Originally founded
in 1913 as the United States Football
Association, U.S. Soccer was one of the world’s
first organizations to be affiliated with FIFA,
soccer’s world governing body, and has grown
into one of the sport’s organizational leaders,
integrating player participation and player
development into arguably the world’s most
successful top-to-bottom National Team program.As part of the
evidence, U.S. Soccer’s National Team programs
qualified for 19 consecutive FIFA outdoor world
championships before the Under-23 national team
missed out on the Olympics in 2004. "There is no question
that U.S. Soccer has come a long way," said U.S.
Soccer President Dr. S. Robert Contiguglia, who
was re-elected to a second four-year term in
2002. "The sport has grown considerably in the
United States and we thought it was appropriate
to honor the pioneers on the field. Ultimately,
the goal of our 90-year anniversary plans is to
highlight the players and coaches who have been
so influential, while showcasing the framework
that has been created to provide more resources
for the sport to continue to grow into the
future."Part
of that “framework” was unveiled in 2003 when
U.S. Soccer’s National Training Center opened at
the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. After 90
years of nurturing player participation and
player development, U.S. Soccer’s player
development initiatives finally have a home of
their own in the $130 million facility, which
includes a stadium for Major League Soccer’s Los
Angeles Galaxy
