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US defender DaMarcus Beasley to fourth World Cup

By WTOP Staff

JANIE McCAULEY
AP Sports Writer

STANFORD, Calif. (AP) — Stanford’s raucous marching band blaring behind him outside the stadium, DaMarcus Beasley sat in a golf cart hydrating after another long day of World Cup training.

And what a day for the veteran U.S. defender. When seven other American players were cut Thursday, Beasley made the roster for a fourth World Cup.

Coach Jurgen Klinsmann surprised his players with the timing of his announcement. Beasley could become the first American to play in four World Cups. While midfielder Claudio Reyna and goalkeeper Kasey Keller made four rosters, Reyna played in only three tournament and Keller two.

“If you have that will and desire and that confidence in yourself that you belong in this group of players, that’s half the battle,” Beasley said. “The other half is actually going out and doing it.”

He would be in rare company if he plays one of the Americans’ first-round games against Ghana, Portugal and Germany. Only about two dozen men’s players have seen the field in four or more World Cups.

Beasley, who turns 32 Saturday, has shifted from midfield to left back with the national team and is part of a relatively inexperienced defense. For the first time since 1990, the U.S. heads to the tournament with no center backs with World Cup experience.

“You take the game in a different light. Now that I’m 31, I wish I would have known what I know now when I was 20. It would have made things a lot easier. But, at the same time, that’s what you do when you’re 20 — 20, you just want to run around and play and you don’t care what happens,” Beasley said. “Now, you look at the game in a different way. I’m still enjoying the game. For me, just being confident in your ability as well. If you’re confident in yourself, no one can teach that. Klinsmann can’t teach that, the Bruce Arenas, the Bob Bradleys, no one can teach that confidence that you instill in yourself.”

Yet Beasley is too busy to contemplate his place in the history of U.S. soccer. That reflection, he promises, will come one day during retirement.

For now, Beasley is eager to prove he should be starting for the June 16 opener against Ghana in Natal. He started five of the six U.S. matches during last summer’s run to the CONCACAF Gold Cup, also serving as captain.

Beasley is among five players on the roster with World Cup experience — the fewest for the Americans since they returned to soccer’s showcase in 1990 after a 40-year absence. Landon Donovan would have joined him, but he was among those cut. That was a tough one for Beasley, who called Donovan “my brother.”

Beasley plays for Puebla and is the only player from a Mexican club. Klinsmann bypassed Puebla teammate Michael Orozco, Tijuana’s Edgar Castillo and Joe Corona, and Tigres’ Jose Torres.

Midfielder Earnie Stewart helped Beasley when he made his World Cup debut in 2002, a stunning 3-2 upset of Portugal in Suwon, South Korea. Beasley started that game in the midfield.

“To be honest I was nervous the day of the game, but once we got to the locker room I was fine,” Beasley said. “Once I spoke to Earnie and he gave me a lot of words of encouragment and obviously having my boy Landon by my side, it made me calm down and just play. That’s what you’re going to see in this World Cup, the guys who haven’t played a World Cup, it doesn’t really matter. They’re going to show it and come out and make us have a great World Cup.”

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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