The women try to find a way

Despite their success on the world stage, the future of women's soccer in the U.S. looks cloudy without a league. Plans to minimize the effect on the national team are being put in place.

Both senior national teams are in training this January in Los Angeles. The men are preparing for a series of friendlies before the World Cup in Germany, and the women are competing to make the roster for the Four Nations tournament in China.

The players Greg Ryan has assembled have passed another year without a professional domestic league. Some of the younger contingent from college never got a chance to play in the Women's United Soccer Association, which suspended operations in 2003 after three years of competition.

While it existed, the WUSA was a key developer of U.S. talent, especially for players such as Shannon Boxx, who recently finished third in FIFA's Female Player of the Year voting. Those on the rosters of the league scattered after it folded.

"Many of our players are playing abroad right now," Ryan acknowledged. "Others are playing with W-league teams, WPSL teams."