Nicolai was named co-captain of the US national team this morning. He shares that honor with 5-time World Cup veteran, Ignacio “Nacho” Medrano. I had to hold back tears of joy as the image of him at birth flashed into my mind. I remember feeling great sadness assuming he would never know the joys of athletic competition. I have never been so blessed with being so wrong. We are very proud of what Nico has achieved and the inspiration he has provided to so many.

The team practiced for 90 minutes and reviewed a couple of set plays. We watched the team from Japan practicing on an adjacent field and it is clear the US will have an up hill battle when they face them tomorrow.

Later in the day, we met up with Burton Craige, the husband of my cousin, Heather. He has come for the World Cup games along with his brother, Tito, who was delayed in Monterrey but will be joining us tomorrow. Burton directed us to a very authentic seafood restaurant where we enjoyed a very nice dinner and a taste of the local culture.