U.S. Soccer fans, it's time to clear your schedule for this weekend - the champion U.S. Women's National Team is holding a public training session on Friday August, 2 at the Rose Bowl from 5-6 p.m. and then hosting a game with the Republic of Ireland on Saturday, August 3 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
The five-stop victory tour begins only a few days after the national team coach, Jill Ellis, announced she would step down after leading the team to back-to-back Women's World Cup Titles.
"The opportunity to coach this team and work with these amazing women has been the honor of a lifetime,” Ellis said in a statement released by U.S. Soccer on Tuesday. "I want to thank and praise them for their commitment and passion to not only win championships but also raise the profile of this sport globally while being an inspiration to those who will follow them."
Ellis led the women's team to back-to-back championships after serving on the staff for the gold-medal winning teams at the Beijing and London Olympic games as well as serving as the head coach at UCLA for 12 seasons.
"When I accepted the head coaching position this was the timeframe I envisioned," Ellis said in the statement. "The timing is right to move on and the program is positioned to remain at the pinnacle of women’s soccer. Change is something I have always embraced in my life and for me and my family this is the right moment."
Ellis will remain with the team as they continue their World Cup victory tour which kicks off on Saturday with a match against Ireland at the Rose Bowl.
Further stops on the victory tour include a game with Portugal on Aug. 29 in Philadelphia, and on Sept. 3 in St. Paul, Minnesota. The final two matches on the tour have been set for early October, but details have not been announced.
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