June 24, 2009
Spectacular Opening Ceremony for Youth Soccer Tournament Planned July 2 at MU
Special to Huntingtonnews.net
Huntington, WV (HNN) – The opening ceremony of the U.S. Youth Soccer Region I Championships at Marshall University, organizers say, will be a spectacular event.
For certain, the ceremony on Thursday, July 2 at Marshall University’s Joan C. Edwards Stadium will get off to a “flying” start when three skydivers from the All-American Freefall Team from the U.S. Army’s famed 82nd Airborne Division in Fort Bragg, N.C., parachute onto the stadium turf to deliver a proclamation that will be read by Gov. Joe Manchin.
The skydivers will jump at 3:50 p.m., or 10 minutes before the official 4 p.m. start of the ceremony. Gates open at 2 p.m. and admission is free. Free parking will be available on all Marshall University surface lots and concessions will be open at the stadium. No outside food or drink will be allowed into the stadium.
The ceremony will last nearly two hours and feature an Olympics-style parade of the 5,000 young athletes from 13 states onto the field. They will be joined on the field by hundreds of referees. A torch run by West Virginia’s 1997 Region 1 U-12 soccer champions will conclude the event.
“It will be a terrific ending,” said Moppy Lavery, co-chairman with Diane Shattls of the opening ceremony. “They are the only team from West Virginia to ever win the region in any age group. Just about every boy is coming back from all over the country for the ceremony and we are excited to have them. What they did shows the success we can have in West Virginia. They were the number one team in the country.”
Lavery said soccer fans throughout the Tri-State Area are encouraged not only to attend the ceremony, but also to attend some of the matches that start Friday, July 3 and run through Tuesday, July 7 on 22 fields at the Barboursville Soccer Complex and the Huntington YMCA Scott Orthopedic Soccer Complex.
“It’s going to be so exciting for the city of Huntington,” Lavery said of the opening ceremony. “It will be a very festive occasion. We are trying to make it the best ever. We are going to focus on Huntington and Barboursville and show all the good things about our area and the state of West Virginia and Marshall University.”
The tournament will attract 268 boys and girls teams, with players ages 11-19, from Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont and West Virginia. According to the Cabell-Huntington Convention and Visitors Bureau, an estimated 16,000 parents, coaches and referees will attend the ceremony and the tournament, resulting in an economic impact of more than $12 million.
West Virginia and the West Virginia Soccer Association are hosting the tournament this year and in 2010 as part of the U.S. Youth Soccer National Championship Series. West Virginia Soccer Association President Len Rogers, who chairs the tournament’s local organizing committee, said he expects between 16,000 and 20,000 people to attend the opening ceremony, but “we’d love to fill the stadium.”
“In all my years of doing it, we’ve never had the opening ceremony at a Division I stadium,” Rogers said. “This facility will be the best one we’ve ever had. Marshall’s people have been super to work with and Joan C. Edwards Stadium is top notch. It’s going to be a gorgeous and memorable opening ceremony.”
Pre-opening ceremony activities at the stadium are planned as well. Crossbar competition starts at 3 p.m., a five on five soccer game between mascots starts at 3:25 p.m., and videos featuring Marshall University and the Huntington area will be shown on the video board beginning at 3:42 p.m.
The ceremony begins with greetings from West Virginia Sen. Bob Plymale and Rogers. A flag roll-out follows, with the 249th Army Band of the West Virginia National Guard playing and Randall Reid Smith singing America the Beautiful. Also, the band will play and Smith will sing the National Anthem.
Greetings from Manchin and other local officials, including Marshall University President Stephen J. Kopp, will follow.
In addition to hosting the opening ceremony, Marshall University’s Huntington campus will be used to house an estimated 1,500 people, including players, their families and referees. All four of the Marshall Commons residence halls will be used, along with Buskirk Hall and rooms in Twin Towers East and West not currently occupied by Marshall students.
Breakfast will be served daily throughout the tournament (July 3-7) in the Twin Towers cafeteria and the Harless Dining Hall. Lunch and dinner will be served daily in the Harless Dining Hall.
Players and their families interested in learning more about Marshall University can visit the Gillette Welcome Center from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday and Saturday, July 3-4, or take part in campus tours on both days. No reservation is necessary to take campus tours, which begin on the hour from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Gillette Welcome Center, which is located on the corner of Hal Greer Boulevard and 5th Avenue.
The Marshall Recreation Center will be open for soccer tournament participants on Thursday, July 2 (6 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.) and Monday, July 6 (6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.). All-day passes can be purchased for $6. Further details are available by calling 304-696-4732.
The Marshall University Bookstore also will be open during the tournament. Hours on Thursday and Friday, July 2-3, are 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday, July 4, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The recreation area on the lower level of the Memorial Student Center will have free pool and ping pong for all soccer players, families and other representatives. Eight championship size pool tables, three table tennis tables and a lounge area with a big-screen TV are available from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, July 2-5.
Volunteers are still needed to help with the opening ceremony and various duties throughout the tournament. To volunteer, persons may contact Kheng McGuire at 304-525-6042 or via e-mail at khengmcguire@aol.com.
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Spectacular Opening Ceremony for Youth Soccer Tournament Planned July 2 at MU
Special to Huntingtonnews.net
Huntington, WV (HNN) – The opening ceremony of the U.S. Youth Soccer Region I Championships at Marshall University, organizers say, will be a spectacular event.
For certain, the ceremony on Thursday, July 2 at Marshall University’s Joan C. Edwards Stadium will get off to a “flying” start when three skydivers from the All-American Freefall Team from the U.S. Army’s famed 82nd Airborne Division in Fort Bragg, N.C., parachute onto the stadium turf to deliver a proclamation that will be read by Gov. Joe Manchin.
The skydivers will jump at 3:50 p.m., or 10 minutes before the official 4 p.m. start of the ceremony. Gates open at 2 p.m. and admission is free. Free parking will be available on all Marshall University surface lots and concessions will be open at the stadium. No outside food or drink will be allowed into the stadium.
The ceremony will last nearly two hours and feature an Olympics-style parade of the 5,000 young athletes from 13 states onto the field. They will be joined on the field by hundreds of referees. A torch run by West Virginia’s 1997 Region 1 U-12 soccer champions will conclude the event.
“It will be a terrific ending,” said Moppy Lavery, co-chairman with Diane Shattls of the opening ceremony. “They are the only team from West Virginia to ever win the region in any age group. Just about every boy is coming back from all over the country for the ceremony and we are excited to have them. What they did shows the success we can have in West Virginia. They were the number one team in the country.”
Lavery said soccer fans throughout the Tri-State Area are encouraged not only to attend the ceremony, but also to attend some of the matches that start Friday, July 3 and run through Tuesday, July 7 on 22 fields at the Barboursville Soccer Complex and the Huntington YMCA Scott Orthopedic Soccer Complex.
“It’s going to be so exciting for the city of Huntington,” Lavery said of the opening ceremony. “It will be a very festive occasion. We are trying to make it the best ever. We are going to focus on Huntington and Barboursville and show all the good things about our area and the state of West Virginia and Marshall University.”
The tournament will attract 268 boys and girls teams, with players ages 11-19, from Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont and West Virginia. According to the Cabell-Huntington Convention and Visitors Bureau, an estimated 16,000 parents, coaches and referees will attend the ceremony and the tournament, resulting in an economic impact of more than $12 million.
West Virginia and the West Virginia Soccer Association are hosting the tournament this year and in 2010 as part of the U.S. Youth Soccer National Championship Series. West Virginia Soccer Association President Len Rogers, who chairs the tournament’s local organizing committee, said he expects between 16,000 and 20,000 people to attend the opening ceremony, but “we’d love to fill the stadium.”
“In all my years of doing it, we’ve never had the opening ceremony at a Division I stadium,” Rogers said. “This facility will be the best one we’ve ever had. Marshall’s people have been super to work with and Joan C. Edwards Stadium is top notch. It’s going to be a gorgeous and memorable opening ceremony.”
Pre-opening ceremony activities at the stadium are planned as well. Crossbar competition starts at 3 p.m., a five on five soccer game between mascots starts at 3:25 p.m., and videos featuring Marshall University and the Huntington area will be shown on the video board beginning at 3:42 p.m.
The ceremony begins with greetings from West Virginia Sen. Bob Plymale and Rogers. A flag roll-out follows, with the 249th Army Band of the West Virginia National Guard playing and Randall Reid Smith singing America the Beautiful. Also, the band will play and Smith will sing the National Anthem.
Greetings from Manchin and other local officials, including Marshall University President Stephen J. Kopp, will follow.
In addition to hosting the opening ceremony, Marshall University’s Huntington campus will be used to house an estimated 1,500 people, including players, their families and referees. All four of the Marshall Commons residence halls will be used, along with Buskirk Hall and rooms in Twin Towers East and West not currently occupied by Marshall students.
Breakfast will be served daily throughout the tournament (July 3-7) in the Twin Towers cafeteria and the Harless Dining Hall. Lunch and dinner will be served daily in the Harless Dining Hall.
Players and their families interested in learning more about Marshall University can visit the Gillette Welcome Center from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday and Saturday, July 3-4, or take part in campus tours on both days. No reservation is necessary to take campus tours, which begin on the hour from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Gillette Welcome Center, which is located on the corner of Hal Greer Boulevard and 5th Avenue.
The Marshall Recreation Center will be open for soccer tournament participants on Thursday, July 2 (6 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.) and Monday, July 6 (6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.). All-day passes can be purchased for $6. Further details are available by calling 304-696-4732.
The Marshall University Bookstore also will be open during the tournament. Hours on Thursday and Friday, July 2-3, are 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday, July 4, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The recreation area on the lower level of the Memorial Student Center will have free pool and ping pong for all soccer players, families and other representatives. Eight championship size pool tables, three table tennis tables and a lounge area with a big-screen TV are available from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, July 2-5.
Volunteers are still needed to help with the opening ceremony and various duties throughout the tournament. To volunteer, persons may contact Kheng McGuire at 304-525-6042 or via e-mail at khengmcguire@aol.com.
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