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NEWS BRIEFS
Work continues in preparation for soccer tournament
HUNTINGTON — Coordinators and volunteers presented updates on the projects they’re working on at a Tuesday night meeting in preparation for the 2009 U.S. Youth Soccer Region I Championships in July.
About 280 soccer teams from 13 states will compete during the six-day event that begins July 2. Among the states represented are New Jersey, New York, Vermont, Maryland, West Virginia and Delaware.
Games will be played at the Cabell County 4-H camp in Barboursville and the YMCA Kennedy Center on W.Va. 2.
Approximately 4,000 players will compete in the event with an estimated 10,000 parents, coaches and referees accompanying them. This is the first of a two-year agreement to have the tournament in the region, and the economic impact is expected to be about $12 million.
A number of projects were discussed during the Tuesday night meeting at the Huntington Museum of Art.
Here are a few things the group discussed:
- The fields have been re-seeded with a special dwarf grass that was ordered for the fields by tournament officials. The fields will be ready in time for the tournament.
- AT&T 3G service is operational and will provide for wireless capabilities for Internet and phone service.
- Teams will be getting their lodging reservations. Hotels from Charleston to Ashland will be housing the players, parents, coaches and referees. Marshall University will also house a number of participants in the dorms.
- Details for the opening ceremony at Marshall University’s Joan C. Edwards Stadium in Huntington were released. Several activities have been planned for the opening ceremony including a soccer ball juggling contest, a video showing visitors the features of the Tri-State and Marshall, a five-on-five soccer game and music played by the Army National Guard Band.
- The goodie bags will include a tournament program, visitors information, candy, granola bars, an Major League Soccer poster and coupons to local businesses in a canvas bag.
- Volunteers are still needed to help in a number of tournament projects and tasks. Anyone interested in volunteering to help can contact Kheng Yap-McGuire by phone or fax at (304) 525-6042 or by e-mail at khengmcguire@aol.com.
