After a brief camp in California, the USA women’s team for the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China will reassemble in August to prepare for the event. 

Coach Richie Walker will bring the players together in Seattle to train leading up to the HS 7s competition to be held during the National Club 7s Championships.

“We’ve got work to do,” said Walker. “We’ve got some talented players and we need to develop some team unity.”

Walker had a pool of just under 40 players to choose from. Players had to apply to be considered for the team. 

There’s a variety of player types on the roster. Battling in contact will be Kent, Wash. All-Star Emily Prentice and Utah-based power runner Appau Mailau (Vipers). Becca Rosko (Summit, Colo.) and Danielle Walko-Siua (Hilo Reign, Hawaii) are small but speedy. Vermont-based Haley Langan provides an interesting twist as she is six feet tall and can be a force in the air.

Overall, though, the team is very much an unknown quantity, as is the entire tournament.

The Youth Olympic Games format, however, gives teams time to shake off the rust. Six teams will play in a round-robin format, playing two pool games on August 17 and also on August 18. On the 19th, they will finish with their final pool game, and then, after a break, the top four will play in the semifinals (with the 5th and 6th teams playing off for 5th).

On August 20, the final and the 3rd/4th games will be played for medals.

So, conceivably, a team could go 2-3 in pool play and still be in with a shot at a medal.

The six teams set to compete are: USA, Canada, Tunisia, China, Spain, and Australia.

USA Women's Roster for Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China