Richard Snowden of Wheeling, Ill., asks: The disbanded U.S. Pro-40 Select team, which formerly competed in the A-League, offered Project-40 players the chance to get professional-level games in cases where they weren’t seeing regular playing time with their MLS clubs. What do MLS and the USSF plan to do in order to ensure that Project-40ers who aren’t seeing sufficient playing time in MLS can still get the pro games and experience they need? Mike Woitalla: For the last three seasons the U.S. Pro-40 Select team participated in the A-League, first under Coach Lothar Osiander and in 2000 under Alfonso Mondelo. The team played all its games on the road, and the players would convene shortly before the match, having spent the week training with their MLS teams. Though the team did ensure that MLS benchwarmers got to play Second Division pro games, it all became too arduous. There was too much travel, too much personnel change and sometimes it was hard for the coach to know if heÆd even have 11 players. Guest players — eg. veterans coming off injury — were often relied upon. In a way, the player shortage was good news, because it meant that many Project-40 players were getting MLS playing time. So this year, Project-40 players not penciled in for playing time will play for their MLS teamsÆ A-League affiliate, which in most cases is the closest A-League team. Moreover, most of the Pro-40 players also get youth national team action, and in the offseason, the Pro-40s generally tour as a team to Europe or South America. Pro-40 players are also placed with foreign teams in the offseason for training stints. The only downside of Project-40 without the Select team in the A-league would be if A-League coaches are reluctant to give playing time to the Pro-40 ôguestsö who donÆt practice with them. I hope the A-League coaches see the big picture and prove accommodating when a Pro-40 player arrives for the weekend. (If you have a question for a Soccer America Magazine editor, click “Ask Our Editors” at the top of the page.)