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WUSA Kicks Off Preseason Training

February 28, 2003 - Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA) News Release


ATLANTA (Friday, February 28, 2003) - The Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA) preseason officially kicks off on March 1 as the league's eight teams begin preparations for the 2003 season. All eight clubs will train in their local markets as they prepare for April 5, the opening day of the league's third season.

Due to the snowy weather in the Northeast corridor of the United States, many WUSA teams will likely train indoors until the weather warms up. In fact, the Washington Freedom will actually conduct their first practice session on Saturday on the concourse at RFK Stadium. Head Coach Jim Gabarra will have Mia Hamm and company running the concourse at RFK before ending the practice with a session in the weight room. The Freedom will then train indoors on Sunday at the Maryland Soccerplex in Germantown, MD while evaluating plans for next week.

However, not all WUSA teams in the Northeast are headed indoors. After fitness testing in New Jersey on Saturday, new Head Coach Tom Sermanni and the New York Power will head outdoors to train at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY on March 3. Sermanni, who was an assistant with San Jose the last two WUSA seasons, will quickly learn that he is not in California anymore as the forecast for Monday in Kings Point is calling for a high of 27 degrees and a low of 14 degrees Fahrenheit. In order to ensure a clean field for the Power, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy has plowed the snow off the Field Turf surface. In addition to the club's outdoor training in the morning, New York is scheduled to conduct afternoon sessions at the Mitchel Athletic Complex bubble.

The Boston Breakers will likely open training indoors at ForeKicks in Norfolk, MA, while the remaining WUSA clubs will begin preseason sessions outdoors.

During the preseason, WUSA clubs will venture to a variety of locations to play exhibition matches. Cities such as Houston, Las Vegas, Memphis, Phoenix and Lincoln, Nebraska will host WUSA exhibition games during the month of March. A complete preseason schedule for the eight WUSA clubs is included in this news release.

Featuring the best women's soccer players in the world, WUSA athletes include Mia Hamm, Brandi Chastain, Tiffeny Milbrett, Briana Scurry, Kristine Lilly, Julie Foudy and dozens of international stars. Approximately 50 WUSA players will compete in the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup in China in September and October. The eight WUSA teams are the Atlanta Beat, Boston Breakers, Carolina Courage, New York Power, Philadelphia Charge, San Diego Spirit, San Jose CyberRays and the Washington Freedom. The league will kick off its third season April 5, 2003.

- PRESEASON SCHEDULES FOLLOW -
ATLANTA BEAT PRESEASON SCHEDULE (subject to change)
March 1-5 Training at Rose Bowl Field at Georgia Tech. (10 a.m. & 5 p.m.)
March 6 Travel to Nebraska for Exhibition Matches.
March 7 Preseason match: Beat vs. Univ. of Nebraska (at Lincoln, Nebraska)
March 8 Preseason match: Beat vs. Philadelphia Charge (at Lincoln, Nebraska)
March 9 Off
March 10 Training at Rose Bowl Field at Georgia Tech (5 p.m.)
March 11 Training at Rose Bowl Field at Georgia Tech (10 a.m. & 5 p.m.)
March 12 Preseason match: Beat vs. University of Tennessee (at Knoxville, Tennessee)
March 13 - 14 Training at Rose Bowl Field at Georgia Tech (10 a.m.)
March 15 Preseason match: Beat vs. Auburn University (at Peachtree City, Georgia)
March 16 Off
March 17 Training at Rose Bowl Field at Georgia Tech (10 a.m.)
March 18 Travel to Greensboro for exhibition versus Carolina Courage March 19 Preseason match: Beat vs. Carolina Courage (at Greensboro, North Carolina)
March 20 Off
March 21 Travel to Memphis for exhibition versus Washington Freedom; Training: TBD
March 22 Preseason match: Beat vs. Washington Freedom (at Memphis, Tennessee)
March 23 Off
March 24 Official 2003 Atlanta Beat roster to be named
March 25 Travel to Houston for exhibition versus San Diego Spirit; Training: TBD March 26 Preseason match: Beat vs. San Diego Spirit (at Houston, Texas) March 27-29 Off
March 30 Training at Rose Bowl Field at Georgia Tech (6 p.m.)
March 31 - April 2 Training at Rose Bowl Field at Georgia Tech (10 a.m.)
April 3-4 Training at Herndon Stadium (10 a.m.)
April 5 New York at Atlanta at 7:00 p.m. ET (at Herndon Stadium)

BOSTON BREAKERS PRESEASON SCHEDULE (subject to change)
March 1 MYSA Convention 2 p.m. in Marlboro, MA
March 2 Training at Nickerson Field (pending weather conditions) 10 a.m. -12 noon
Alternate site ForeKicks in Norfolk, MA
March 3-8 Training at Nickerson Field (pending weather conditions) 9:00 -11:00 a.m. and 1-2 p.m.
March 10-14 Training at Nickerson Field (pending weather conditions) 10:00 -12 noon and 4:00 -6:00 p.m.
March 15 Preseason match: Breakers vs. New York Power (at Southern Connecticut State)
March 16-18 Training at Nickerson Field (pending weather conditions) 9:00 -11:00 a.m.
Alternate site TBA
March 19 Preseason match: Breakers vs. Boston College (TBD)
March 20 Training at Nickerson Field (pending weather conditions) 9-11, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Alternate site TBA
March 21 Leave for Las Vegas
March 22 Preseason match: Breakers vs. San Jose CyberRays (at Las Vegas, Nevada)
March 23-25 Train in Las Vegas
March 24 Preseason match: Breakers vs. UNLV (at Las Vegas, Nevada)
March 26-29 Training at Nickerson Field (pending weather conditions) 9:00 -11:00 a.m. and 4:00 -6:00 p.m. March 29 Preseason match: Breakers vs. Washington Freedom (at Germantown, Maryland)
March 31 Training at Nickerson Field, TBA 1:00-2:00 p.m.
April 1 Training at Nickerson Field, 9:00-11:00 a.m. and 2:00-4:00 p.m.
April 2 Training at Nickerson Field, 9:00-11:00 a.m. and 2:00-4:00 p.m.
April 3 Training at Nickerson Field, 9:00-11:00 a.m. and 2:00-4:00 p.m.
April 4 Leave for San Diego
April 5 Boston at San Diego at 9:00 p.m. ET (at Torero Stadium)

CAROLINA COURAGE PRESEASON SCHEDULE (subject to change)
March 1 Training in Carolina
March 2 Preseason Match: Courage vs. NC State University (at SAS)
March 3-4 Training in Carolina
March 5 Preseason Match: Courage vs. Duke University (at SAS)
March 6-7 Training in Carolina
March 8 Preseason Match: Courage vs. Washington Freedom (Wilmington, NC)
March 10-18 Training in Carolina
March 19 Preseason Match: Courage vs. Atlanta Beat (Greensboro, NC)
March 20-21 Training in Carolina
March 22 Preseason Match: Courage vs. University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (at SAS)
March 23 Training in Carolina
March 24-26 Off
March 27 Preseason Match: Courage vs. University of North Carolina-Greensboro (at SAS)
March 28 Training in Carolina
March 29 Fan-Fest at SAS Soccer Park
March 30 Preseason Match: Courage vs. Wake Forest University (at SAS)
April 1-4 Training in Carolina
April 5 Carolina vs. Washington at 2:00 p.m. ET on (at SAS Stadium)

NEW YORK POWER PRESEASON SCHEDULE (subject to change)
March 1 Fitness Testing in New Jersey
March 2 Off
March 3-7 Training at U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY
March 8 Off
March 9-11 Training at U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY
March 12 Preseason match: Power vs. St. John's University (at St. John's Univ. - 7:00 p.m.)
March 13-14 Training at U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY
March 15 Preseason match: Power vs. Boston Breakers (at New Haven, CT - 6:00 p.m.)
March 16 Off
March 17-21 Training at U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY
March 22 Preseason match: Power vs. U19 US Women's National Team (at St. John's Univ. - 12:00 noon)
March 23 Training Run - New York Road Runners 20-Mile Relay Race (Central Park, NY)
March 24-25 Training at U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY
March 26 Preseason match: Power vs. Penn State Univ. (at - tbd)
March 27 Off
March 28-29 Training at U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY
March 30 Preseason match: Power vs. Philadelphia Charge (at Oakland, NJ - 5:00 p.m.)
March 31 Off
April 1-3 Training at U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY
April 4 Travel to Atlanta
April 13 New York at Atlanta at 7:00 p.m. ET (at Herndon Stadium)

PHILADELPHIA CHARGE PRESEASON SCHEDULE (subject to change)
March 1- April 3 Training at Villanova University
March 8 Preseason match: Charge vs. Beat (at Nebraska)
March 9 Preseason match: Charge at Nebraska
March 16 Preseason match: Charge vs. University of Maryland (at Villanova University)
March 25 Preseason match: Charge vs US U-19 NT (at Villanova Stadium) March 29 Preseason match: Philadelphia vs. Penn St (TBD)
March 30 Preseason match: Charge vs. NY Power (at Indian Hills HS, NJ)
April 4 Leave for San Jose
April 5 Philadelphia at San Jose at 10:00 p.m. ET (at Spartan Stadium)

SAN DIEGO SPIRIT PRESEASON SCHEDULE (subject to change)
March 2 Training at ARCO
March 3 Training at USD
March 4 Preseason match: Spirit vs. U.S. U-21 national team (at ARCO)
March 5-8 Training at ARCO
March 9 OFF
March 10-11 Training at ARCO
March 12 Preseason match: Spirit vs. Loyola Marymount (at USD)
March 13-14 Training at ARCO
March 15 Preseason match: Spirit vs. Cal-State Fullerton (TBD)
March 16 OFF
March 17-18 Training at ARCO
March 19 Preseason match: Spirit vs. University of Wisconsin (at ARCO)
March 20-21 Training at ARCO
March 24 Leave for Houston
March 26 Preseason match: Spirit vs. Atlanta Beat (at Houston, Texas)
March 27 Leave for Arizona
March 29 Preseason match: Spirit vs. Arizona State (at ASU)
March 30 OFF
April 1 Training at ARCO
April 3 Training at ARCO
April 5 Boston at San Diego at 9:00 p.m. ET (at Torero Stadium)

SAN JOSE CYBERRAYS PRESEASON SCHEDULE (subject to change)
March 1-20 Training at West Valley College, Saratoga, Calif. March 8 Preseason scrimmage: CyberRays vs. University of California (at Evergreen Valley College, San Jose)
March 21-23 In Las Vegas
March 22 Preseason match: CyberRays vs. Boston Breakers (at Las Vegas)
March 24-27 Training at West Valley College, Saratoga, Calif. March 28-30 OFF
March 31-April 4 Training at West Valley College, Saratoga, Calif.
April 5 San Jose vs. Philadelphia at 10:00 p.m. ET (at Spartan Stadium)

WASHINGTON FREEDOM PRESEASON SCHEDULE (subject to change)
March 1 Training at RFK on the concourse and weight room March 2 Training at Maryland SoccerPlex in Germantown, Md. March 3-4 Training (site TBD, depending on weather)
March 5-7 Travel and training in Wilmington, NC
March 8 Preseason match: Freedom vs. Carolina Courage (at Wilmington, NC)
March 9 Travel
March 10-14 Training at RFK (WEATHER - PERMITTING)
March 15 Preseason match: Freedom vs. University of Virginia at RFK (WEATHER - PERMITTING)
March 17-20 Training at RFK (WEATHER - PERMITTING)
March 21 Travel and training in Memphis
March 22 Preseason match: Freedom vs. Atlanta Beat (Memphis, TN)
March 23 Travel
March 26 Training at RFK (WEATHER PERMITTING)
March 27 Preseason match: Freedom vs. U.S. U-19 National Team at RFK (WEATHER PERMITTING)
March 28-29 Training at RFK (WEATHER PERMITTING)
March 30 Preseason match: Freedom vs. Boston Breakers at Maryland SoccerPlex in Germantown, Md. April 1-3 Training at RFK (WEATHER PERMITTING)
April 4 Travel to Carolina
April 5 Freedom @ Carolina Courage at 2:00 p.m. ET (at SAS Stadium)

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