2007年VOA标准英语-US Teenage Soccer Team Plays in South Korea

By Kurt Achin
Seoul
05 September 2007
 

South Korea is hosting a tournament of the world's best teenage football teams.  The "Under 17 World Cup" is a chance for global sports fans to catch a glimpse of the Beckhams and Ronaldos of the future in a make-or-break setting.  VOA Seoul Correspondent Kurt Achin spent a little time with the United States team before they were eliminated by Germany  - and learned about some of the challenges facing young American soccer players.

U.S. Head Coach John Hackworth

Lugging¹ water and equipment. Doing homework on the road. And practicing hard, rain or shine.

That is the price the young U.S. athletes pay for a shot at soccer stardom.

The U.S. team is one of 24 that came to South Korea for the Under 17 World Cup competition.

The organizer, FIFA, has been streaming highlights and even entire games all over the world on its website, in partnership² with regional broadcasters.

South Korea FIFA U17, live, train, eat and go to school together

By the time they make it here, these players take part in a residency program first started by U.S. Soccer in 1999.  They live, train, eat, and go to school together.

U.S. Head Coach John Hackworth says the program helps build strong soccer players - and well-rounded human beings. "The development both on and off the soccer field has been significant.  I think they've become much better soccer players, but they've also matured and grown as people, and learned how to be in this kind of environment - and the expectations and standards that we expect from our national team."

The U.S. U17 team practicing before the World Cup

Unlike many U-17 teams, the U.S. team does not come from a place where there is a deeply embedded³ soccer culture.  Still, the team's communications officer, Kate McMaster, says there is a small but intense body of fans. "The soccer culture in the U.S. is more of an underground culture. But the people that are involved in that are very involved in it.  They follow it very closely; they watch our every move.  So the culture is there."

More Americans may be paying attention to soccer these days, following the recent splashy arrival of English superstar David Beckham, now playing for the Los Angeles Galaxy⁴. 

These young men may not attain⁵ the stardom of a David Beckham - but they learn some valuable lessons about applying themselves. "We've definitely put in a lot of hard work, and a lot of fitness, all kinds of ball drills and stuff.  And I think it's really helped us prepare a lot for the World Cup" says Jared Jaffrey, midfielder

Of course, it's not all about hard work.  Win or lose-- these world class athletes still find some time for fun.

1 lugging   

超载运转能力

参考例句：

• I would smile when I saw him lugging his golf bags into the office. 看到他把高尔夫球袋拖进办公室，我就笑一笑。 来自辞典例句
• As a general guide, S＄1 should be adequate for baggage-lugging service. 一般的准则是，如有人帮你搬运行李，给一新元就够了。 来自互联网

2 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

3 embedded   

a.扎牢的

参考例句：

• an operation to remove glass that was embedded in his leg 取出扎入他腿部玻璃的手术
• He has embedded his name in the minds of millions of people. 他的名字铭刻在数百万人民心中。

4 galaxy   

n.星系；银河系；一群(杰出或著名的人物)

参考例句：

• The earth is one of the planets in the Galaxy.地球是银河系中的星球之一。
• The company has a galaxy of talent.该公司拥有一批优秀的人才。

5 attain   

vt.达到，获得，完成

参考例句：

• I used the scientific method to attain this end. 我用科学的方法来达到这一目的。
• His painstaking to attain his goal in life is praiseworthy. 他为实现人生目标所下的苦功是值得称赞的。