WORLD CUP Heinrichs retooled team

She took over the team that was at the top and asked to keep it there.
By BARRY WILNER
ASSOCIATED PRESS
April Heinrichs stepped into a tough job.
Less than a year after the 1999 Women's World Cup, she was hired to replace Tony DiCicco as national team coach and asked to keep the United States at the top of the sport.
"It was almost a no-win situation for her," says Kristine Lilly, who has played in more international games than anyone. "The only place she could go was down if we didn't keep winning."
Under DiCicco, the U.S. women won the 1996 Olympics in dramatic fashion. And they won the '99 World Cup in even more dramatic fashion.
The sport's growing public had come to idolize Mia Hamm, Michelle Akers, Brandi Chastain and Briana Scurry, some of whom Heinrichs played with.
So what happened in Heinrichs' debut as U.S. coach? Her team lost to Norway. It lost again to Norway three days later.
Lost in Olympics final
In September 2000, the Americans were beaten in overtime by Norway for the Sydney Olympics gold medal.
And in 2001, as Heinrichs searched for some younger players, the Americans actually had a losing record: 3-5-2.
Did she know what she was doing?
Well, yes.
Heinrichs has retooled the American squad, making it deeper and more versatile, with a superb blend of youth and experience.
The United States is ranked No. 1 in the world and is fresh off a physically dominant 1-0 victory over Norway in the World Cup quarterfinals. With a semifinal victory today, Heinrichs will have guided the team to another Cup final.
"It's a big challenge every day," says Heinrichs, the first U.S. national team captain, a member of the 1991 world champions and a National Soccer Hall of Fame inductee. "But I have always lived for such challenges."
Never gives up
Hamm has characterized Heinrichs as an intimidating player but an understanding coach. Team captain Julie Foudy, who like Hamm, Lilly, Chastain and Joy Fawcett played with Heinrichs in that first Women's World Cup 12 years ago, says the coach "has an inability to give up."
Heinrichs, 39, admits she has had to change some things in her move from player to coach. But one thing has not been altered.
"It still is very personal to me when we lose. Very personal," she says. "You work so hard to compete at a very high level, to be respected and to achieve. When you don't [win], it doesn't get any easier as a coach."
Heinrichs was haunted by the 2000 Olympics loss. In her first major tournament as coach, the Americans took the silver. That defeat to Norway came after DiCicco led them to Olympic gold and a world title.
At first, Heinrichs wondered if she was the reason the United States lost at Sydney. But instead of continuing to doubt herself and her methods, she set about retooling the team, aiming directly at this World Cup and next year's Athens Olympics.
Team back on track
The results, beginning in 2002, have been excellent. The United States went 15-2-2 last year and is 15-1-3 this season. The 2003 record includes wins over Norway, Sweden, Brazil, China, Germany and Canada.
But there is more than the scoreboard tally to Heinrichs' work.
When she was chosen over a handful of candidates to succeed DiCicco, Heinrichs stressed her background as a national team player. That was important to the current players, too.
"April has a good understanding of what we go through as players," says Scurry, who has resurrected her career after Heinrichs left her off the team in 2001. "She played for the team, she has a history with some of us, and she knows when we need rest or need a push."