Article from North County Times re what's happening with some of the team and the organization. [sigh] http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2003/12/12/sports/professional/12_11_0323_15_44.txt
And then this happens to Shauna... Guard calls up top U.S. sledder http://www.sltrib.com/2003/Dec/12112003/utah/118874.asp
That's horrible news. And for the record: I know this isn't the Politics forum but sending so many of our National Guard - largely underfunded and ill-prepared - over to Iraq for such long periods of time I find to be absurd and bordering on the criminal (an opinion which goes far and above this particular case). Sorry, rant over.
Flashman, I agree whole-heartedly with your 'rant'. The front page of today's U-T had a column on Shauna: Duty call puts pressure on soldier/jocks Apparently, she won't be going (at least not right away), after all. http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/uniontrib/sat/sports/news_1s20graney.html
7 Players who have been part of the Spirit at one time or another have been called into USWNT camp... Jenni Branam Joy Fawcett Shannon Boxx Julie Foudy Angela Hucles Aly Wagner Shannon MacMillan
This is part of today's "Fitness Fanatics" article on page two of the U-T (entitled Year of promise: Well-known San Diegans vow to get better in '04).. *** Shannon MacMillan The pride of San Pasqual High and two-time Olympian inspired the soccer and medical communities last year, returning to the now-defunct Spirit four months after tearing the ACL ligament in her right knee. MacMillan says the knee's fine and now she's focusing on increasing her speed and explosiveness through weightlifting and agility drills. Best of all, she has no lingering doubts about her knee. Says MacMillan: "It's not until after practice I might look at the scar and go, 'Oh yeah.' " *** http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/uniontrib/fri/sports/news_mz1s16fits.html
Julie Fleeting signs for Arsenal Ladies http://www.arsenal.com/sportsappcon...e&type=com.sportapps.news.NewsItem&id=4302450
Just a note on the 4 Nations tournament... Lots of former Spirit players are there, including two on the Chinese team and 1 on the Swedish team... Joy, Julie, Mac, Angela, Boxxy, Fan, Zhang, and Kristin. And if she hadn't been hurt, Christine Latham also would have been there!
Fleeting Update Julie Fleeting is doing well for Arsenal, and had this to say about the WUSA... "I was told a little while ago that these exhibition matches would be going ahead and that the WUSA people wanted the players from abroad, me included, as well as American nationals to be involved. That’s something to look forward to in the summer and I really hope the League is back in 2005 - I thoroughly enjoyed my time over there, I feel it improved me as a player and I’d love to go back and play in the League again." http://www.nationwide.co.uk/football/common/topstory.asp?ID=68332&W=1
Go, Joy!!! [R] Joy Fawcett, who will have a birthday less than a week from now, had a very good 4 Nations tournament, concluded with a penalty kick goal in the US-Canada game today... Here is an early game recap... http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news;_y...wN0aA--?slug=ap-fournations&prov=ap&type=lgns
Julie Fleeting Update Arsenal Slay Welsh Dragons Excerpt from the article: "Fleeting is a Scottish international with 80 goals in 75 appearances. As a forward with San Diego Spirit, playing professionally in the US, she was voted her side's MVP. A teacher by day, she takes to the skies to reach London for each home game, and yesterday was on hand to fire a hat-trick in her side's 11-1 triumph over Cardiff." http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,1563,1143751,00.html
Congrats to the 6 former Spirit players who made the roster for the CONCACAF Olympic qualifying tourney!!! On another note, here is the link to an article from the end of January that shows Julie Fleeting in her Arsenal kit. (I think she looked better in our all-blue uni, myself...) http://www.islingtonexpress.co.uk/archived/2004/0130/sport/asp/arsenal3.asp
Something that was in last Wednesday's U-T about Omid Namazi: Former Spirit coach hired by Cleveland http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20040303/news_1s3soccer.html *** And, although this isn't strictly speaking a Spirit item, it is about a 'native daughter': Learning season - With her experience and skills, Mandy Clemens had no trouble coaching La Jolla High's boys http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20040303/news_lz1s3soccer.html
I'm glad to hear that Omid has landed on his feet. I liked him as a coach. And I think with another year he would have taken the Spirit even farther. And it was pretty gutsy to trade Aly Wagner for Angela Hucles. I would have liked to see how that turned out. And a nice article about Mandy Clemens. I'll bet she turned more than a few heads on that high school team.
According to the latest Soccer America Women's Soccer Insider newsletter, former Spirit GK Jen Branam will be playing with the U21s in Brazil March 17-19.
The USNWT roster for the Algarve Cup has been announced. There will be only 5 Spirit-related players on the team, as Joy is being rested for the Olympics and Jen Branum is going to be with the U-21 team (as an 'overage' player) for the upcoming international tour. Good Luck, Ladies!
I agree with all these sentiments. Am feeling nostalgic already that we won't be trampming out to Torero Stadium in about a month. Clemens coached at my high school alma mater (sic). Good stuff. Wonder how she did on the BAchelor or the Bachelorette or whatever it was. A friend gave me an Aly Wagner bobblehead the other day. *sigh*
Bristol Rovers 0-2 Arsenal in Women's FA Cup Semi-final Julie Fleeting scored the all important first goal, putting her team through to the Final. There's a picture showing her exulting after her score. http://www.arsenal.com/sportsappcon...xtPage=/ladies/gm22_bristolrovers14032004.jsp And here is an account at the FA site, it also includes the results of the other Semi-final, with a pic of Julie celebrating with a team mate. http://www.thefa.com/Womens/TheFAWomensCup/NewsAndFeatures/Postings/2004/03/FAWC_SemiRoundUp.htm
Algarve Cup 16 March Angela Hucles scored the only goal today in the second half of the USA's 1-0 win over Denmark. Shannon Boxx played the entire game. Julie Foudy came in off the bench at the start of the 2nd half and seemed to provide the spark that the US needed to turn things around from a lack-luster first half. Aly Wagner got in part way through the 2nd half and it sounded like she and Mia clicked well in keeping the pressure on the Danes after Angela got her goal. Shannon MacMillan warmed up around the 60th minute but never got into the game.
Another Fleeting Update! Here is a page that I found at the FA site. It has yet another different number of goals and games played for her.... http://www.thefa.com/Womens/Premier.../Postings/2004/03/Arsenal_Fleeting_moment.htm
Arsenal won again, this time 4-0. Here is what this article had to say about the goal that "Fleets" got: "Goal number four came just eleven minutes later when Ludlow, deep in the Leeds' half, laid the ball through to Julie Fleeting on the right; her excellent run and superb finish making this the goal of the match." http://www.arsenal.com/sportsappcon...dOnly&nextPage=/ladies/gm23_leeds21032004.jsp