Nicole Coico Providence, R.I. I'm doing a school assignment and am wondering if you could e-mail me the official rules for outdoor soccer? Mike Woitalla: Nicole, if you go to www.fifa.com/ you will find FIFA's rules of the game. You'll see an icon to click on the left side of the home page. (If you have a question for a Soccer America Magazine editor, click "Q&A with SA Editors" in the left column of the home page under "Interactive.")

Soccer America MagazineÆs MLS Team of the Week from games played May 17-20. Goalkeeper Tony Meola (2) Kansas City Defenders Peter Vermes (2) Kansas City Nick Garcia (2) Kansas City Leo Cullen (1) Miami Midfielders Petter Villegas (1) MetroStars Carlos Valderrama (4) Tampa Bay Preki (1) Kansas City Kerry Zavagnin (1) Kansas City Forwards Mamadou Diallo (4) Tampa Bay Henry Zambrano (1) Colorado Adolfo Valencia (3) MetroStars ò In parentheses is the number of times a player has been named to the Team of the Week.

Attendance in Dallas has grown this season under Andy Swift, who replaced Billy Hicks as the Burn's president and general manager. SOCCER AMERICA: What have you done to get the big crowds, including 20,417 vs. Los Angeles? ANDY SWIFT: We're following the plans we laid out years ago, putting emphasis on our grassroots marketing effort and our work in the Hispanic market. You don't bear fruition overnight. Our attendance has grown, from '97 to '99, 25 percent, and is now 20 percent up this year over last year. SA: Will MLS's new Mexican players boost attendance in …

WUSA allocated 19 of its 20 founding players, who won the World Cup for the United States last summer, plus five U.S. pool players to its eight teams. The league hopes to start play next spring. Carla Overbeck won't play in the league's first season because she's planning on having a baby after the Olympics. The U.S. captain says she'll serve as a consultant for WUSA and will play in the second year. WUSA gave three starters to San Diego, which has Julie Foudy, Shannon MacMillan and Joy Fawcett. Mia Hamm, who lived in Virginia as a child for a …

MLS Commissioner Don Garber and Women's United Soccer Association Chairman John S. Hendricks announced today that the two leagues have agreed to a comprehensive cooperation plan that provides for a coordination of marketing and promotion, scheduling, and stadia development. As a result of the agreement, MLS has opted not to file an application with U.S. Soccer to operate a Division I women's professional outdoor soccer league in the United States. The cooperation plan combines MLS' soccer business experience with the media power of WUSA to maximize the growth of the sport of soccer in America. In addition to mutually-beneficial cooperative …

Don Garber - MLS Commissioner John Hendricks - WUSA Chairman Carla Overbeck - U.S. Women's National Team captain Don Garber's Opening Comments: "I'd like to thank everybody for joining John Hendricks and I today for what we believe is a landmark day for soccer in America. Since John and I first met, both he and our investors have been in discussion since last November, both parties have always wanted to form the kind of relationship that is best for soccer in America. We feel that today's announcement will result in a relationship that is best for the growth of soccer …

Saturday, May 27 (4:30 p.m.) Kansas City Wizards at Tampa Bay Mutiny (Telemundo) Season series: Kansas City leads 1-0 (Wizards lead 1-0 in aggregate goals); All-time regular-season series: Series tied 6-6 (Wizards lead 21-17 in aggregate goals). Key players out: Kansas City: none; Tampa Bay: none Referee: Reggie Rutty (1 Game, 2 Cautions, 1 Sendoff); Referee's Assistants: Roger Sill, Greg Watson Saturday, May 27 (7:00 p.m.) Chicago Fire at MetroStars (FOX Sports Chicago, MSG) Season series: First meeting; All-time regular-season series: Series tied 2-2 (Fire lead 6-5 in aggregate goals). Key players out: Chicago Fire: D Lubos Kubik (MCL sprain); …

"I'm happier than a dog with two tails!" -- Miami Head Coach Ray Hudson when asked by NBC 6 anchor Craig Minervini how he felt about being named head coach of the Miami Fusion. "Hey, I'm not 21 years old anymore. You've got to help out when Conteh blows through here." -- Kansas City D Peter Vermes to fellow defenders Brandon Prideaux and Nick Garcia at halftime after the trio had problems keeping up with Earthquakes burner Abdul Thompsen Conteh. "We dominated all the way around. We were killing them. We put pressure on them the whole game. We moved …

After sitting on Rayo Vallecano's bench, American goalkeeper may be leaving La Liga A large apartment building overlooks Rayo Vallecano's training grounds at Teresa Rivero Stadium. During a recent training session, a man yelled from his window, loud enough for all to hear. "Kasey Keller, why are you not playing?" And the American goalkeeper only wished he could respond. Any response, of course, would merely exacerbate an already strained relationship with management of Madrid's underdog club. It would also be incomplete, since Keller himself does not fully understand what has transpired in the past two months. …

U-20s abroad for two weeks U.S. under-20 men's coach Wolfgang Suhnholz will lead his squad into Europe next week (June 2-11) to participate in the Enschede Tournament June 2-4 in Enschede, the Netherlands, and the Monthey Tournament June 7-11 in Monthey, Switzerland. The U-20s have amassed a 10-5-5 overall record in 2000 and are in early preparations for the CONCACAF U-20 Qualifying Tournament to be played next year for the FIFA U-20 World Championship to be played in Argentina during the summer. The following is a look at the U-20 roster while in Europe: Goalkeepers -- Delvin Countess (Sacramento, Ca.), …

Ray Hudson inspired Miami to three straight wins and, today, inspired the Fusion to make him the head coach through the end of the season. Hudson replaced Ivo Wortmann, who was fired on May 8. Eric Eichmann, who joined the coaching staff with Hudson, will continue to serve as an assistant coach. "Ray has provided a magical spark that has turned our team into an attractive side that is now positioned atop the Eastern Division and an early contender for a run at the MLS Cup," said Fusion vice president and general manager Doug Hamilton. "The players and fans have …

The much-anticipated trade of Roy Myers finally took place, when Los Angeles swapped the Costa Rican midfielder for MetroStars midfielder Brian Kelly. The Galaxy now has a foreigner spot open for Mexican star Luis Hernandez, who was acquired by the league on May 16. Hernandez is expected to make his L.A. debut in the May 20 clash with D.C. United at the Rose Bowl. Myers joins former Galaxy teammate Clint Mathis as the two newest MetroStars. "Roy is a versatile player who will add depth to the roster," said MetroStars general manager Nick Sakiewicz. "I am very happy with both …

Year after year we run stories about young Americans who ventured to Germany for soccer glory. Most, not all, point out or complain about the intensity of the German lifestyle. So many rules. So much seriousness. It reminds me of a sign I saw on a beautiful field in Hamburg when I was a young boy: "To tread on the grass is strictly forbidden." In the United States, that would read, "Please keep off the grass." But I'm also reminded that in Germany you can take a sandwich and a beer on the subway, and as long …

Dana Straalsund Richland, Wash. My coach and I got in an argument. I said a player cannot kick the ball if they are "down." He says its OK. Please let me know! If I win I get a pizza! Mike Woitalla: Tell your coach bon appTtit and give him a pizza. As long as youÆre not flailing in a manner that could be considered dangerous play, there is nothing wrong with kicking the ball while you are on the ground. (If you have a question for a Soccer America Magazine editor, click "Q&A with SA Editors" in the left column …

Gerard Lagos factored in all four of his team's goals in a 4-0 win by the Minnesota Thunder over Indiana to earn this weekÆs A-League Player of the Week Award. In the opener for both teams in Group 3 of U.S. Open Cup qualifying, the 30-year-old forward provided the game-winning assist on Morgan Zeba's goal in the 10th minute of the game, then added an insurance tally in the 38th minute. In the second half, he set up goals by Liberian John Menyongar in the 55th and 86th minutes. Lagos moved into a tie for 11th in league scoring. Minnesota …