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San Diego Spirit to Practice at U.S. Olympic Training Center

February 26, 2003 - Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA)
San Diego Spirit News Release


SAN DIEGO – The San Diego Spirit will move into world-class facilities in 2003, as the club has successfully negotiated access to the U.S. Olympic Training Center (OTC) as the team's training home for the upcoming WUSA season. Located in Chula Vista, Calif., the second largest city in San Diego County, the U.S. Olympic Training Center has been home to U.S. National Soccer Team programs since 1995.

The Spirit will begin daily training for their third WUSA campaign on March 2 under the direction of new head coach Omid Namazi. A majority of the workout sessions will be open to the public for viewing from designated spectator areas. Media members who make arrangements will have access to the players for interviews after training.

"The U.S. Olympic Training Center provides a professional atmosphere, training facilities and playing surfaces that are unequaled anywhere else in the country, " said Spirit director of operations Brett Freeburg. "The WUSA has been fortunate to be able to host pre-season events at the facility the last two years and now the Spirit will have the benefit of training in one of the best training sites in the WUSA."

Among the features of the 150-acre OTC are four world-class soccer fields, one artificial training field, locker rooms, dorms, weight room and medical facilities.

Patrice Milkovich, director of the CV/OTC states, "We're excited to have our very own San Diego Spirit training at the Center during the 2003 WUSA season. Joy (Fawcett), Julie (Foudy) and Shannon (MacMillan) have been a part of so many USSF programs here that it's great to be able to welcome them back into our Olympic family. Women's soccer, WUSA and the OTC create chemistry for success. It will be a thrilling season, I'm sure."

Media Training Credential Information for the U.S. Olympic Training Center

All media requests pertaining to the Spirit should be initially coordinated and confirmed with the Spirit. All media members on their first visit to the U.S. Olympic Training Center for a Spirit training session must go through the OTC credentialing process. They must first go to Athlete Check-In to receive a temporary OTC Credential that will be honored through April 5, 2003. Once a credential has been issued, they can proceed directly to the Visitor Center and can access the soccer fields from that area. OTC security will continue to check authorized media at the security gate upon re-entry to the site, so, please make sure that you show your green media credential or your entry may be delayed.

The Spirit will issue its 2003 full regular-season media credentials on April 1, these will be valid to use during training sessions for the reminder of the 2003 season. If you have not applied for your full-season media credential, please do so before the March 3 DEADLINE. Thank you.

Directions to the U.S. Olympic Training Center

The U.S. Olympic Training Center is located at 2800 Olympic Parkway in Chula Vista, CA. To visit the center, take I-805 to Olympic Parkway. Travel east for 8 miles. Go past the Visitor Center entrance, until you come to the Athlete Check-in entrance on the right side.

The San Diego Spirit is a charter member of the WUSA and plays their home matches at the 7,035-seat Torero Stadium on the campus of the University of San Diego. The Spirit kicks off their third season of action on April 5, against the Boston Breakers. Kickoff is 6 p.m. PT. For season, mini-plan or group ticket information, please contact the Spirit ticket office at 1-877-4SOCCER (1-877-476-2237) or 619-692-9872, or visit the club's website at www.sandiegospirit.com. Single-game tickets can be purchased through all Ticketmaster outlets, by phone at 619-220-TIXS or online at www.ticketmaster.com.



Women's United Soccer Association Stories from February 26, 2003


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