This Issue:

Table of Contents

Cover Story

Cover Story - Spanish Version

Mini-Lesson

Comprehension Quiz

Teacher's Guide and Worksheets

Dream Team

They range in height from 5-ft. 6-in. Dawn Staley to 6-ft. 5-in. Lisa Leslie. They come from the South, the East and the West. They are the Dream Team. They carry America's hopes to win the gold in women's basketball at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.

The women's national team is the first to be formed a year before the Olympics. Past teams did not play together until just before the Games. That may be why the U.S. had to settle for a bronze in 1992. (The former Soviet Union's Unified Team won the gold; China took the silver.)

Since October the players have traveled more than 40,500 miles and played 23 teams. Last week they finished a seven-game tour of Russia. "Being able to stand with one foot in Asia and the other in Europe," said star guard Sheryl Swoopes, "is tied with eating at McDonald's in Moscow as my highlight."

The team's full-court press is paying off--it has a 26-game winning streak. But coach Tara VanDerveer cautions that Olympic victory is not guaranteed: "We're one of the favorites, but any of the top teams could (win a) medal."

While going for the gold, the players have another mission. They want to start building fans for women's professional basketball. Right now, the ball is in their court.

Next: Top 5 Smallest Towns in America