2025 World Cup Recap & USNT Updates
Training Camp in Brussels, Belgium
Members of the U.S. National Team (USNT) began arriving in Brussels on July 6th ahead of the 2025 IQA World Cup. The team held a weeklong training camp to prepare for the tournament by testing lineups, refining strategy, and building chemistry on and off the field. This would not have been possible without Louis Lermytte and Seppe De Witt’s assistance in securing equipment for the team.
Throughout the week, Head Coach Michael Parada worked closely with Assistant Coach Jackson Johnson and U.S. National Team Development Academy (USNTDA) Assistant Coach Kennedy Murphy to experiment with different lines and partners to find which combination would provide the best chemistry on the field. Unfortunately, Ally Peachey suffered an injury early in the week that sidelined her for the tournament. Despite the injury, Peachey continued to bring positive energy and encouragement to the team.
In the evenings, players and staff gathered for film sessions to analyze plays and collaborate on adjustments to work on in the next practice session. Off the pitch, players bonded over card games, temporary tattoos, hair braiding, and Brussels specialties like gelato, waffles, and fries.
World Cup Performance
USNT opened the IQA World Cup with strong performances on Friday and carried that momentum into Saturday's games. The team went undefeated in pool play (4-0), securing wins over Switzerland, Slovenia, India, and Scotland.
Bracket play began on Saturday evening with a win over Poland in the Round of 32. On Sunday, USNT continued their run by defeating Türkiye and Norway, advancing to the semifinals. There, USNT faced Germany in a tightly contested match and ultimately fell in its first loss of the tournament. The team concluded its tournament run in a hard-fought third-place match against Australia and finished fourth overall at the 2025 IQA World Cup.
Coaching Staff Announcement Updates
Ahead of the tournament, Head Coach Michael Parada informed USNT Coordinator Hanna Reese that he would be stepping down from his position following the conclusion of the World Cup.
Parada has been a cornerstone of the national team program for over a decade, representing Team USA as a player in 2012, 2014, and 2016 before being selected as Head Coach in 2017. As Head Coach, he led the team to gold medals in Florence, Italy (2018) and Richmond, USA (2023).
Assistant Coaches Ethan Sturm and Jackson Johnson are also stepping down from their roles. Sturm joined USNT in 2019 and provided invaluable insights throughout the years. Johnson, who served as a player-coach, offered perspectives on team chemistry on and off the pitch, contributing significantly to the team’s cohesion. Parada worked closely with both coaches to solidify the U.S. as a force to be reckoned with on the international stage.
“While my time with these three coaches was short, I appreciate the experience I was able to have with them. Their support and insight throughout my first year, but especially during my first World Cup, were invaluable and allowed me to grow into my position. I wish them the best with their future endeavors,” said Reese.
US Quadball extends its gratitude to Michael, Ethan, and Jackson for their years of service and leadership to the national team.
Future of the U.S. National Team Program
Over the past three months, the US Quadball board of directors and Interim COO have worked with Reese to formalize and revise U.S. National Team goals and policies. These policies are now available.
Key updates to U.S. National Team and Development Academy programs include player roster eligibility, staff term lengths, and geographic and team affiliation targets for selection. As part of our commitment to growing quadball across the U.S., US Quadball is aiming to strengthen locally rooted programs. While top-tier talent is essential for international success, we believe that teams with many remote or non-practicing talent can hinder recruitment and growth of local programs and the long-term health and sustainability of the sport. These updated policies hope to address that by encouraging players who believe they are of USNT caliber to foster strong local programs.
For those interested in leading US Quadball’s national team programs, National Team Head Coach and Assistant Coach applications will become available in August. Candidates who move on to the interview stage will be contacted with next steps of the selection process.
National Team rosters
After a new coaching staff has been selected, there will be an evaluation of the current USNT standing team in early December. The new coaching staff will also work with USNTDA coaches on the Development Academy program.
*Due to a scheduling conflict, Ethan Sturm was unable to attend the World Cup, but provided insights throughout the World Cup from the US. Kennedy Murphy was asked to temporarily join the USNT coaching staff for the World Cup in Sturm's absence.
Photo Credit: Shirley Lu
