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- The United States Men's Para 7-a-side (Paralympic) National Soccer Team represents the United States in international competitions. It is operated by the United States Soccer Federation. The team finished seventh at the 2015 IPCPF World Championships. They have competed at several Paralympic Games, including the 1984, 1992, 1996, 2004 and 2012 editions. One of their best finishes was in 1996 when they finished fourth. Their head coach is . Comedian Josh Blue is one of their former players. The U.S. Para 7-a-side National Soccer Team (USPNT) is an elite level program that selects players from across the United States in preparation for International standard competition. The National Team, in addition to friendly matches and invitational tournaments, competes in the following events: Intercontinental Cup, Copa America, World Championships, Parapan American Games, Paralympic Games. For players to be eligible, they must be ambulant (no requirement for assistive walking aids) and have one of the following neurological conditions, have had a Stroke, have Cerebral Palsy, have had a Traumatic Brain Injury / Acquired Brain Injury. Individuals with the above conditions may display varying degrees of the following impairments: Diplegia, Hemiplegia, Triplegia, Quadriplegia, Monoplegia, Dystonia, Athetosis, Ataxia, Balance issues, Co-ordination issues, Weakness in certain areas of the body. In many cases the above conditions may result in only minimal levels of motor dysfunction (some not noticeable to the untrained eye); however, under the rules of the sport, this could still make players eligible for the U.S. Paralympic National Team. "Football 7-a-side" is the standard term for the game informally known as "C.P. Football," and international tournaments are hosted by the International Paralympic Committee, FIFA, or International Federation of CP Football IFCPF. Team selection and tournaments are competitive, and tend to be run like professional sport organizations. The USA team trains at the Olympic Training Center at Chula Vista, California, and the Home Depot Center at Carson, California. (en)
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