One of women's soccer's youngest stars is one step closer to representing the United States at the 2002 FIFA Under-19 Women's World Championship, which will take place from August 17 to Sept. 1, in Victoria, B.C.
Jessica Trainor was selected as one of 27 players to attend a 13-day training camp at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in San Diego, Calif., from July 14 to 26. After the training camp is through, coach Tracey Leone will pick the 18-woman roster that will compete in Canada.
"We are excited about the opportunity Jess has in front of her to be a part of the first youth Women's World Cup team," head coach Steve Swanson said. "She has worked extremely hard to get to where she is and we wish her the best of luck in this final camp before the team is announced."
Trainor was one of 30 players selected from a 54-person pool in April of this year, and helped the Under-19 team reach the World Championship qualifying in Trinidad and Tobago.
The 18 members that make the team after training camp will train in Portland, Ore. from Aug. 9 to 12, and then they will head to Victoria, British Columbia to get in final practices before the Championships take place.
Trainor would be a part of a new group of young stars, as this would be the first U.S. youth women's team to participate in a FIFA World Championship.
The sophomore midfielder out of Sparta, New Jersey has a chance of making the team after a solid freshman season in 2001. Trainor scored one goal and three assists, while providing Swanson with a durable player in the middle. She started 22 of 23 games, which is not usually the case for a freshman.
Her durability has no doubt grabbed the attention of Leone, as only female athlete of the year Lori Lindsey and senior Kelly Worden played more minutes on the Cavaliers during the year.
"Jessica is a very versatile player who can play a number of different roles for any team," Swanson said. "She is a hard worker with tremendous skills who can attack and defend equally well."
It is believed that Trainor will play in the backfield for the Under-19 team, where her versatility and distribution skills will be well suited.
Trainor was a star among a host of freshmen at Virginia this year. Katie Bunch, Lindsay Gusick and Gillian Hatch are just a few of the names that excelled in playing alongside Trainor, and Swanson was quick to sing praise for them throughout the regular and post-season.
"They all have a lot of potential," Swanson said of his standout freshmen. "I'm excited about what they are doing so far but I'm even more excited about what they are going to be in the future."
Trainor may not be the only Cavalier to represent Virginia in World Championships, as basketball recruit Derrick Byars (who was enrolled in the first session of summer school, before officially enrolling in the fall) is trying out for the USA Basketball Junior World Team. Like Trainor, Byars needs only to survive one more cut this month to make the team. If he makes the team of 12, he will travel to Venezuela to help the Junior World Team qualify for the 2003 FIBA Junior World Championships.
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