Pia Sundhage knew it was a pivotal moment. She didn't quite know how to express that.

Sundhage had just been named as the coach of the U.S. women's national soccer team. Coming to a team that had a turbulent experience in the 2007 World Cup — as the first foreign coach in charge — she knew first impressions were important in her initial meeting with her players.

"They had this look," recalls Sundhage, a veteran player and coach from Sweden, "like they were waiting for something special, I believe. I couldn't find the English words. So I just sang: The times they are a-changing.' "

Not surprisingly, her players, expecting a pep talk or an explanation of a coaching philosophy — anything, perhaps, but the singing of a Bob Dylan song — were a bit stunned.

Most of them, anyway.

"I knew it was coming," says defender Kate Markgraf, who had played for Sundhage in the defunct women's professional league, the WUSA, and knew the coach — who once released an album in her homeland — had a tendency to sing when uncomfortable. "My teammates' jaws were on the floor. They couldn't believe a coach would do that. That's how the meeting ended."

It was also how Sundhage began breaking down barriers on a team with a few to overcome after taking a bronze at the World Cup and enduring a major internal controversy.

"That tells you about who she is, about her confidence in herself," said veteran forward Abby Wambach, "and her ability.

"She is a true leader. You would have figured that out before she finished the last note of the song.

"I had tears in my eyes. ... It was the perfect icebreaker. To me it was the beginning of something special."

At the very least, it's been the beginning of something successful. With a July 5 win over host Sweden, the U.S. women improved to 17-0-1 under Sundhage, with the tie against Canada in an Olympic qualifying game the U.S. won on penalty kicks.

It certainly appears the team is on the rebound from its World Cup disappointment. After a semifinal loss to Brazil, goalie Hope Solo — who had started every previous game — spoke critically about not playing and was ostracized to the point of not being allowed to fly home with her teammates.

Eventually, coach Greg Ryan was ousted, Solo was allowed to return and the players say the issue is behind them — "We worked really hard to get back to a place where the old and new can mix," says Markgraf — and Sundhage may well deserve some credit for that.

"Moving forward is what this year has been about for us," Wambach says. "And when Pia came on, it was the first thing she knew she had to transition to, to get us to be brave and courageous about taking a chance and trying to really with open arms accept the change she was wanting to bring."

Once she stopped singing, change was the priority of the 47-year-old Sundhage (the name is pronounced Soond-HAGH-eh), whose playing career in Sweden included two World Cups and one Olympics, and whose coaching résumé includes stints as head coach of Sweden's national team and an assistant coach for China.

"I need their hearts," says the 47-year-old coach, explaining the need to sell her team on her approach. "I need all the passion you can get in order to make this happen.

Wambach said Sundhage "has brought a really different style to our team, and its brought out personalities that haven't been there in the past. And I think it's just been great to see the performances and the transition this team has gone through. Because it hasn't been easy."

Forward Heather O'Reilly said Sundhage's greatest impact to date "has been an extraordinary meshing of philosophies, because the U.S. has always been about work ethic, competitiveness. She's bringing a little bit more, I'd say, sophistication and thoughtfulness to our team."

While Sundhage felt her English failed her at the moment of that first meeting, for the most part, her communication skills are just fine.

"I don't think the language barrier is a big deal," says O'Reilly. " It's usually just funny and humorous. If she doesn't know quite how to express herself, she'll say, Hmmmm. Interesting.' "