The Final Bow: Nike Hypervenom Phantom Transform

The first generation of the Nike Hypervenom Phantom will soon be replaced by a new generation featuring the dynamic fit collar. Never one to let anything go quietly, Nike is set to release a highly unique and innovative final boot for the first generation of the Hypervenom silo. At first glance, the Hypervenom Phantom Transform appears to be a black-out boot with a few subtle orange highlights. However, once a player starts to play in the boot, the upper transforms into a fiery heat-activated orange. The boot returns to its original all-black colorway after a player removes the boot from their foot.

The Nike Hypervenom Phantom Transform is extremely limited, with only 560 pairs available worldwide. The limited-edition boot will be available May 14th on the Nike Soccer App, nike.com and through select retailers.

Photo courtesy of Nike

USWNT and their Mothers Celebrate a 3-0 Win Over Ireland

The U.S. Women’s National team triumphed over the Republic of Ireland with a 3-0 win on Mother's Day. To make the victory even sweeter, the team was surprised by a visit from their mothers during the team dinner the night before, and had the privilege of walking out to the field together. This was the first game of the three-game Send-off Series heading to the 2015 FIFA World Cup.

Fox Sports Sends Mothers Out for a Mother's Day Surprise
In celebration of Mother’s Day, Fox Sports flew all of the players' mothers out for a surprise dinner. At the game each member of the team, including head coach Jill Ellis, entered the field hand-in-hand with their mothers, and all stood together for the National Anthem. The mothers then took to the stands among the 18,000 fans at Avaya Stadium in San Jose to watch the USWNT beat Ireland. For some of these players who are constantly traveling for their club teams, this was the first time in years that they were able to spend Mother's Day with their moms.

Wambach Changes the Forwards Recent Reputation
The USWNT forwards have struggled to find the back of the net in recent games. To turn the tide, Abby Wambach scored two of the three goals, one right after another,  a huge improvement for the front line. Christen Press assisted the first, and Carli Lloyd assisted the second with a ball to the far post that Wambach headed into the right corner. Defender Julie Johnston scored the third goal of the game, and the third goal of her international career.

Many Reasons to Celebrate for Rapinoe
As well as celebrating Mother’s Day, Megan Rapinoe celebrated her 100th cap with the national team. She started the game as the team captain, and was recognized beforehand for her accomplishment. Normally players receive a Rolex watch in celebration of their achievements, however, Rapinoe requested that the money be given to charity instead.

Coming Soon: The USWNT will play against Mexico at the StubHub Center in Carson, California for the second game of the Send-off Series. Set a reminder to catch the game on May 17 at 6 p.m. on Fox Sports 1 or Univision Deportes. Hopefully, they follow in the steps of the USMNT who recently beat Mexico. 

Photos courtesy of U.S. Soccer. 

Nike+ Training Club is Continued by Defender Ali Krieger

U.S. Women’s National Team defender, Ali Krieger, continues the Nike+ Training Club 90-Day "Better For It" Challenge after Christen Press kicked off the program in April. For this second installment, Nike & Krieger collaborated on her "Summer Strong" workout which incorporates strengthening and balance drills crucial for a defender at her level.

Broken Leg Leads to Much More
Almost 10 years ago, when Krieger was a 20-year old defender at Penn State, her soccer career suffered a major setback when she broke her leg late in the season. During her recovery time she noticed she was having trouble breathing, and a hospital visit later revealed she had blood clots in her lungs which led to a pulmonary embolism and a series of minor heart attacks. Krieger survived the life-threatening ordeal and went on to have an incredible senior year at Penn State. This struggle motivated Krieger as she looked towards her future as a soccer player:

“It was a second chance... It put my career in perspective. I then knew exactly what I wanted to do. It really pushed me to want to get better, get back out on the field and reach for my goals and dreams.”

Not Back in it For Long
Krieger's motivation and push to improve brought her far, and she became a real force in the back line for the U.S. Women's National Team. However, in the lead up to the 2012 Olympics, Krieger suffered another devastating setback when she tore her ACL and MCL in her right knee. Although she was unable to compete for a medal, she continued to cheer on the team throughout the recovery process. Krieger loved the game too much to allow this injury to hold her back once again. She credits her dad with having  a big impact on her persistent and optimistic attitude:

“What my dad always taught me is to control what I’m able to control, and that’s two things: my work ethic and my attitude. And I’ve tried to carry that throughout my whole career.”

Prepare for Summer with Krieger's Workout 
The workout inspired by Krieger isn't just for elite athletes.  It includes a wide variety of exercises for people at all levels of athletic capability. The workouts are focused around what skills are crucial for a defender to perform at the highest level on the field: positioning, footwork, and timing. A small sampling of the workout includes: touchdowns, single leg dead lifts, lunges, and push ups. Download Krieger's Summer Strong Workout now on the Nike+ Training Club app and get ready to train through those long and hot summer days. 

Images & Video Courtesy of Nike and US Soccer.

Warm and Cold: Nike Introduces the "Intense Heat" Pack

As the football season winds down, the intensity grows as the stakes are higher than ever. Nike created the Intense Heat Pack in bright hot hues to express the intensity of this critical time of the season. The pack includes the Bright Crimson Mercurial, Total Orange Magista, Laser Orange Tiempo, and the Volt Hypervenom. As a collection, the colors work to create the stages of a sunset, similar to the different stages of the football season. All four, despite their varying "warm" colors, have the same "cool" purple-toned Nike Swoosh. The purple swoosh has a color-shifting quality, adding depth and variance to the appearance of the cleats. The cool tone of the Swoosh contrasts with the warm hue of the upper, making for an eye-catching collection of cleats on pitch.

In the Shop: The Nike Intense Heat pack will be available in top-tier and take-down versions in the shop including: Nike Mercurial Vapor & Victory, Hypervenom Phantom & Phelon, Tiempo Legend and Genio Leather, and Magista Opus and Onda. Take a visit to try on a pair and feel the intensity for yourself.

Images courtesy of Nike.