4 Chicago players helped US capture World Cup title

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Four members of the Chicago Red Stars soccer team helped the United States bring home its third women's World Cup title. Julie Johnston, Christen Press, Lori Chalupny and Shannon Boxx were all on the U.S. women's team that defeated Japan on Sunday night.

One of their teammates, midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo, was practicing in Oak Brook on Monday.

"They just are very good and they understand the game well and they just have the fight and desire to get better," DiBernardo said.

Chicago Red Stars Coach Rory Dames is waiting for all four to come back to Chicago next week. A homecoming is planned at the Red Stars match on July 18.

"It's great for our team and it's great for the other players on the team who have those aspirations to have leaders like that so they can see what it looks like to be at that level," Dames said.

UIC has a summer soccer camp serving boys and girls ages 4 to 14 and the U.S. women's team is inspiring many young athletes. Raven Dziedzinski, a Jones College prep student, goes to soccer camp at UIC and has been watching the four Chicago women very closely.

"I definitely have a goal of trying to win the World Cup for myself so it just makes me feel like I can accomplish it if I try hard enough," Dziedzinski said. "I see a lot of hard work and I think I can work that hard too and one day accomplish that."