Thousands attend opening ceremonies

HUNTINGTON — The 2009 US Youth Soccer Region I Championships’ opening ceremony was no small deal for the thousands gathered at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards Stadium on Thursday afternoon. 

With rock climbing walls, a mascot soccer game, paratroopers and live music, activities at the stadium took place for hours. Politicians, soccer officials and others spoke at the ceremony, welcoming the many visitors to the region for the first time.

“This is overwhelming. I knew it was going to be big, but I didn’t know how big until I got here,” said Lisa Caya, of Sellersville, Pa.

Caya’s son Daniel, 16, will compete this weekend on the Spirit United Coppa 82 team as part of the tournament. About 280 soccer teams from 13 states will compete in the boys and girls tournaments.

Tammi Cunningham also traveled from Pennsylvania for the championships. Her daughter,

Kayla Cunningham, 14, of Allentown, has been playing soccer for 10 years. Neither have been to West Virginia before.

“We actually just got here so we haven’t seen much of the state, but what I’ve read, it seems like a beautiful state,” she said on Thursday afternoon.

Kayla Cunningham said the family was used to traveling for games, and this trip took seven hours. She looked forward to getting the competition under way.

“I’m excited because we’ve been training really hard. We train all year,” she said.

While the competition officially begins on Friday, one group of 18-year-olds from Farmington, Conn., was anxious even before Thursday’s ceremony.

“It’s our first time here, so we’re pretty excited,” said Jon Creem, a player on the FSA SoccerPlus Football Club.

It took the young men 12 hours to get to Huntington, and many of them, including Terrell Whitting, wanted to know when the pre-tournament festivities would end.

“I’m good. I’m just excited to play. I just want to play,” Whitting said.
While some were used to the championship circuit, others were competing for the first time.

Cortney O’Connell and Izzy Latour, of Bethesda, Md., are first-timers to both Huntington and soccer championships. The girls, 14, are members of the Freedom 94/95 Soccer Club.

“I’m excited. I just joined the team about a year ago. This is the first time I’ve ever been to a tournament,” O’Connell said.

Andi Sullivan, who’s been playing soccer for years, said she looked forward to playing competitive soccer against really good teams.

When asked what the girls were most excited about, the answer was easy and unanimous.
“Winning,” they said.

Many in the region have been working to bring the tournament to West Virginia for some time, and everyone seemed happy on Thursday to see the event come to fruition.

“We have been preparing for this for a number of years and we look forward to the next few days,” said Sen. Bob Plymale, D-Wayne.

Len Rogers, president of the West Virginia Soccer Association, and Gov. Joe Manchin also were pleased.

“Wow. We’re here,” Rogers said. “What an awesome feeling to see all of you people sitting here in the great state of West Virginia.”

Rogers, who’s attended many ceremonies over the years, said he’d never seen an opening ceremony like Thursday’s. The events began with a mascot soccer match and included the 82nd Airborne Division’s All American Free Fall Team parachuting into the stadium to a standing ovation and rousing applause. A large flag also was rolled out and the 249th West Virginia Army National Guard Band performed “America the Beautiful” as led by Chief 1 Officer Thomas Goff.

Manchin said the event was the result of hard work and planning by many people in the region.

“We’ve thought big and we’ve won big because all of you are here today,” he said.

Thomas Balch, 16, is a Huntington High School student and soccer athlete. On Thursday, he and his friends also attended the opening ceremony.

“I think it’s pretty cool,” he said of having the championships in Cabell County. “I think it’ll be a big boost to the economy this year and next year, but I don’t think it’ll turn this into a tourist place.”

Balch said the games were also “a good excuse” for getting area fields back into shape.

Competition begins Friday for Under 12 to Under 19 teams on 16 fields in Barboursville Soccer Complex in Barboursville City Park and six fields in the Scott Orthopedic Soccer Complex at the Huntington YMCA Kennedy Center.

Each team plays three matches in a pool play format Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Semifinal matches are Monday, followed by the championships Tuesday.

The tournament will come back to the region next summer as part of a two-year agreement.