About the City: The WUSA will make its debut in the state of Minnesota June 17-20 at the National Sports Center in Blaine. Located just 20 minutes from both downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul, the National Sports Center has been certified by the Guinness Book of Records as the largest soccer complex on earth. The complex includes 52 regulation size soccer fields, including a 10,000-seat soccer stadium where the WUSA matches will take place. The U.S. women’s national team has played numerous matches at the National Sports Center, most recently a 4-0 victory over Norway on July 21, 2002.
The WUSA Soccer Festival weekend at the National Sports Center will be held in conjunction with the 10th Annual All American Girls' (AAG) Invitational Soccer Tournament, the girls' and women's-only event that is one of the premier summer soccer events in the region. More than 200 teams are expected to participate in the AAG tournament.
“In my view the WUSA is a jewel in the world of women’s sports,” said Kris Bjerkness, executive director of the National Sports Center. “The National Sports Center looks forward to the opportunity to host the Festival and provide a unique and special experience for Minnesota fans.”
National Sports Center
1700-105th Ave. NE
Blaine, MN 55449
Main Phone: 763.785.5600
Website: www.nscsports.org
As a sports complex, it's one of the nation's finest. In addition to hosting the
U.S. National Men's and Women's Soccer teams, the NSC has also hosted events
such as the U.S. Olympic Festival, The International Special Olympics, the U.S.
Olympic Cycling Trials, the World Championship Cycling Trials, The North
American Indigenous Games, The World Ultimate Disc Championships and the. U.S.
Women's Open Bowling Championships.
Directions:
CARSON, CALIFORNIA
About the City:
In early June 2003 Carson, CA will became a major soccer destination in the United States with the opening of the HOME DEPOT NATIONAL TRAINING CENTER. Carson is a small city of under 100,000 located some 20 miles South of Los Angeles, where a tourist can travel to a multitude of nearby Southern Californian destinations while enjoying the world-class soccer and other events to be presented at the HDC.
A few miles to the South of Carson the visitor will find Long Beach, home of the annual Toyota Grand Prix, the Queen Mary, a new and quite spectacular aquarium as well as several first class hotels fronting on the overlook of the harbor. In Orange County one can visit Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm and many other family oriented destinations. A short drive to the West will bring the traveler to the several beach communities which front on the Pacific Ocean.
Los Angeles is North of Carson. The first time visitor to Los Angeles will certainly be amazed at its geographical sprawl – a “low” city [as opposed to NYC] which seems to go on forever and a city where one can, indeed, surf and snow ski all in the same day.
Since the early 1990s, the LA area has always had several teams playing in various levels of the USISL/USL, but the most successful clubs prior to MLS were two division 2 teams in the APSL: the Los Angeles Heat, who made the semifinals in 1990 and the Los Angeles Salsa, who lost the 1993 title match to the Colorado Foxes.
For more information on Carson, feel free to also visit their community website: http://ci.carson.ca.us/
About the Venue:
The Home Depot Center
18400 Avalon Blvd
Suite 100
Carson, CA 90746
General Phone: 310.630.2000
Website: www.homedepotcenter.com
The 27,000-seat state-of-the-art soccer stadium is home of Major Leagues Soccer's Los Angeles Galaxy and also hosted to the 2003 FIFA’s Women’s World Cup finals. The Home Depot Center is also the soccer training headquarters for the United States Soccer Federation National Teams and offers nine practice fields for training purposes.
HDNTC is located 17 miles South of Downtown Los Angeles.
Directions:
From various freeways click on the freeway you will be using from the list below:
Via 110 Freeway South (from Downtown L.A, Pasadena, Glendale, Burbank areas)
Via 91 Freeway West (from East L.A County, North Orange County & Inland Empire)
Via Artesia Blvd. (SR-91 Freeway East) (from Beach Cities)
Alternative Transportation: Several mass transit options are available to travel to The Home Depot Center. For further information, contact the following organizations and agencies:
