U.S. will wait to decide what's next

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Posted: Sunday July 11, 1999 07:34 PM

Michelle Akers was the oldest player on the United States' team. AP

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The incredulous look on Shannon MacMillan's face silently answered the question of what's next for the U.S. women's soccer team.

"Wow!," MacMillan said. "We'll let that one go for a while."

Unfortunately, the Women's World Cup champions can't let it go for too long, for several reasons:

• The momentum from the tournament needs to be ridden.
• An international tournament, the U.S. Women's Cup, is planned for October.
• The Olympics are next year.
• The world clearly is gaining on the Americans.

The women's event, thanks to the popularity of the Americans, surged onto the front pages -- and not just in the sports sections. From Michelle Akers to Mia Hamm to Briana Scurry to Brandi Chastain, these women are heroines.

"The kids see something they can't do and we are doing it and it's being done well," Kristine Lilly said, "and whether it's male or female, they are amazed by what they see."

But not too amazed to forget about it if the women don't stay in the spotlight.

"We've showed that women can be powerful and graceful in athletics," Scurry said. "We showed the basic trait of American women is not frail and fragile."

While they've earned some time to play around -- Hamm, Chastain and Julie Foudy will play in an LPGA pro-am this week -- many of the players will be back in training by summer's end. The four-team U.S. Women's Cup begins Oct. 3, although only Columbus, Ohio, has been named as a site. Discussions about participation are ongoing with several foreign federations, including China and Brazil.

Much of the heart of the squad will be available. Veterans Hamm, Scurry, Chastain, Foudy, Lilly, MacMillan and Tiffeny Milbrett likely will be on hand.

Michelle Akers is another story. Once again, her 33-year-old body took a beating during the World Cup, especially in the last two games. As coach Tony DiCicco noted, "Michelle is a warrior, and she gives you everything she has when she is on the field."

But she might not have much left.

"It's been a tough year physically," said Akers, who left after regulation time of the final against China with heat exhaustion and a slight concussion. "I have to weigh if I want to go through this again. Do I need to?"

If she sticks around, it would be with an eye on Sydney in 2000. By midwinter, DiCicco's team must gather together for residency and training, the prestigious Algarve Cup tourney in Portugal, and then a pre-Olympic tour.

Several young players -- Cindy Parlow, Lorrie Fair, Christie Pearce -- might head back to college to finish work on their degrees. But their youth, along with that of future stars Kate Sobrero, Danielle Fotopoulos, Sara Whalen and Tiffany Roberts, will be needed to keep pace with the ever-improving competition.

"What we achieved was great," DiCicco said. "But we know we have to get better. Probably a whole lot better."

 

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