CHARLOTTE, N.C. (May 13, 2002) -- There is no substitute for fitness. You don’t have to be the best player on the field, or the smartest. But if you are in the best shape, you have a huge advantage.

“My goal is to always be the fittest player on the field,” says Kristine Lilly, who has played in over 200 international matches with the women’s national team. “There are so many things that you can’t control, but fitness is the one thing that is totally in your control. Being fit gives me a lot of confidence.”

Don’t assume hard practices will get you in top condition. Fitness requires work away from organized practice sessions and a year-round commitment.

“After a season, players will sit around and lose all their fitness,” says Anson Dorrance, head women’s coach at the University of North Carolina, winners of 16 national championships in the past 20 years. “Then they have to kill themselves trying to get fit again. Why would you want to do that to yourself? What we have developed at UNC is a Fit For Life mentality.”

There are a huge variety of fitness regimens to follow. You can improve your endurance, your speed, your quickness and your strength —upper body and lower body.

Players who want to improve overall fitness should contact an “expert.” This can be a soccer coach, a physical education instructor, a track coach or another qualified individual.

Remember, soccer requires a completely different set of muscles to be trained. Be specific when you ask for advice.