NEWS » en to Sock on Friday.I was thinking

NEW YORK -- Brandi Chastain is confident the U.S. womens soccer team can win the gold medal again in Rio, is advocating for fewer headers in youth games and dealing with her sons diagnosis of Crohns disease.Its been 17 years since Chastains winning kick in a penalty shootout against China in the Womens World Cup at the Rose Bowl, and the celebratory photo of her overhead jersey twirl landed on magazine covers.These days, shes coaching youth, high school and college soccer in California. Chastain is keeping an eye on the current womens national team -- without retired star Abby Wambach -- after helping the U.S. win two golds and a silver in the Olympics during her career.We have a very deep roster, a nice balance of young players and veterans, she said. Those two components have always proved successful.Chastain, who transitioned from forward to defense on the U.S. national team, calls it humbling to be selected for induction into the Soccer Hall of Fame later this year at its new location at FC Dallas stadium.Here are a few things to know about Chastain, who plans to donate her brain for concussion research.SAFER SOCCER: Some think less heading in youth soccer games will lower the risk of concussions. Chastain works with the Safer Soccer initiative, which advocates for fewer headers. Since U.S. Soccer approved no headers for children under 11 last year, the whistle is blown for a foul if the ball is headed in a game. Chastain would like the ban to extend to 14 and under, but for now, its about reducing headers in practice and teaching kids spacial awareness, getting their head up and away from the ball. When the kids get fixated on the ball, their eyes never leave it, so they dont see any danger that potentially could be coming.She tells her boys youth team theyre not quite ready for headers and cautions her boys high school Bellarmine team. At the youth level, she says its best to avoid them.I hope U.S. Soccer educates refs on the rules, so its implemented at all levels and (teach) coaches about how to coach awareness skills for kids to protect themselves.Shes also a volunteer assistant coach at her alma mater, Santa Clara University, helping her husband Jerry Smith, who has been the head coach for 30 years.BELL RUNG: Chastains experienced her share of concussions during a 24-year career spanning college, national teams and pro soccer. The 48-year-old says shes donating her brain to the Concussion Legacy Foundation because she wont need it at the time and might as do some good with it. Chastain wants to leave soccer in a better place and if they can get some information out of looking at my brain, then Im happy to contribute.CROHNS CHALLENGE: Chastains 10-year-old son Jaden was recently diagnosed with Crohns disease, which causes inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms of the disease that affects about 700,000 people in the U.S. include cramping, diarrhea and fatigue. The cause isnt exactly known, but doctors think its a combination of genetics, an over-reactive immune system and environmental factors. Jaden, who plays soccer, baseball and swims, has a supportive school and a treatment plan to manage his symptoms.NEW ATTITUDE: Chastain acknowledges that helping her son deal with the emotional and social impact of the disease initially werent her strengths.As a pro athlete, my philosophy was you kind of grind it out, she said. Sometimes you wont feel good and you still have to do the work. I had to take a step back and know Im not always in control, and Jaden will take the lead. He knows when he needs to rest or cant play. That was a great lesson for me.SOCCER EQUITY: Shes been watching the efforts by the U.S. womens team to receive better wages and benefits from U.S. Soccer.Chastain says a lack of money is absolutely not the reason the federation offers different pay scales for the U.S. mens and womens teams. Its more about distribution, given the money the federation receives from TV revenue, sponsorships and FIFA.Im a big advocate for equal reward for the work we do on the field, she said. Its been a continual fight and a battle that, hopefully, well very soon win.She says its similar to the struggle for womens voting rights and Title IX, which opened opportunities for girls and women in education and sports. Chastain believes people will eventually look back at the wage issue and consider it archaic.Women -- and not just women, there are a lot of male advocates out there -- are saying, `Its time. Theres no logical reason for this to exist any longer.---Online: http://concussionfoundation.org/national...er-soccerOnline: https://www.ibdgameplan.com Luke Kuechly Youth Jersey . Mickelson barely made the cut but had the best round of the day with nine birdies and an eagle coupled with two bogeys to sit two shots behind leader Craig Lee of Scotland. Lee shot a 69 for a 12-under 204 total. "I just love the fact I am in contention and have an opportunity in my first tournament of the year here in Abu Dhabi," Mickelson said. Ryan Kalil Panthers Jersey . Pedro scored from a pass by Lionel Messi in the 33rd minute and added two more goals in the 47th and 72nd after Valdes saved his second penalty in four days following his stop in Wednesdays 4-0 over Ajax in the Champions League. http://www.shoppanthersonline.us/panthers-luke-kuechly-blue-jersey/ . Its sharpness matched my mind. This was no night to go to sleep. Curtis Samuel Womens Jersey .Y. -- Sabres defenceman Tyler Myers had no intention of changing his hard-hitting style before taking part in a disciplinary hearing for his illegal check to New Jersey forward Dainius Zubrus head. Greg Little Jersey .500 on the season. The Jets are now 0-5-1 in the second game of back-to-backs. The game started the same way the Vancouver game started the night before, with the Jets taking the first two penalties of the game and killing off the first, but the Oilers getting on the board first, scoring on the second man-advantage. PORTLAND, Ore. -- Ivan Dodig and Marin Cilic kept Croatia alive in the Davis Cup quarterfinal match with the United States, beating twins Bob and Mike Bryan 6-2, 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 on Saturday.Dodig and Cilic cut Croatias deficit to 2-1 heading into the reverse singles Sunday on the Tualatin Hills hard court. The United States took a 2-0 lead Friday when Jack Sock and John Isner won the opening singles matches.The Croatians made a last-minute substitution, inserting Cilic, ranked No. 12 in the world, in place of Marin Draganja in doubles.Croatian captain Zeljki Krajan said the team began discussing the substitution Friday night, and made the move a few hours before the match. Cilic said he feels fine physically heading into Sunday.The conditions here are not too difficult; the weather, not too humid and not too demanding, Cilic said. In Davis Cup, its a bit tougher dealing with emotions because youre pumped up and that takes some energy. But I pretty much feel fine.On Sunday, Isner will open against Cilic, and Sock will face Borna Coric.The U.S.-Croatia winner will advance to the World Group semifinals, facing the France-Czech Republic quarterfinal winner Sept. 16-18. If the United States advances, it will play host to the semifinals at a site to be determined.The lineup shuffle didnt surprise the United States.I think its fair to say hes a better doubles player than Draganja, U.S. captain Jim Courier said. That made a lot of sense from their standpoint,The Bryans didnt relish having Cilic in the lineup.Cilic is dangerous. He brings great returns and some nasty groundies, and his serve is pretty strong, Bob Bryan said.dddddddddddd So putting him in there was probably a smart play,The Bryans, who are 38, were handed just their fifth Davis Cup loss in 29 matches. The Croatians broke their serve six times.We werent making a lot of first serves, werent getting them in trouble from the start. They just kind of outplayed us in every aspect of the game today, Bob Bryan said. Those guys are two good players. Thats the type of match that we have to play at the top of our game to take them out. We just didnt do it.The doubles win gave Cilic a much-needed boost of confidence after he blew a two-set lead to Roger Federer in the Wimbledon quarterfinals, then to Sock on Friday.I was thinking a little bit after yesterdays loss that maybe I was a little mentally drained, Cilic said. Wimbledon left a small mark on me. This gives me good sensation for playing.The United States, 157-3 in Davis Cup, claims its confidence hasnt wavered. Isner beat Coric in three sets, while Sock bounced back from a two-set deficit to win the final three sets against Cilic.Obviously, we would have loved to close this out today, but were up 2-1 going in and our singles players have confidence, Courier said. We have a lot of work ahead of us, but were confident.The United States is trying to break a nine-year Davis Cup title drought. The U.S. won in 2007 when it beat Russia 4-1 in Portland. Croatia claimed its only Davis Cup title in 2005. The U.S. has won a Davis Cup-high 32 titles, but only one since 1995. ' ' '