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On location of USMNT Stanford training camp

By on May 15, 2014

Before the World Cup begins, each nation usually picks a location to host a pre-tournament training camp. This year, the United States’ Men’s National Team coach Jurgen Klinsmann picked Stanford University in Silicon Valley California to host their training camp, as they did before the 2006 tournament. Klinsmann, speaking at the announcement of the decision, said he chose Stanford due to the University’s excellent facilities and the area’s whether which will help prepare them for the hot Brazilian climate this summer. And, undoubtedly, Klinsmann was right with both of those claims.

Highs in the first two days of the club’s training, which began on Wednesday, reached in the low nineties, Fahrenheit, while the squad has the entire 50000 seater Stanford football stadium to practice on. Additionally, the squad has been given a training pitch to the side of the stadium to practice on, yet all training sessions are still closed to the public.

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However, it isn’t as if the event attracts a big crowd. In fact, the players, and Klinsmann himself, drive to their afternoon practices themselves, park, and walk a few blocks to the back entrance to the stadium where they enter for practice. Usually the crowd they walk by is hardly consisting of more than a few people; it couldn’t be easier to get a few autographs.

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Additionally, stadiums tours of Stanford Stadium, while it is decorated before the team’ training, are given the two Thursday’s the squad is at Stanford at 10:00 am. While the players aren’t training during the tour, it is not at all hard to catch them on their way out of their daily Afternoon training, usually ending in early evening, or on their way in for practice in mid-afternoon. Training is thought to be three hours long, minus the time spent in the dressing room and speaking to media, who themselves are also accessible on their way in or out of the stadium – legendary Fox Soccer reporter and Sports Illustrated columnist Grant Wahl among them.

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.