"My friends, our best times are ahead of us. We will put on a Women's World Cup that will be a breakthrough event. Our women's teams will continue to be the best in the world. We will continue to enrich the sport within our state associations and to encourage every player to be as good as he or she can be. We will continue to expand the Divisions and provide necessary assistance for them to work together. We will provide an educational environment and tools for volunteers and professionals to better serve our members. Our coach, referee and player development programs will be exemplary. U.S. Soccer can be a model sports organization and a governing body that is unified with a common purpose and common directions. We can win the men's World Cup too!

Under the leadership of Alan Rothenberg, U.S Soccer and its members have brought the game to a new level, as exemplified by World Cup '94, Olympic Gold, Major League Soccer, U.S. Soccer Federation Foundation, National Teams successes, Divisional and National State Association growth. This was only possible because of the huge support and unyielding dedication of the entire soccer family. I am pleased to have played a leadership role in these successes.

For us to continue building the game, we must appreciate that the most important assets and resources of the Federation are its people - players, coaches, referees, professional administrators and millions of volunteers. The people are the heart and soul of the organization. U.S. Soccer will continue toward its lofty goals only with the commitment, support and involvement of its community.

The Federation must lead by taking responsibility to provide an environment of support and service to its members and allowing the people with their respective organizations to grow and prosper. This environment must be open and inclusive where vision is shared; all opinions and ideas are accepted and encouraged; people are trusted, respected and appreciated; programs are initiated after input from all members; and there is commitment to quality, service, responsiveness and accountability. We can also have fun. The leaders must be accessible and communicate openly. By focusing internally and by helping the members to thrive, we can continue building the game. The team on the field is only as good as the organization behind it. The organization is only as strong as each individual. Together, we can put "Us" into U.S. Soccer.