By Nick Gasparro, Operations Assistant CVEATC
Chula Vista, CA – The United States Men’s and Women’s Para National Soccer Teams are coming to the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center (CVEATC) during the month of April. The Para National Teams will be holding a 40-player training camp at the CVEATC in preparation for the 2022 IFCPF Male & Female World Cup in Salou, Spain. During their stay at the CVEATC, the men and women will be training, dining and staying over night at our facility. The U.S. Para National Soccer Teams are frequent visitors to the CVEATC, and we are thrilled to have them back.
Cerebral Palsy (CP) Football, commonly referred to as “Football 7-a-side” is a form of soccer intended for athletes with Cerebral Palsy and other neurological disorders, including stroke and traumatic brain injury. While CP soccer looks a lot like regular soccer, there are a few modifications. These modifications include: no offside rule, one-handed/underhand throw-ins, two 30-minute halves, 14 players including two goalies, and a smaller field (75m X 55m) and goal. Major competitions in the sport include the Parapan Games, Intercontinental Cup, Copa America and the IFCPF World Cup. Due to insufficient development in the sport among women, CP soccer was scratched from the Olympics after the 2016 Rio Games but have high hopes of returning for the 2028 LA Games.
The U.S. Para National Team is an elite level program that selects players from across the nation in preparation for International Standard Competitions. The team is managed under the US Soccer Federation. Stuart Sharp is the current head coach and has held the position since 2014. The men’s team is currently ranked 6th in the world according to the International Federation of Cerebral Palsy Football (IFCPF), while the women are ranked 13th. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic which paused competitive play for two years, the Para National Team had been in good form, finishing 3rd at the 2018 IFCPF America’s Championship, 6th at the 2019 IFCPF World Cup and 3rd at the 2019 Parapan American Games. The Para National Team finally returned to action in March for the 2022 CP Tri-Nations Tournament, where they beat Scotland 2-0 and lost to England 1-0. Next up for the team are a pair of friendlies in Barcelona versus Ireland and Australia in May, as they gear up for the 2022 Men’s and Women’s IFCPF Club World Cup in June.
To learn more about the U.S. Para National Soccer Teams, please following the links below:
About the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center
The Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center opened in 1995 and sits on 155 acres in Chula Vista, San Diego County, with world class athletic facilities, housing and dining. An official United States Olympic and Paralympic Site, utilized by athletes who live, train and eat on campus 365 days a year. The training camps, clinics, events and resident programs include over 20 Olympic, Paralympic and emerging sports across all elite levels. Go to trainatchulavista.com to learn more and train where making dreams come true is our passion! Follow us Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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