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Belgium coach lauds aggressive training sessions

By WTOP Staff

RAF CASERT
AP Sports Writer

MOGI DAS CRUZES, Brazil (AP) — Belgium winger Kevin De Bruyne was helped off the pitch, limping on a lame right ankle. At the same time, Divock Origi was already getting ice treatment on his ankle.

No World Cup opponents were to blame for these knocks, just some very fired up teammates. When a spot on the starting lineup for a World Cup is on the line, no player wants to hold back for perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime experience that can make a career.

Belgium is among the nations still waiting for its opening game in Brazil, and that means nerves are more than ever on edge. Everyone wants to secure a spot in Tuesday’s starting lineup against Algeria, and training sessions have been fierce.

Belgium coach Marc Wilmots, known as the Fighting Boar in his playing days, sees the positives, though he hopes the sore ankles don’t turn into real injuries.

“Maybe it went over the edge a couple of times, but I’d rather have this. Everyone has something to prove. Everyone wants to win,” Wilmots said Saturday. A few hours after the training match, Wilmots was relieved to announce “Good news, both will be 100 percent fit for the game against Algeria.”

Then, there were momentary bad vibes between Eden Hazard and Kevin Mirallas, with some pushing and shoving.

The payoff for such a spirit has already been evident at the World Cup.

Ahead of their opening match, Dutch player Arjen Robben took offense at a training tackle from Bruno Martins Indi and it quickly turned into a spat. Such a fighting spirit ran right through the opening match against Spain, when Robben scored two great goals in a 5-1 humiliation of the defending champion.

After Friday’s match, Robben went over to Martins Indi and hugged him and rubbed his head in a clear sign that they’ve well and truly buried the hatchet.

That is the kind of spirit Wilmots is also hoping for.

At first sight, he said, both De Bruyne and Origi should be fine for Sunday’s first training session in Belo Horizonte, two days ahead of the Algeria game. De Bruyne of Wolfsburg has been Belgium’s standout player in qualifying and is expected to start while Origi has been a late addition as an extra striker.

Belgium is a team which can afford a few injuries since it has depth in most positions.

Only two days ago, the full squad of 23 played a training game, and Wilmots admitted that “there should have been a red card, and two yellows.”

What counts, though, is that they are teammates first. Midfielder Moussa Dembele fell with his full weight on Origi by accident and felt bad. “I was so glad when I saw him put his thumb up. I really felt relieved.”

Next time though, Dembele will be going into the same challenge with just as much intensity. “It is part of us. Everybody wants to win, even at training. We have this winning spirit and it comes by itself,” he said.

Just being at the World Cup is prize enough in a 5-a-side training match these days. “Normally, they play for a little prize. It’s for a shirt or a red letter day,” Wilmots said. “And today it was for nothing. You don’t always need something to want to win.”

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Mike Corder in Rio contributed to this article.

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Follow Raf Casert on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/rcasert

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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