. Not one to describe herself in terms of technical skill, this is an athlete that plays the game with a passion and dedication unrivaled by most of her opponents and teammates. In other words, she’s where Joga Bonito meets 365 Todays—tackling hard, winning possession, winning games—in sickness and in health.

“If I had to describe myself, I’m definitely more of a leader on the field. I show by example. That’s more my style. I talk a lot on the field, I demand things of my teammates—If you’re not there, you need to get there, you need to talk, you need to do this. I’m very demanding on the field. I hope my tenacity and that mentality comes out in my teammates because that’s just gonna’ make everybody better. Some days it’s not me bringing it, it’s somebody else and I’m stepping up because they showed it first. I think that’s what a team is.”

And this WNT is not complete without her. The US Women have a long way to go over the next seven months, but it’s reassuring to know Boxxy will be back, leading the climb.

(Check out Shannon’s podcast with ussoccer.com to hear the story yourself)