January 2026 Full Circle

F UL LCI RCL E US YS

PRE VI E W WHAT’ SI NS I DE !

J ANUARY2026

T ABLEOFCONTENTSJANUARY2026

F E A T UR E S Compe t i t i onPl a t f or mUpda t ef r omt heU. S. Soc c e r Pa t hwa y sSt r a t e gyT e a m. . .

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MACHe r ma nnF i na l i s t sf r omTheNa t i ona l L e a gue . . .

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T wot i mec ha mpi onKa r l i nWur l i t z e r s ha r e she r s t or y . . .

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Mc Gui r eCup&NCAAc ha mpi onZa c hBa r r e t t l ook sba c kons uc c e s s . . .

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I owa ’ sF or t Dodges e e sv i s i oni na c t i on. . .

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LATESTNEWS

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LATESTNEWS

N ON KARLI MECHAMPI TI TWOTZERSHARESHERSTORY WURLI +HI GHLI GHT Wur l i t zerpl ayed col l egesoccerat I dahoSt at e

Wer ecent l ycaughtupwi t hKar l i nWur l i t z er , who coachedherLeahi ‘ 1 2GPr emi erGr een( HI )t eam t oa 1 3UNat i onal Pr esi dent sCupt i t l et hi ssummer .

Ten year sear l i er , Wur l i t z erwasbei ngcr ownedatt he 201 5Nat i onal Pr esi dent sCupasaLeahi pl ayer .

Her eshet al ksaboutheruni quej our ney–i ncl udi nga l ookbackonsomeofherf avor i t ememor i es, t he chal l engesofbei ngf r om Hawai i , andwhatshehopes t oaccompl i shnext .

Not e: t hef ol l owi nghasbeenedi t edf orcl ar i t y .

Tenyear sago,youwont he1 5U Gi r l sNat i onal Pr esi dent sCupwi t hyourLeahi2000Pr emi er ( HI )t eam.How speci alwast hatexper i encef or youbackt hen?

Funni l yenough, af ewdaysaf t erwer et ur nedf r om Fl or i da( t hi syear ) , oneofour2000’ st eam par ent s sentoutanemai l commemor at i ngt het enyearanni ver sar yofourwi nwi t hanol d hi ghl i ght svi deo.

So, weal l gott ot akeal i t t l et r i pdownmemor yl ane.

Ist i l l r emember bei ngt her eandt hi nki ngi twasal l somemagi cal dr eam t hatIwasevent ual l ygoi ngt o wakeupf r om.

Tur nsout , t enyear sl at er , Ist i l l haven’ twokenup!

Out si deofwi nni ng,wer et her eanymemor abl emoment sdur i ngt hatt r i pt o Over l andPar k,KS? TheBARBECUE!AMAZI NG! Theot hermemor abl ebi twast hepl ayermeet andgr eet .

Ist i l l r emember( andhave)al l t hecool st uffwet r aded, andi twassof unt obeabl et omeetsomanypeopl ef r om acr oss t hecount r y .

I nf act , i twassoi mpact f ul t hati twasamaj orsel l i ngpoi ntt ogetourt eam t o P .

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LATESTNEWS commi tt oNat i onal Pr esi dent sCupt hi syear .

Whenwel ear nedwehadadvancedt o Tampa, al otofourf ami l i eswant edt oknowi fi twaswor t hi tt odr opever yt hi ngf orat r i p acr osst hecount r y( i twashar denoughget t i ngt hem t oI dahof ort her egi onal t our nament ) .

ButIknewt hatt heopeni ngcer emonyal onewasaoncei nal i f et i me exper i encet hatwej ustcoul dn’ tpassup.

Thankf ul l y , t heybel i evedme, andher ewear e!

Fastf or war dt onow –af t eryoul edt henextgener at i onofLeahiSoccerCl ub at hl et est oaNat i onalPr esi dent sCupt i t l e.How i mpor t antwasi tf oryout obe abl et ogi vet hatt ypeofexper i encet oyourt eam af t erhavi ngi tyour sel f ?

WhenIl ear nedwehadt heoppor t uni t yt ogobackt ot hi st our namentser i es, i tbecame mysi ngul argoal t ogetust her e–t ot hepoi ntt hatImi ght ’ vescar edacoupl eofour par ent swi t hmyi nsi st ence!

Asapl ayer , yourl ovef orsocceri sdefinedbyaf ewkeymoment st hr oughoutyour car eer , andf ormet hi swasoneoft hem.

I ’ dbetanyt hi ngt hatnowi t ’ sonef ort hesegi r l s, t oo.

AndI ’ m notj ustt al ki ngaboutt hewi nni ng( al t hought hatwasgr eat , Ican’ tl i e) .

I twast he whol eat mospher e, t hefight , t hecamar ader i eandr i val r y , bei ngsur r oundedby st r anger suni t edbyonecommongoal .

Ther e’ st r ul ynot hi ngl i kei t .

Forpl ayer si nHawai i ,how i mpor t antar et heoppor t uni t i esavai l abl et ot hem t hr oughUSYout hSoccercompet i t i ons?

I nt heever changi ngwor l dofyout hsoccer , t heUSYSsyst em hasbeenaconst antf oral l ofourpl ayer s, andwecan’ tt hankever yonewhomakest heset hi ngshappenenough.

Ourpl ayer swor kal l yearj ustt obeabl et or epr esentt hei rt eam onast agel i ket hi sone.

Ascoachesandadul t s, youl ookbackatyourt i measanat hl et eandr eal i z ewhat val uabl el essonsyou’ vel ear nedal ongt heway … har dwor kandbei ngat eam pl ayerand communi cat i onandal l t hat … butwhenyou’ r eaki d, youj ustwantt opl ay .

Fort hesegi r l s, i t ’ st hewhol epoi nt .

That ’ swhatUSYSgi vesus.

Whatar esomechal l engesasapl ayer( andnow coach)i nHawai it hatpeopl ei n ot herst at esmaynotf ace–andhow doyouover comet hem?

Twocomet omi nd.

Onei st hei sol at i on:t henear estst at ei safiveandahal fhourpl ane

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LATESTNEWS t r i paway , whi chi snotexact l ysomet hi ngyou candoever yweekend.

Theot heri st her el at ed i ssueofonl ypl ayi ngt eamswi t hi na20mi l e r adi usal l yearl ong, whi chget sol dpr et t yqui ckl y , asyoucani magi ne.

Wheni tcomest odeal i ng wi t ht hatsecondbi t , It hi nkbackt owhatmy col l egecoachoncet ol dus:yourt oughest chal l engesshoul dcomedur i ngpr act i ce.

I fwe cancr eat eanenvi r onmentwher eourpl ayer sar e pushedt ot hei rl i mi t sever yday , andt hehar dest opponent st heyf acear et hemsel ves, t hent he gamesbecomet heeasypar t .

I fwe’ r esuccessf ul i npr act i ce, t henouri sol at i onbecomesa st r engt h:ever yt i mewegett heoppor t uni t yt o t r avel f orgames, i ti saspeci al moment , andwe makei tapoi ntt opl ayl i kei t .

+HI GHLI GHT Wur l i t zerhi ghl i ght edt hepl ayerevent ’ s meet andgr eetasasel l i ngpoi ntf orhert eam

…Andofcour se, Iwoul dber emi sst onot acknowl edget her ockst arpar ent st hatact ual l y makei thappen.

Fr om f undr ai si ngt opl anni ng t r i pst omanagi ngvansf ul l ofhungr yt eenager sf orever ysuccessf ul pl ayert ocomeoutoft hest at eofHawai ’ i , t her ear eyear sandyear s oft i r el esssacr i ficesbyt hei rpar ent s.

Whatl essonswer eyouabl et ot akeawaydur i ngyourt i measapl ayert ohel p youbecomesuchasuccessf ulcoach?

Iwasbl essedwi t hamazi ngcoachest hr oughoutmyyout handcol l egi at eyear s.

Act ual l y , myfir st–andar guabl ymosti nfluent i al –coachwasmymom, andshei snowmy assi st antcoachf orourt eam t hatwont hi syear !Howf ul l ci r cl ei st hat !Butanyway , Iwas abl et oshapet hewayt hatIcoachbasedonwhatmymom andal l myot hercoaches t aughtme.

It ookwhatwor ked, t weakedwhatdi dn’ t , andt ookqui t eaf ewcr eat i ve l i ber t i esal ongt heway .

Iam f arf r om per f ect , andI ’ m st i l l l ear ni ngal otaboutmysel f , but t hat ’ st hebeaut yofsoccer :eachgener at i onpassesdownal i t t l ebi tmor et ot henext , andt hegamekeepschangi ngf ort hebet t er .

Youhadagr eatcar eeratI dahoSt at ef r om 201 82022.How di dcompet i ngat

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LATESTNEWS USYout hSoccerevent shel ppr epar eyouf ort hatnextl evel ?

I ’ m pr et t ysur e9095% oft hatNat i onal Pr esi dent sCupwi nni ngt eam f r om 201 5went ont opl aycol l egi at esoccer( maybe50% att heDi vi si onIl evel ) .

I ’ m sur et her ewer e qui t eaf ewont her unner upt eam f r om I l l i noi s( Ecl i pseEl i t e)aswel l –unr el at ed, butI t hi nkt hei rkeeperhadapr et t yst el l arcar eeratXavi eri fIr ecal l cor r ect l y .

Butanyway , I ment i onedear l i ert hatt hi st our namentser i esf el tl i keadr eam t hatIhadn’ twokenup f r om yet .

Whenyou’ r eaki d, especi al l yaki df r om Hawai ’ i , wi nni ngchampi onshi psandcompet i ng atanat i onal l evel f eel sl i kesomef ar offt hi ngt hatonl yhappensi nmovi esandonTV. It hi nkt hatmor et hananyt hi ng, t heseUSYSevent sgi vepl ayer sl i keusanoppor t uni t yt o t ur nt hosedr eamsi nt or eal i t y , andt hati nst i l l st hi sr eal senseofbel i efi nyour sel fand yourabi l i t i es.

Thecol l egi at el evel i sawhol edi ffer entwor l df r om yout hsoccer .

Myfir st col l egepr act i ce?Whew!Tal kaboutshel l shock.

Butt hebel i eft hatt hatwor l dwaswi t hi n myr each–cement edbyt hef actt hatI ’ dal r eadydonewhatIoncet houghtwas i mpossi bl e–car r i edmeal ongway .

Doyouhaveanyf avor i t ememor i esf r om yourt i measaBengal ?

Ever ysi ngl eday .

Event heonest hatsucked.

I st hi sacopoutanswer ?Yeah, pr obabl y , butI ’ m1 00% ser i ous.

Col l egesocceri ssuchanamazi ngexper i encet hatIwasso, so l uckyt ohavef orsol ong.

Last l y,you’ r ecur r ent l yast udentatt heUni ver si t yofHawai i .Whatar eyou st udyi ngandwhatar eyourf ut ur ecar eeraspi r at i ons?

Iam cur r ent l ywor ki ngt owar dsmyMast er s’ Degr eei nCel l andMol ecul arBi ol ogy , andI onedayhopet ogot omedi cal school .

Soccerwi l l al waysbeahugepar tofmyl i f e, and I ’ dl ovet obeabl et owor kwi t hat hl et esandhel pt hem pl ayasl ongast heycan.

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FI NDYOUR EVENTPHOTOS

LATESTNEWS t eams.

Fr om ourLehi ghVal l eyUni t ed( L VU)t eam i n201 9t ot her ecentVer mont( UVM)t eam i n 2024, ever ybodywassupercl oseandspental ot oft i meofft hefiel dt oget her .

Whenyoucanbe outt her eont hefiel dwi t hyourbestf r i ends, i t r eal l yt akesal otoft hepr essur eoff, because your eal i z ei t ’ sj ustagameandnomat t ert he r esul tyouwi l l st i l l havet hosecl oser el at i onshi ps whent hefinal whi st l ebl ows.

+HI GHLI GHT Bar r et tandLehi ghVal l eyUni t edwont he 1 9U USYSNat i onalChampi onshi pi n201 9

Fi veyear sbef or eyouwonaNCAANat i onal Champi onshi pwi t hVer mont ,youwonaUS Yout hSoccerNat i onalChampi onshi pwi t h yourLehi ghVal l eyUni t edt eam.How speci alwasi tf oryourt eam t oaddyour namet ot heJamesP.McGui r eCup–t he ol destt r ophyi nyout hspor t ?

Tobeapar tofUSYout hSoccerhi st or y–and especi al l yt heMcGui r eCup–i sver yspeci al t o me.

OurL VUcoach, Mi keGor ni , i sal egendar y coachi nt hePhi l adel phi aar ea.

Leadi ngupt ot heNat i onal Champi onshi pandt hr oughout Nat i onal League, hekeptt el l i ngushowwehadsomet hi ngspeci al andt onott akei tf or gr ant ed.

Ir ememberbef or et hefinal , het ol dust hati tcoul dbet hel astt i mei nourwhol e soccercar eert hatwegett opl ayf oranat i onal champi onshi pandt oj ustgooutt her e andhavenor egr et s.

It hi nkt hatr eal l yr esonat edt hr ought het eam andul t i mat el ydr ove ust ovi ct or y .

Assoonasyoust eppedf ootoncampusatVer mont ,youwer eamai nst ayi nt he st ar t i ngl i neup.How di dcompet i ngatUSYout hSoccerevent sandi nt he Nat i onalLeaguehel ppr epar eyouf ort hat ?

Compet i ngi nUSYout hSoccerevent sl i ket heEl i t eDevel opmentPr ogr am ( EDP)and Nat i onal Leaguehel pedmegetpr epar edf ort hei nt ensi t yofDi vi si onIsoccer .

WhenI st eppedoncampusIwasst i l l apr et t ysmal l ki dcompar edt ot heguysonmyt eam.

What Idi dnotl ackwasspi r i tandment al i t y , whi chi swhatIt hi nkUSYShel pedmewi t ht he most .

Pl ayi ngi nevent sal l acr osst her egi onandcount r yexposedmet oal l di ffer ent

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LATESTNEWS t ypesofpl ayer s, games, andsi t uat i ons.

Pl ayi ngi ni mpor t antgamesagai nstt oppl ayer s f r om t hear eaf or cedmet oel evat emygamei nar easot hert hant echni queandski l l .

I hadt obecomewhatIl i ket ocal l a“ ment al i t ymonst er . ”It hi nkt hatIcar r i edt hatwi t hme i nt ocol l egeandVer mont , whi chi sul t i mat el yoneoft her easonsIwasabl et opl ayso muchasaf r eshmanandbeyond.

Youhadt hegamewi nni ngassi sti nt he2024NCAANat i onalChampi onshi p.

Whatwasgoi ngt hr oughyourmi ndwhi l et hebal lwasi nt heai randt henj ust bef or eMaxi mi l i anKi sselscor ed?

I twasl i ket i mef r oz e.

Ir ememberi tascl earasdayact ual l y .

Ist ol et hebal l andi twas ki ndofr ol l i ngoutofbounds, soIt houghtI ’ dj ustgett oi tandki cki tasf arasIcoul dup t hesi del i ne.

OnceIki ckedi t , Iwasact ual l ysur pr i sedt hat1 )i tact ual l yst ayedi nbounds and2)t hatMaxi mi l i anwast her echasi ngi tdown.

Whenhegotont heendofmypass andwas1on1wi t ht hegoal i e, Iwasf r oz eni nmyshoesandl ookedatever ybodyel seon t hefiel di nt heexactsamesi t uat i onasme.

Thent hebal l wenti nandi twasan i mmedi at er ushofj ustpur eener gy , happi ness, andf eel i ngofl i kewhatj usthappened.

Youwer eat eam capt ai natVer mont .How di dt hatl eader shi pr ol ehel pyou gr ow asaper son?

Bei ngacapt ai natVer monti sar ol et hati sagr eathonort omeandsomet hi ngt hatIdi d nott akel i ght l y .

Tobet hatper sonont het eam t hatdr i vest het eam cul t ur ei saver y i mpor t antr ol e.

Ul t i mat el y , i thel pedmegr owasaper sonf oraf ewr easons.

I ’ dnever r eal l ybeeni nal eader shi pr ol eonanyofmyyout ht eamsbecauseIwasal waysoneof– i fnott he–youngestpl ayer sont het eam.

So, Ial waysj ustputmyheaddownand wor kedhar danddi dn’ tr eal l ysaymuch.

Bei ngacapt ai natVer mont , Il ear nedt hat wasn’ tenough.

Ihadt ohaveachoi ce, butal soopenmysel fupt ol i st en.

It hi nkt hi si s whathashel pedmet hemostasaper son.

Asadef ender ,i t ’ sal waysspeci alt oscor eagoal .Doyouhaveaf avor i t eoft he sevenyouscor edatVer mont ?

Thegoal Iscor edagai nstAl banyi nmyseni oryeari spr obabl ymyf avor i t e.

I twasonmy seni orni ghtgameandwewer et i ed00l at ei nt hesecondhal f .

Wehadacor nerki ck, andt hebal l wasswungi nt ot heboxandIj ustr ememberget t i ngf r eef r om mymar ker andbur yi ngi ti nt hebackoft henet .

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LATESTNEWS I ndi vi dual l y,youhadaf ant ast i ccar eerasa Cat amount .Youear nedmul t i pl eaccol ades –i ncl udi ngAmer i caEastAl l Conf er ence Fi r stTeam,Al l ECACFi r stTeam,and Amer i caEastManoft heYear .Looki ngback ont hatsuccess,i st her eoneawar dt hat st andsoutmor et hant heot her s.

+HI GHLI GHT Ver mont ’ s2024Nat i onalChampi onshi p wast hefir sti npr ogr am hi st or y

Themosti mpor t antawar dt omewasact ual l y t hel astawar dt hatIwoni nmyt i measa Cat amount .

I twast heAmer i caEastManoft he YearAwar d.

Her e’ sabr i efdescr i pt i onofi t :“ The Amer i caEastManoft heYearAwar dr ecogni z es aseni ormal est udent at hl et eexcel l i ngi n academi cs, at hl et i cs, ser vi ce, andl eader shi p. ” Tober ecogni z edf ort hi sawar dwi t hal l t heot her gr eatnomi neesacr ossal l t hespor t si nt he conf er encei sspeci al t ome.

It hi nki t ’ st hemost i mpor t antt omebecausei thast odowi t hmor e t hanj ustwhathappensont hefiel d.

Il oved i mmer si ngmysel fi nt hecommuni t yandbei ngal eaderoncampus, sot ober ecogni z ed f ormyeffor t sofft hefiel daswel l ast hoseont hefiel df el tl i ket heper f ectcul mi nat i ont o mycar eerasaCat amount .

Yousi gnedwi t hHunt svi l l eCi t yFCear l i ert hi syear .How wast hi sseasonf or you?

Ienj oyedmyt i mei nHunt svi l l eandwehadagoodseasonasat eam.

Wequal i fiedf ort he pl ayoffsandwont hefir stpl ayoffgamei ncl ubhi st or y!Formeper sonal l y , Ipl ayedi na t onofgamesandgotgr eatexper i ence.

Iscor edmyfir stpr of essi onal goal agai nstt he NewYor kRedBul l s.

Ial sooffici al l yr esi gnedf ort hecl ubi nOct oberandwi l l ber et ur ni ng f oranot herseason!

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BECOMEAREFEREE Joi nt het hi r dt eam now!

ST ATEASSOCI ATI ON SPOTLI GHT

SFORTDODGESOCCER OWA’ I ON N ACTI ON I SI ON SEESVI ATI ASSOCI +HI GHLI GHT For tDodgecont i nuest obui l d ani ncl usi vecommuni t y

TheFor tDodgeSoccerAssoci at i on( FDSA) cont i nuest omaker emar kabl epr ogr essi n cr eat i ngani ncl usi ve, t hr i vi ngsoccer communi t ywher eever ychi l dhast he oppor t uni t yt opl ay , gr ow, andsucceed.

Behi ndt hescenes, dedi cat edvol unt eer sand l eader swor kt i r el essl yt oconnectwi t hl ocal compani es, findi ngnat ur al syner gybet ween t hecl ub’ smi ssi onandt hel i kemi ndedgoal s ofFor tDodge’ sbusi nesscommuni t y .

“ I t ’ snosecr ett hatyout hspor t scan somet i mesbecomefinanci al l yi naccessi bl e, wi t hr i si ngcost s, f ees, andcl ubmember shi ps cr eat i ngbar r i er sf ormanyf ami l i es, ”sai d Der ekHaugl and, Pr esi dentofFor tDodge SoccerAssoci at i on. “ Thesuppor tofour communi t ybusi nessesandpar t ner shel pskeepourpr ogr am openandaffor dabl ef oral l pl ayer s, whi chi soneofourcor egoal s! ” Par t ner shi pst hatPowerPr ogr ess Formor et hanadecade, CJBi oAmer i cahasbeenacor ner st onepar t nerf orFDSA, hel pi ngpr ovi depl ayerandf aci l i t yequi pment , i ncl udi ngevenaz er ot ur nmowert o mai nt ai nt hecl ub’ sfiel ds.

Thei rcont i nuedi nvest mentr eflect sashar edbel i eft hat suppor t i ngyout hspor t sst r engt hensf ami l i es, bui l dschar act er , andenhancest he communi t yasawhol e.

Thatspi r i tofpar t ner shi pcont i nuest ogr ow.

KOCHNi t r ogenr ecent l yj oi nedt heeffor t , sponsor i ngnewequi pmentbagsf orFDSAcoaches, anexampl eofhowl ocal busi nesses ar est eppi ngupt osuppor tt hosewhodedi cat et hei rt i met oment or i ngyoungat hl et es.

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ST ATEASSOCI ATI ON SPOTLI GHT “ Communi t ypar t ner shi psl i ket heser ai seawar enessofsocceratt hel ocal l evel and pr ovi denecessar yequi pmentt hatal l owust okeepcost sdown, ”sai dMandi eJor di son, Secr et ar yofFor tDodgeSoccerAssoci at i on.

Expandi ngOppor t uni t i esf orEver yPl ayer Thei rcommi t mentt ocol l abor at i onhasal r eadypai doff.

Thel aunchofFor tDodgeGi r l s U1 1Chaos, t hefir stal l gi r l sU1 1t eam i nt hecommuni t y , mar ksanexci t i ngmi l est onei n expandi ngaccessandoppor t uni t yf orl ocal pl ayer s.

Wi t ht hesuppor tofcommuni t y sponsor s, t hecl ubi scover i ngcr i t i cal st ar t upcost ssuchasuni f or ms, t r ai ni nggear , andt our namentent r yf ees.

Thi sensur est hatever ypl ayerhasachancet opar t i ci pat e, r egar dl essoffinanci al backgr ound.

Cont i nui ngt heMi ssi on Thewor kdoesnotst opher e.

FDSAcont i nuest obui l dandnur t ur er el at i onshi psacr oss t her egi on, engagi ngwi t hbusi nessest hatshar ei t spassi onf orempower i ngyoung at hl et esandgi vi ngbackt ot hecommuni t y .

Eachnewpar t ner shi pst r engt henst he cl ub’ sabi l i t yt ocr eat epr ogr amst hatdevel opski l l s, t eamwor k, confidence, anda l i f el ongl ovef orsoccer .

Toget her , wi t ht heongoi ngsuppor tofor gani z at i onsl i keCJBi oAmer i ca, KOCHNi t r ogen, andot hercommuni t ypar t ner s, FDSAi sshapi ngnotj ustbet t ersoccerpl ayer s, butal so st r ongeryoungl eader sf orFor tDodge’ sf ut ur e.

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