Looking back at the 2017 Tournament of Nations, I still get chills remembering how our U.S. women's national team prepared for that tournament. The coaching staff's approach was particularly fascinating - I recall one of our assistant coaches explaining their ambitious training plan: "We are trying to get maybe about, if we can, 18 practices together including two-a-day practices. We are hoping to get 18 practices including friendlies before we actually get into the first game proper on August 5th." That intensive preparation period, cramming in 18 sessions with double-day practices, really set the tone for what would become a turning point in our team's development.

The tournament itself unfolded across three thrilling matchdays in early August, featuring the United States, Australia, Brazil, and Japan competing in a round-robin format. What made this tournament particularly memorable for me was witnessing how that grueling preparation translated onto the field. We opened against Australia on July 27th with a 1-0 victory, though honestly, the scoreline didn't reflect how dominant we looked throughout the match. The real fireworks came in our second game against Brazil on July 30th - a spectacular 4-3 victory that had fans on the edge of their seats. Megan Rapinoe's performance that day was simply magical, scoring two crucial goals that showcased why she remains one of the most exciting players to watch in women's soccer.

Our final match against Japan on August 3rd ended in a 3-0 victory, securing the tournament championship for the United States. Looking at the final standings, we finished with 9 points from our three wins, scoring 8 goals while conceding only 3 throughout the competition. Australia placed second with 4 points, followed by Japan with 2 points and Brazil with just 1 point. What many casual observers might not realize is how those 18 practice sessions, including those intense two-a-days, directly contributed to our fitness levels and tactical cohesion during the tournament's crucial moments.

Reflecting on it now, the 2017 Tournament of Nations represented more than just another competition victory - it marked a significant shift in the team's identity and approach. The coaching staff's emphasis on that intensive preparation period, aiming for those 18 sessions including friendlies, demonstrated a commitment to building something special. Personally, I believe this tournament served as a crucial building block for our subsequent World Cup victory in 2019. The way our players maintained their intensity throughout all three matches, especially in that thrilling Brazil game, showed the value of that meticulous preparation. Even now, when I rewatch highlights from that tournament, I can see the foundations of the playing style that would later dominate international women's soccer. The 2017 Tournament of Nations might not get the same attention as World Cup or Olympic victories, but for those of us who followed it closely, it represented something equally important - the moment when preparation met opportunity and created something extraordinary.