U.S. Soccer averted a potential strike by the veteran U.S. women’s players prior to a national team training camp at UCLA. The labor strife did delay the arrival of the 15 players — including 10 gold-medalists — invited to the camp preceding the Dec. 20 friendly with Ukraine in Fresno, Calif. Unlike two years ago, when a protracted pre-Olympic contract squabble kept nine U.S. players out of national team camp for one month, players were only three days late. “Everything’s been resolved,” U.S. Soccer secretary general Hank Steinbrecher said. “We are about one goal, winning the World Cup. There were certain issues that they felt they would help them.” Those issues, according to Steinbrecher, included the type of housing the team would live in during its pre-Women’s World Cup residency camp in Florida and the “number of massage therapists and massage tables” the women’s team has. “The housing in Florida even in the last two years has escalated,” Steinbrecher said. “Was the stipend adequate for the type of housing we want our women to be living in? That’s what we revisited.” U.S. women’s attorney John Langel said, “If you don’t address issues they become a big deal. When you leave even little issues lying for too long, they become a big deal. So we discussed them so they wouldn’t become a big deal.” As a backup, U.S. coach Tony DiCicco brought 24 other players into camp. Of those, only Portland’s Michelle French had already been called into the residency camp beginning in January. In 1996, Shannon MacMillan was cut prior to the Olympic residency camp but was brought back in during the strike. She ended up as the top U.S. scorer in the Olympics and hit the golden goal that beat Norway in the semifinals. Among the young players in camp are BYU’s Shauna Rohbock, Clemson’s Sheri Bueter and high school juniors Veronica Zepeda and Aleisha Cramer. The following are the 24 players who were called into the U.S. women’s national team camp during labor negotiations: Goalkeepers — Michelle Bertocchi (N.C. State), Laurie Pells (Georgian Court), Saskia Webber (Rutgers). Defenders — Heather Aldama (Santa Clara), Samantha Baggett (Duke), Emmy Barr (Santa Clara), Thori Bryan (N.C. State), Ronnie Fair (Stanford), Dina Padula (Virginia). Midfielders — Justi Baumgardt (Portland), Ann Cook (William & Mary), Aleisha Cramer (Colorado Rush), Amanda Cromwell (Virginia), Michelle French (Portland), Natalie Spilger (Calif. Hotspurs Utd.), Kim Stiles (Portland), Aly Wagner (Santa Clara), Veronica Zepeda (Claremont, Calif. Stars). Forwards — Sheri Bueter (Clemson), Susan Bush (Houston Challenge), Robin Confer (North Carolina), Natalie Neaton (William & Mary), Kim Patrick (Pleasanton, Calif. Storm), Shauna Rohbock (BYU).