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Generation Adidas
Generation Adidas is a joint venture between Major League Soccer and U.S. Soccer aimed at raising the level of young professional soccer talent in the United States. The program, sponsored by Adidas, offers professional-ready players in the U.S. developmental system not yet eligible for the MLS SuperDraft early entry, allowing MLS to compete with foreign professional clubs without comparable restrictions on player signing. From its establishment in 1997 to 2005, the program was sponsored by Nike and was called ''Project-40''. Originally intended to improve the U.S. national team player pool, American national team eligibility is no longer required for program entry. Carlos Parra was the first Project-40 player when he signed with the league and was allocated to the New York/New Jersey MetroStars in 1997. Since then, the program has included players such as Tim Howard, DaMarcus Beasley, Maurice Edu, Carlos Bocanegra, Clint Dempsey, Jozy Altidore, Ben Olsen, Sacha Kljestan, Fred ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Joint Venture
A joint venture (JV) is a business entity created by two or more parties, generally characterized by shared ownership, shared returns and risks, and shared governance. Companies typically pursue joint ventures for one of four reasons: to access a new market, particularly Emerging market; to gain scale efficiencies by combining assets and operations; to share risk for major investments or projects; or to access skills and capabilities. According to Gerard Baynham of Water Street Partners, there has been much negative press about joint ventures, but objective data indicate that they may actually outperform wholly owned and controlled affiliates. He writes, "A different narrative emerged from our recent analysis of U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) data, collected from more than 20,000 entities. According to the DOC data, foreign joint ventures of U.S. companies realized a 5.5 percent average return on assets (ROA), while those companies’ wholly owned and controlled affiliates ( ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ben Olsen
Benjamin Robert Olsen (born May 3, 1977) is an American sports executive, Association football, soccer coach, and former professional player who was formerly the president of Washington Spirit, a professional women's soccer club in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). He is currently the head coach of Houston Dynamo FC in Major League Soccer, Major League Soccer. Olsen is best known for his long-term association with D.C. United of the Major League Soccer (MLS), first as a player then as a coach. Born in Middletown, Dauphin_County, Pennsylvania, Middletown, Pennsylvania, Olsen grew up playing for FC Delco, an elite club program near Philadelphia. He then played for Virginia Cavaliers men's soccer and was named Soccer America Player of the Year Award#Men's, 1997 Soccer America Player of the Year. Olsen spent the vast majority of his professional career in the United States with D.C. United in Major League Soccer, which he joined straight out of college. Over the course of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
NC State Wolfpack
The NC State Wolfpack is the nickname of the athletic teams representing North Carolina State University. The Wolfpack competes at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I (Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) for college football) as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) for all sports since the 1953–54 season. The athletic teams of the Wolfpack compete in 23 intercollegiate varsity sports. NC State is a founding member of the ACC and has won ten national championships: four NCAA championships, two AIAW championships, and four titles under other sanctioning bodies. Most NC State fans and athletes recognize the rivalry with the North Carolina Tar Heels as their biggest. The primary logo for NC State athletics is a red block 'S' with an inscribed 'N' and 'C'. The block S has been in use since 1890 but has seen many alterations through the years. The color red was adopted from the state bird, the cardinal. It became the sole logo for all NC State athl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ubusuku Abukusumo
Ubusuku Abukusumo is a retired American soccer defender who played professionally in Major League Soccer and the USL A-League. Youth In 1994, Abukusomo began his collegiate career at UNLV. He then transferred to North Carolina State where he played on the men's soccer team in 1995 and 1996. Professional In 1997, he signed an MLS Project 40 contract and was assigned to the Columbus Crew on June 5. He played sparingly for the Crew over three seasons with much of the 1998 and 1999 seasons on loan to the MLS Pro 40 team. On November 25, 1999, the Crew waived Abukusumo. In February 2000, the Tampa Bay Mutiny selected Abukusumo in the sixth round (sixty-fourth overall) of the 2000 MLS SuperDraft. The Mutiny released him in pre-season. On April 7, 2000, he signed with the Minnesota Thunder of the USL A-League. In June, the Tampa Bay Mutiny called Abukusumo for one game. On July 11, 2000, the Thunder traded him to the Raleigh Express for future considerations. He finished th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Canadian Soccer Association
The Canadian Soccer Association (Canada Soccer) is the governing body of soccer in Canada. It is a national organization that oversees the Canadian men's and women's national teams for international play, as well as the respective junior sides (U-20 and U-17 for men and women). Within Canada, it oversees national professional and amateur club championships. Organization and governance Canada Soccer's objectives, as described in its by-laws, are to: # promote, regulate and control the game of soccer throughout Canada, particularly through youth and development programs; # organize competitions in Association Football in all its forms at a national level, by defining the areas of authority conceded to the various leagues of which it is composed; # draw up Association Football regulations and provisions, and ensure their enforcement; # protect the interests of its Members; # respect and prevent any infringement of the statutes, regulations, directives and decisions of FIFA, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
United Soccer Leagues
United may refer to: Places * United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community * United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Arts and entertainment Films * ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film * ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two film Literature * ''United!'' (novel), a 1973 children's novel by Michael Hardcastle Music * United (band), Japanese thrash metal band formed in 1981 Albums * ''United'' (Commodores album), 1986 * ''United'' (Dream Evil album), 2006 * ''United'' (Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell album), 1967 * ''United'' (Marian Gold album), 1996 * ''United'' (Phoenix album), 2000 * ''United'' (Woody Shaw album), 1981 Songs * "United" (Judas Priest song), 1980 * "United" (Prince Ital Joe and Marky Mark song), 1994 * "United" (Robbie Williams song), 2000 * "United", a song by Danish duo Nik & Jay featuring Lisa Rowe Television * ''United'' (TV series), a 1990 BBC Two documentary series * ''United!'', a soap opera that aired on BBC One from 1965-19 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
USL First Division
The USL First Division (usually referred to as USL-1) was a professional men's soccer league in the United States and Canada from 2005 to 2010. During its existence, it formed the second tier of soccer in the United States soccer league system behind Major League Soccer. It was operated by United Soccer Leagues (USL) and was known as the A-League, from 1997 until 2004. Several teams left the league in 2009 to form the new North American Soccer League, with the intent of running their own second-tier league. Following a brief legal dispute, the two leagues operated in tandem under United States Soccer Federation (USSF) mediation as the USSF Division 2 Professional League in 2010 before the split became final. The teams that remained in the First Division were merged with the USL Second Division in 2011 to form USL Pro. History When the A-League became the USL First Division in 2005, the league comprised 12 teams: Atlanta Silverbacks, Charleston Battery, Minnesota Thunder, Mo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Professional
A professional is a member of a profession or any person who works in a specified professional activity. The term also describes the standards of education and training that prepare members of the profession with the particular knowledge and skills necessary to perform their specific role within that profession. In addition, most professionals are subject to strict codes of conduct, enshrining rigorous ethical and moral obligations. Professional standards of practice and ethics for a particular field are typically agreed upon and maintained through widely recognized professional associations, such as the IEEE. Some definitions of "professional" limit this term to those professions that serve some important aspect of public interest and the general good of society.Sullivan, William M. (2nd ed. 2005). ''Work and Integrity: The Crisis and Promise of Professionalism in America''. Jossey Bass.Gardner, Howard and Shulman, Lee S., The Professions in America Today: Crucial but Fragile. Da ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Josh Lambo
Joshua Gregory Lambo (born November 19, 1990) is an American football placekicker who is a free agent. He was signed by the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2015 and then signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars on October 17, 2017. He played college football at Texas A&M and is a former professional soccer goalkeeper. Early years Born in Lansing, Michigan, Lambo moved with his family to Crystal Lake, Illinois, when he was a small child. He played club soccer for the Chicago Magic before moving to Middleton, Wisconsin, in the summer of 2005, where he attended Middleton High School for less than two months before signing a Generation Adidas contract and joining the USA Residency Program in Bradenton, Florida. At the age of 15, he spent the summer training with Everton F.C. during their US tour in 2006 on the recommendation of US international Tim Howard and was invited to Finch Farm before being offered a professional contract on the provision that he could secure an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kyle Beckerman
Kyle Robert Beckerman (born April 23, 1982) is an American former professional soccer player who played as a midfielder. He spent 21 seasons in Major League Soccer (MLS) with the Miami Fusion (2000–2001), Colorado Rapids (2002–2007) and Real Salt Lake (2007–2020). He was a starting central defensive midfielder and captain when RSL won MLS Cup 2009. He also earned 58 caps with the United States national team. In 2021, Beckerman was named the head coach of the Utah Valley University men's soccer team, a Division I program in Orem, Utah. Early and personal life Beckerman was born in Crofton, Maryland. His parents are Margaret "Meg" (née Lamade) Beckerman, a third grade teacher, and Paul Beckerman, a science teacher. His brother Todd is four years his senior and coaches the wrestling team at Brown University. On January 4, 2014, he married Kate Pappas a Greek American account supervisor at Love Communications, at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Sal ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nick Rimando
Nicholas Paul Rimando (born June 17, 1979) is an American retired soccer player who last played as a goalkeeper for Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer and the United States national team. He holds the Major League Soccer records for career wins, shutouts, saves, and overall appearances. Youth and college Rimando was born in Montclair, California and attended Montclair High School. He played two years of college soccer at UCLA. As a freshman in 1997, he tended goal as the Bruins won the College Cup; after his sophomore year, he signed a Project-40 contract with MLS. Professional career Miami and D.C. Rimando was selected 35th in the third round of the 2000 MLS SuperDraft by the Miami Fusion, and quickly took the starting position from Jeff Cassar, starting 22 games as a rookie. He started 25 games the following season, helping the Fusion to win the 2001 MLS Supporters' Shield. When the Fusion were contracted after the 2001 season, Rimando was selected third overall by ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Michael Bradley (soccer)
Michael Sheehan Bradley (born July 31, 1987) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder and captains Toronto FC in Major League Soccer and formerly captained the United States national team. The son of soccer coach Bob Bradley, he began his professional career with the MetroStars in Major League Soccer in 2004. He then spent several years in Europe, playing in the Dutch Eredivisie with Heerenveen, German Bundesliga with Borussia Mönchengladbach, English Premier League with Aston Villa and Italian Serie A with Chievo and Roma. He returned to MLS with Toronto FC in 2014, making over 250 total appearances and winning the MLS Cup in 2017. Since his debut in 2006, Bradley has made over 150 appearances for the United States men's national soccer team. He was selected for tournaments including five CONCACAF Gold Cups and two FIFA World Cups, winning two of the former and finishing as runner-up at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup. Early life Bradley ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
