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As members of the United States Deaf National Soccer Team for the past seven years, we agree that this has been the most incredible soccer experience of our lives, both on the field and off. This statement comes from two people who have played club, high school, and college soccer for elite programs, winning numerous championships on the state, regional, and national levels in all categories. Representing one's country at the international level is a dream come true for any athlete. When we put on our United States uniforms, not only do we play to win every game, but we also understand that this opportunity carries a special responsibility to play with the highest degree of professionalism and respect for other teams. During our seven years with the National Team, we have made dramatic improvements in our squads, which is demonstrated by our consistent success on the world stage. In the 2001 Deaf Olympics in Rome, we defeated Italy 2-1, a team that went on to win the Gold Medal that year. No American team had ever defeated a European team in Europe before that epic game. Following a respectable 10th place finish at those Olympics, our team got even better, winning the Kortjik Cup in Belgium in 2003. Two years later, at the most recent Deaf Olympic Games in Australia in 2005, the U.S. fielded the most talented team in history. We went on to defeat two more European teams (Greece and the Czech Republic) on our way to a 9th place finish, the best in U.S. Deaf Olympic soccer history. Our success continued this past year when we played Great Britain, the 2005 Olympic Gold Medalists, to a 0-0 tie on their home turf. Clearly, the U.S. Deaf National Team has secured its place among the world's best. As we prepare for the upcoming 2008 Deaf World Cup in Greece this summer, we plan on winning the most coveted trophy in international sports! Captains Josh Reiher (#11) and Mike Lawson (#8) |