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Market Day debuts soccer fundraising at the Warrior Classic By Gerard McLean DAYTON - Market Day is known best for fundraising in schools, but this year, it is branching out into soccer tournaments and clubs. The Warrior Soccer Classic is the first soccer tournament to feature the soccer-specific fund-raiser. "We met at the US Youth Soccer Convention in Pittsburgh," says Carol Maas, co-director for the Classic. "It was an instant marriage of common interest and goals." Mass added that Market Day was a good match for the 24,000 plus participants of the annual soccer tournament. According to Kristine Holtz, 40, president and CEO for Market Day, the fundraising organization was founded in the early 1970s by Trudy Temple in response to her daughter's request for a cake for the school bake sale. Instead, Temple brought cases of fresh produce and soon found herself being asked to do the same for more schools. "The soccer tournament fund-raising concept is just an extension of what Market Day already does well," Holtz added. "We're excited to partner with the Classic to introduce the concept to soccer." The Warrior Soccer Classic is held every year over Memorial Day Weekend in Dayton, Oh. at Thomas Cloud Park, Oakwood Old River, Ankeney Complex and the Vandalia Soccer Fields. The Classic is hosting over 525 teams in forty-three divisions; boys, girls and amateur men and women, under 8-19. Nine hundred nine games will be played over the three-day weekend. For more information on the Warrior Classic or Market Day, visit the tournament Web site at www.warriorclassic.com. PHOTO: Maas demonstrates the Market Day product line available to teams during the Warrior Classic. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2008-05-05 18:42:12 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

MASC declares girls champions By Gerard McLean FAIRFIELD - According to its Web site, the 2008 MidAmerican Soccer Classic (MASC) declared the following teams champions within their divisions for the girls weekend. GU09Bronze, GPSA Breakers 99A; GU09Copper, GSSA Sycamore United; GU09Gold, Warren County Blue; GU09Silver, Classics hammer FC; GU10Bronze, Westside Premier 97-98; GU10Copper, WC Silver Attack Pack; GU10Gold, Michigan Burn 98 Sikorski; GU10Red, WV Chaos-Fox; GU10Silver, Pride S.C. Maroon; GU11Gold, Eagles SC, Lady Eagles '96; GU11Bronze, Loveland Chargers Orange; GU11Copper, Worthington United Silver; GU11Red, FOSC Swarm White; GU11Silver, NK United Lady Cobras; GU12-8v8Bronze, 1996 WV Chaos Girls; GU12-8v8Silver, Westlake Rockers; GU12Bronze, Sycamore United Gold; Gu12 Copper, Stingers; GU12Gold, LUSC Premier; GU12Silver, NWC Alliance G95 Black; GU13Bronze, Cincinnati Futbol Academy Gold; GU13Copper, NK United Flames; GU13Gold, Greater Toledo Futbol Club; GU13Red Canton Celtic 95 White; GU13Silver, Cutters 95; GU14Bronze, NK United Crush; GU14Copper, Sycamore Arsenal; GU14Gold, Central Ky Lightening; GU14Silver, BSC Cobras; GU15Bronze, WC United Blue; Gu15Gold, WV Chaos Elite; GU15Silver, Ohio Galaxies FC 92 Elite Girls; GU16Bronze, CJ United Crossfire, GU16Gold, North London Flash U15 Girls, GU16Silver MTSC Thunder, GU17Bronze, Loveland Chargers U16; GU17Gold, Commonwealth Soccer Club, U17; GU17Silver, St Catharines Jets; GU19Gold, London Supernova; GU19Silver, CWSC United For complete information on the MASC soccer tournament, including real-time scores, standings and photos, visit the Web site at www.masctournament.com. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2008-04-15 12:42:12 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

Soccer moms and dads arm themselves with cameras in hunt for precious memories By Ann Abell FAIRFIELD - Armed with cameras trained at soccer players on the field of competition, Corinne Vespie and her crew of soccer moms and dads are on a mission to capture as many photos as possible of the teams at this year's Mid American Soccer Classic (MASC). "I've had over twenty responses from boys teams and over forty responses for girls teams to be photographed," states Vespie excitedly. "I'm sure we'll get more as the tournament progresses." All the proceeds from the sale of the photos will be given to the Fairfield Optimist Soccer Club (FOSC) Girls U16 Thunder. Joining Vespie in the fund-raising endeavor are other soccer moms and dads that she recruited; Lorinda Ottaway, Vickie Gump and Shawn Starkey. Vespie is a part-time professional photographer and hopes to turn this opportunity into a full-time profession. "All of the photographers have girls who play for FOSC," Vespie explains. The photos will be available through Picture Perfect Studio's Web site, linked from the MASC tournament Web site. For complete information about the 2008 MASC soccer tournament, including real-time scores, standing and photos taken by Vespie and her crew, visit www.masctournament.com. PHOTO (Contributed by Corinne Vespie) A game photograph available for purchase of the MASC boys weekend. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2008-04-11 19:42:12 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

MASC declares boys champions By Gerard McLean FAIRFIELD - According to its Web site, the 2008 MidAmerican Soccer Classic (MASC) declared the following teams champions within their divisions for the boys weekend. BU08Gold, WC United B99 Red; BU09Bronze, Canton Celtic 99 White; BU09Copper, Cesa FC; BU09Gold, Sycamore Arsenal - Black; BU09Silver, WASA Eagles Wings; BU10Bronze, U-10 Ohio Elite Soccer Academy Gold; BU10Copper, Hilliard FC Nitro; BU10Gold, KASC Elite 97; BU10Silver, Team Ohio FC Arsenal; BU11Gold, Warren County United United Blue B96; BU11Silver, Michigan Rush Swoosh; BU12-8v8, Michigan Rush Swoosh; BU12Bronze, CFC Fury; BU12Copper, LUSC Firehawks Black; BU12Gold, WC United Blue 95; BU12Silver, Magic White 96; BU13Bronze, Warrior 94; BU13Copper, WASA Global Red; BU13Gold, Team Ohio FC Sparta; BU13Silver, FOSC Storm; BU14Bronze, FOSC Force U-14 Boys; BU14Copper, Toledo Football Academy; BU14Gold, Toledo Football Academy U14 Premier; BU14Silver, Cincinnati United Premier White; BU15Bronze, MTSC Storm; BU15Copper, Toledo Football Academy; BU15Gold, Lakota Eagles; BU15Silver, Michigan Rush Nike; BU16Bronze, Toledo Football Academy U16 Premier; BU16Copper, SKY FC 92; BU16Gold, CESA FC U-16; BU16Silver, Livonia Meteors; BU17Bronze, Team Ohio FC Black; BU17Gold, FOSC Blitz; BU17Silver, CUP 91 White; BU19Gold, FOSC KRUE and BU19Silver, FOSC United. The girls teams play this coming weekend at the same locations in Fairfield, Oh. For complete information on the MASC soccer tournament, including real-time scores, standings and photos, visit the Web site at www.masctournament.com. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2008-04-08 17:42:12 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

Referees make good call on banana bread By Ann Abell FAIRFIELD - It is rare that a soccer referee gets everyone to agree on a call, but when it comes to Steve Frechling's banana bread, the opinions are unanimous. This bread is good. Frechling started baking banana bread about 11 years ago when he suddenly found a lot a time on his hands after his son finished playing travel hockey. He had a steady supply of bananas from his employer, time and a desire to try something new. A menu of banana breads that include such flavors as white chocolate, chocolate chip, peanut butter, walnut and plain banana was born. He started to bring the extra loaves to the referee tents and quickly found himself a fan following. "This has grown into a small cottage industry," Frechling says. "Referees seem to like it and now expect it at soccer tournament where I referee." In addition to refereeing league games and tournaments, Frechling also assigns referees for the MASC, PRF and helps out with other tournaments across southwestern Ohio. This weekend and next, he and his banana bread will be at the referee tents in ample supply at the MASC tournament, in Fairfield, Oh. For complete information at this year's MASC, please visit the Web site at www.masctournament.com PHOTO: Harry Bourne and Dan Craycraft, both referees at the 2008 MASC soccer tournament, take a moment between games to chat and enjoy Frechling's banana bread with coffee. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2008-04-05 17:42:12 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

MASC hosts soccer teams from seven states and Canada By Gerard McLean FAIRFIELD - This weekend, the Mid-American Soccer Classic (MASC) will host 262 boys teams from seven states, including Canada. The teams are traveling from Indiana, Ohio (North and South), West Virginia, Michigan, Kentucky, Illinois and Pennsylvania. Six of the boys teams are from Canada, with twenty-one teams total from Canada. A total of 430 games over Saturday and Sunday will be played at Optimist Park, Joyce Park and Applecreek Fields in Fairfield. The girls play at the same venues next weekend, April 12-13. Some teams had expressed some concern about the weather, but according to Mike Hessling, the tournament schedule coordinator, the fields are in playable condition and he expects the rain to hold. "We'll just move things around if we need to," Hessling chimed. "No big deal." The total number of teams for both weekends is 577 with a grand total of 950 games. "That's also a lot of referees," says John Kingham, one of the three referee assignors tasked with finding and scheduling referees. "We just take it in stride, the weather and all the activity. That's just soccer." For all the game action as it unfolds throughout both weekends, visit the MASC Web site at www.masctournament.com. PHOTO: Game action from the 2007 MASC girls weekend. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2008-04-04 20:02:12 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

Champions declared for the 11th annual Middletown Spring Blast By Gerard McLean MIDDLETOWN - According to its Web site, the 2008 Middletown Spring Blast declared the following teams champions within their divisions. BU09BLUE, Warren County B98 Black; BU09RED, BSA Celtic Premier 98; BU10BLUE, Team Challenger FC; BU10RED, Flash U10 Boys; BU11BLUE, CJ United Cyclones; BU13, PASA Flash Elite U13 Boys; BU14, North United Warriors; BU15, Warrior 92 Black; BU16, Hoosier FC Orange; BU16/17, Sycamore Arsenal; BU18/19, North United 90; G11BLUE, LUSC Courage White; GU08, Warren County United Blue; GU09BLUE, Middletown Mustangs; GU09RED, PASA U9 Girls Purple; GU10BLUE, Cardinals Gold B; GU10RED, PASA U10 Girls Purple; GU10WHITE, Lady Warrior 97 White; GU11RED, Lady Warriors 96 Black; GU12BLUE, FC Phoenix; GU12RED, Miami Valley Rangers 95; GU13BLUE, FC Phoenix; GU13RED, Lady Trojans '94; GU14BLUE, NKSL Lightning Bolts; GU14RED, WC United White; GU15, North United Heat and GU16, North United Lightning. For all the game scores, standings and fan-contributed photos, check out the Web site at www.middletownspringblast.com. PHOTO: (Contributed by Michelle Alexander) GU16 Westfield Storm and Lady Wolfpack battle for possession during their first game Sat, Mar 29, 2008 4:45pm at Smith Park. The game ended 0-0. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2008-03-31 18:22:12 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

Pennsylvania soccer teams find a home in Middletown for the weekend. By Ann Abell MIDDLETOWN - Whistles echoed sharply through the chilly air from all four corners of Smith Park at 8:00am this morning, signaling the start of the eleventh annual Middletown Spring Blast. Teams from across the Midwest converged at the Spring Blast to compete for a champion trophy. Among the hopeful teams is the girls U12 North United Blitz from Pittsburgh, Pa. "Ohio is known for good soccer tournaments," said Ryanne Palermo, head coach of the Blitz. This year is Palermo's first time bringing her team to the Spring Blast, and she has high expectations. "The Spring Blast came highly recommended by other teams in our club that have played here in previous years." The North United Blitz is one of eleven teams from the North United Classic Soccer Club. In all, 199 teams from six states are competing for thirty champion and finalist trophies in age-based divisions, ranging from U8 through U19. Fourteen teams are from Pennsylvania. "We're the first tournament that a lot of teams attend to kick off their spring season," says Kathy Stites, tournament director for the Spring Blast. "We make sure they all have a good time, go home and tell all their club teams about our tournament." The 2008 Middletown Spring Blast is held Sat-Sun, March 29-30, with games from 8:00am to 5:00pm. Championship games are held on Sunday starting at 1:00pm. To follow the North United Blitz and all the teams with real-time scores and photos contributed by fans, tune into www.middletownspringblast.com. PHOTO: Members of the North United Blitz rally before their first game on Sat. The Blitz plays at 9:15am and 2:15pm on Sat and again at 8:00am on Sun. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2008-03-29 08:22:12 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

Middletown ready for Spring Blast By Gerard McLean MIDDLETOWN - After almost a foot of snow, rain, cold and what seems to be a very long winter, Middletown is ready for a spring blast; the Middletown Spring Blast soccer tournament. The Spring Blast has become the traditional sign of spring for the soccer community in the Miami Valley and this year's weather news is causing some anxiety among the guest teams. "We're wet, but not flooded," Kathy Stites, tournament director, writes back to one of her guest teams who is concerned about the effects of the recent rapid melting of snow, followed by rain. The Middletown Spring Blast will be held at Smith Park and Franklin Park this year. An estimated 7,200 attendees from 199 teams will all be in town over the weekend of March 29-30, generating an estimated $1.8million economic impact for the City of Middletown and southern Dayton. "Easter and spring break came at us this year," Stites added. "We're a little down in numbers from last year, but not by much." Stites added that the Spring Blast has become an annual tradition for a lot of teams. The Spring Blast attracted teams from six states this year - Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Kentucky and West Virginia - to fill its roster of 330 games. Teams from under 8 through under 9 in both boys and girls will be competing for trophies in thirty divisions. For more information about the Middletown Spring Blast, including real-time scores, standings and fan-contributed photos as the game progress thoughout the weekend, visit the web site at www.middletownspringblast.com. PHOTO: (contributed) Players from the Lady Skyhawks 97 and Hurricanes compete for possession of the ball during last year's Blast. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2008-03-10 05:09:01 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

Soccer tournaments weathering economy just fine By Dan Snowden DAYTON - Despite the credit crunch, foreclosure rate and unemployment news, soccer tournaments appear to be doing just fine. According to TourneyCentral, applications for spring tournaments are up an average of thirty-seven percent over this time last year. "We're seeing an increase in most of our spring soccer tournaments across the board," says Gerard McLean, president of Rivershark, Inc., parent company of TourneyCentral. TourneyCentral provides management software and solutions to soccer tournaments throughout the United States and Canada, including twenty events in the Greater Dayton Area. "With the increasing price of gas, we were expecting a down year," says McLean. "We are still cautiously optimistic about concessions sales at the actual event per capita, however," adds McLean. According to Carol Maas, tournament director for the Warrior Classic held during Memorial Day weekend in Dayton, people are looking for a quality entertainment and competition value. The Warrior Classic is in its twenty-second year and is up about forty-two percent in applications over this time last year. "I know I'll have to turn away teams because we simply don't have enough fields," Maas added. "That is the hardest part of being successful." Maas typically attracts close to 500 teams into the Miami Valley, with an economic impact of over $5 million. The official kick-off of league soccer season in the Miami Valley is Sat, March 15. The tournament season follows soon after the next weekend with the Middletown Spring Blast. For more information on soccer tournaments in the Miami Valley, visit www.tourneycentral.com/events.html. PHOTO: From the 2007 MeadCup tournament B118v8Gold CUSA Courage 96 Premier (0) vs. Hilliard FC Raptors (5) at Sun, Sep 02, 2007 5:30 PM on field NCR06. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2008-03-10 05:09:01 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

Local soccer tournament attracting record number of applications By Gerard McLean FAIRFIELD - With talk of the economy on the skids and gas prices through the roof, conventional wisdom says that travel soccer tournaments should also be affected negatively with lower than average applications. But don't tell that to Ann Yungbluth, tournament director for the Mid-American Soccer Classic (MASC) in Fairfield, Oh. "We have increased the number of teams in the tournament every year for the past 3 years and still have to turn away teams," claims Yungbluth. "To me, that is the toughest part. I agonize, check and recheck brackets, and try to find space to take a few more teams." This year, the MASC has attracted over 600 applications from soccer teams throughout the Midwest. With over thirty soccer tournaments each spring in southern Ohio and well over 250 nationwide, according to TICOScore.com, the MASC has some serious competition. When asked how the MASC remains successful, Yungbluth replies, "MASC committee members spend hundreds of hours making things easy and comfortable for our guests and it seems to work. Maybe that is one of the keys to success; having the right people in the right place to make things happen." This year is Yungbluth's first year without her right-hand man and soccer expert, Ron Smith. Smith suffered a fatal heart attack just weeks before last year's tournament. Yungbluth says that Smith was her inspiration and support for trying new things. This year's MASC will be held over two weekends, April 5-6 and April 12-13. It is the twenty-third year for the annual MASC soccer tournament. For full information on the MASC, including all the competing teams, scores and contributed photos from fans, visit the web site at www.masctournament.com. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2008-02-22 05:09:01 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

TourneyCentral serves up sweet deal with the 'Ace of Cakes' By Ann Abell BALTIMORE - Pass by the TourneyCentral booth at the 2008 National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) convention and you would most likely do a double take at the huge soccer ball cake on display. "The conference was in Baltimore this year," says Gerard McLean, president of Rivershark, Inc., the parent company of TourneyCentral.com. "We're such huge fans of the show 'Ace of Cakes' that is was a no-brainer to get a cake." The cake was made by the 'Ace' bakers of Charm City Cakes, based in Baltimore, Md. Duff Goldman and his crew are the stars of the Food Network's popular show, 'The Ace of Cakes.' McLean added that he usually tries to bring local flavor to his booth by supporting local businesses at the NSCAA. In addition to purchasing a cake from Charm City Cakes, McLean raffled off the cake, with the hope that the winner would donate the cake. The winner of the cake, Mark Serdjenian, the head coach of the men's soccer program at Colby College in Maine, did not disappoint. The cake was donated in Serdjenian's name to the Ronald McDonald House of Baltimore. "The Ronald McDonald House children thoroughly enjoyed the delicious cake," said Joshua Harden, manager of volunteer services at the house. In addition, two local soccer tournaments, the Mead Cup and the Warrior Classic also exhibited at the NSCAA. For more information about the NSCAA show, including a photo gallery of the soccer cake, visit www.tourneycentral.com/nscaa. PHOTO (contributed) A Ronald McDonald resident savors the cake with a plate ready for his slice. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2008-01-29 05:09:01 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

Local organizations a hit at the NSCAA in Baltimore By Ann Abell DAYTON - Two local tournaments are a hit at this year's National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Conference in Baltimore this weekend. The adidas Warrior Soccer Classic and the Mead Cup soccer tournament were both represented at the exhibition. "The NSCAA represents some of the finest soccer at all levels," says Carol Maas, co-director of the Warrior Classic. "Having the privilege of recently serving on the Montgomery County Sports Authority Task Force Committee, I have an increased awareness of the benefits of bringing sporting events to Dayton and the enhancement of the events we already host." Both tournaments are looking to attract competitive soccer teams from the East Coast, a large part of this year's attendees according to the NSCAA. In addition to the local tournament exhibiting, TourneyCentral - a local soccer tournament management company based in Englewood - presented a workshop yesterday on hyper-localism media and the soccer community. TourneyCentral provides the web-based management tools for both tournament events, as well as twenty-four additional soccer tournaments around the Dayton metro area. Other local organizations represented at the exhibition are the Dayton Marriott (Dayton) and One Call Now (Troy). For more information about the Warrior Classic and the Mead Cup, visit the tournament calendar at www.daytondailynews.com/soccer. Donna Michael (left) with the Dayton Montgomery County Convention and Visitor's Bureau, discusses the Warrior Classic hotel system with Hank Maas. Maas schedules over 450 teams, playing at four venues for the Warrior Classic held on Memorial Day weekend in Dayton. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2008-01-19 05:09:01 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

Teen volunteer works Mead Cup booth at the 2008 NSCAA By Gerard McLean DAYTON - For years, Laura Shields, 19, has watched her parents, Rick and Nancy Shields dash off to work the Mead Cup exhibit booth at the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) while she sat at home. This year, because of some unplanned manpower shortage for the booth, she had a chance to volunteer for the booth, meeting and greeting fellow soccer colleagues. And she jumped at it. "I've always wanted to come and volunteer to work the booth," Shields says. "It seemed like just a lot of fun." A student at Capital University in Columbus, Shields has not been disappointed as she connects with old friends and meets new one. The NSCAA Convention runs from Wed. Jan. 6 through Sat. Jan 19 in Baltimore, Md. and host over 7,000 soccer coaches, administrators and enthusiasts. For more information on the annual Mead Cup soccer tournament, held each Labor Day weekend in Dayton and Beavercreek, log onto the Web site at www.meadcupsoccer.com. PHOTO: Laura (right) and Nancy Shields talk soccer with Patrick Ferguson, head coach of the women's soccer program at Wright State University. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2008-01-18 05:09:01 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

Soccer tournament directors from southwest Ohio gather for annual meeting By Gerard McLean DAYTON - This past Saturday, almost fifty soccer tournament directors from the Ohio South Youth Soccer Association (OSYSA) gathered for their annual meeting at the Dayton Marriott. Carol Maas, the OSYSA tournament registrar, led a feature-packed meeting that included presentations by Ray Marcano with Cox Ohio Publishing, Zachary Blaine with Athletes in Action and Dante Washington and Mark Santel with Major League Soccer. "We have quality tournaments by design," claims Jim Martella, executive director for the OSYSA. "Meetings like this where we get the tournament directors together to share ideas is one of the segments of that goal." Martella is also the Chairman of the US Youth Soccer National Champion Committee. The OSYSA hosts soccer tournaments in the Dayton, Cincinnati and Columbus areas, servicing over an estimated 200,000 soccer players and their families each year, according to statistics provided by TourneyCentral. About thirty percent of all players in the tournaments travel in from other states. "This is a great way for the directors to get together and start off the soccer season on a positive note," says Maas. Maas is no stranger to the soccer tournament market as she is also the co-director of the adidas Warrior Soccer Classic, held over Memorial Day weekend. For more information on OSYSA, visit the web site at www.osysa.com. PHOTO: Jim Martella addresses the OSYSA tournament directors at the annual soccer tournament directors' meeting held at the Dayton Marriott, Sat., Jan 5, 2008. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2008-01-05 13:09:01 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

Road led to Rome for Rockers By Gerard McLean WEST CARROLLTON - The road led directly to Rome, GA for one local soccer team this past weekend. The Southstars Rockers, based in West Carrollton, participated in the Girls 19 division at the Sport Source Junior-Senior Showcase. The girls ended up with a 1-0-2 record at the end of the weekend. "The showcase was a great venue to get the girls playing together for the start of our upcoming season," said John McVey, head coach of the Rockers. "There were a lot of college coaches here and a good experience for my younger, uncommitted players." The showcase was hosted by The Sport Source, a publisher of college guides for student-athletes looking to play sports at the college level. For more information about the Sport Source Junior-Senior Showcase including scores and standings for all the participating teams, visit the web site at www.tssromeshowcasecombine.com. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2007-12-18 07:22:01 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

Local teams finish as finalist at the Veterans Invitational By Gerard McLean EVANSVILLE - Two local-area teams emerged as finalists from the 2007 Veterans Invitational (VIT), held the past two weekends in Evansville, Ind. The two trophy teams are Boys17, Metro FC B90 White and Boys16, Sycamore Arsenal. The VIT hosted over 250 teams per weekend and attracted talented teams from Illinois, Missouri, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and several other surrounding states. "The VIT has become a popular tournament for club teams finishing their Fall season," said Debbie Tucker, tournament director. "We're also a popular choice for high school-aged teams just finishing their season. We're at the perfect time of the year and the perfect weather." Both weekend offered mild weather for the soccer teams with no rain or frost. The teams from the local area that participated in the VIT are: Boys09, CUSA Courage; Boys11, Warrior 96 Red; Boys14, Cincinnati Futbol Academy; Boys15, Thunder United Metro FC; Boys16, Star Magic; Boys16, Sycamore Arsenal; Boys16, Warriors '91 Red; Boys16, Warriors 91; Boys17, KASC Thunder Premier; Boys17, Metro FC B90 White; Boys17, NUSA Fire; Boys17, Warrior SC 90; Boys17, Warrior SC Novas; Boys18, Dayton Warriors; Boys19, Warrior SC United 89; Girls13, Lady Warrior 95; Girls14, Metro FC White; Girls16, DSA Blue; Girls16, ISC Storm 91; Girls16, Lady Warriors 91 Black and Girls17, Warren County Cyclones. For complete scores, standings and contributed photos, visit the Veterans Invitational Web site at www.veteransinvitational.com. PHOTO (contributed) The Girls Evanville Elite 99 team welcomes the 400+ teams to the 2007 Veterans Invitational, held in Evansville, Ind. mid-November each year. The Evansville team won all three of their scheduled games. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2007-11-23 13:41:01 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

CVB honors local ambassadors By Gerard McLean MORAINE - Soccer was well-represented at the annual Dayton/Montgomery County Convention & Visitors Bureau Ambassador Breakfast this year, held at the Mandalay Banquet Center in Dayton. Approximately 260 people were in attendance, including hospitality partners such as hoteliers, attraction operators, event planners and sporting event directors including the Warrior Classic, Creek Classic and the Mead Cup. TourneyCentral was also present as an event sponsor. "The Ambassador Awards Breakfast gives the Dayton/Montgomery County Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) and the community an opportunity to publicly say 'thank you' to the many meeting planners who select Dayton/Montgomery County over other cities as the site for their convention or special event," says Jacqueyln Powell, President/CEO of the Dayton/Montgomery County Convention & Visitors Bureau. The CVB presents leather flight jackets from Dayton, the Birthplace of Aviation as ambassador awards to a select group of honorees each year who bring their event to the Greater Dayton Area. This year's winners were Matt Anderson of the Ohio District Council of the Assemblies of God - Youth Department of Fine Arts; Chris Cree, National Scrabble Association Players Championship; Wendee Debusk, National Warbird Operator Conference; Jeffrey Elmore, Alph Phi Alpha Fraternity; Jeff Hills, Cincinnati Flames Baseball Tournament; Susan Monnin, Monster's Making It Count National Speaker Training and Thomas Ritchie, Ohio American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees Convention. Nearly 130 Ambassador Award flight jackets have been awarded since the first breakfast in 1992. PHOTO (contributed by Aulay Carlson, Ambient Light Photography, Inc.) Dale Huffman, columnist for the Dayton Daily News, introduces the Ambassador Awards recipients during the 2007 Dayton/Montgomery County Convention and Visitors Bureau Ambassador Breakfast. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2007-11-08 16:14:01 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

Mead Cup supports TOPSoccer By Gerard McLean CENTERVILLE - TOPSoccer (The Outreach Program for Soccer) is $1,500 richer this year thanks to the success of the annual Mead Cup Soccer Tournament, hosted by the CUSA Soccer Club each Labor Day Weekend at sites throughout the Dayton area. At the conclusion of the tournament, the Mead Cup presented a check to the local TOPSoccer program. "We've enjoyed a partnership with TOPSoccer for years," says Dan Monahan, Mead Cup tournament director. "It is rewarding experience for both the CUSA Courage players and the TOPSoccer athletes." According to Monahan, the Mead Cup Soccer Tournament is considered one of the largest and most competitive youth tournament in the country, drawing teams from fourteen states and Canada. This year, the Mead Cup hosted 450 teams between the ages of U8 through U14. TOPSoccer is a national program created to train young soccer athletes five through fourteen years-old with disabilities, within a coaching environment. Organizations like the Mead Cup, US Youth Soccer and local volunteers make the program possible in areas like Centerville. For more information about the Mead Cup Soccer tournament or TOPSoccer visit the web sites at www.meadcupsoccer.com and www.usyouthsoccer.org. Photo (contributed) Dan Monahan, tournament director for the Mead Cup Soccer Tournament, presents a check to Sherry King with TOPSoccer. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2007-10-29 08:14:23 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

Champions declared for the fourth annual Go-o-o-oalrilla Classic By Gerard McLean FAIRFIELD - According to its Web site, the 2007 Go-o-o-oalrilla Classic declared the following teams champions within their division. BU09BLACK, Musa 99 Gold; BU09RED, Cincinnati West Panther Pride; BU09WHITE, CFA Thunder; BU106v6RED, BSA Celtics Blue; BU108v8RED, United Boys 97; BU11RED, Gunners F.C.; BU12RED, LUSC Firehawks Red; BU12WHITE, Cincinnati West Rowdies; BU13RED, Cincinnati West Rage Black; BU13WHITE, NK United U13B Blue; BU14RED, River Plate; BU14WHITE, NWC Alliance White; GU09BLACK, Greene County Cosmos; GU09RED, Cincinnati West Bulldogs; GU09WHITE, Cincinnati West Cobras; GU10BLACK, U-10 Ohio Elite Soccer Academy Navy; GU10RED, Cincinnati West Force; GU10RED8v8, CFA u10 white; GU10WHITE, Classics Hammer U10 G Royal; GU11BLACK, WV Chaos U11G; GU11RED, Girls Black 96; GU11WHITE, Cincinnati West Cobras; GU12BLACK, Northwestern Lady Warriors; GU12RED, BSA Celtic Premier; GU12WHITE, KASC 95 ELITE; GU13RED, Cincinnati West Flames; GU13WHITE, FC Pride White Lions; GU14RED, Cincinnati West Intensity and GU14WHITE, KFC Mavericks. For more information about the tournament, including real-time scores and schedules, visit the Web site at www.go-o-o-oalrillaclassic.com. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2007-10-22 10:22:00 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

Goalrilla Classic set to kick off this weekend By Gerard McLean FAIRFIELD - This weekend, 198 teams from Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Indiana and West Virginia will converge on Northern Cincinnati for the fourth annual Go-o-o-oalrilla Classic, presented by Jungle Jim's. "We had to expand to two sites this year," say Michael Theetge, tournament director. "There has just been so much demand and we're hosting 198 teams, up from 124 last year." The Go-o-o-oalrilla Classic will be played at Miami Whitewater and Joyce Park. According to its Web site, the Go-o-o-oalrilla Classic is a tournament designed to give all participating teams the most fun and the best opportunity for good competition in an atmosphere which is user-friendly for all. The team registration will take place at the Jungle Jim's Oscar Event Center, located above the eclectic grocery store on Frida night. Jungle Jim's was voted "America's Best Restroom" in a recent national contest. For more information about the tournament, including real-time scores and schedules, visit the Web site at www.go-o-o-oalrillaclassic.com. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2007-10-18 13:22:00 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

Champions declared for the 2007 HiFive CincyChallenge By Gerard McLean LEBANON - According to its Web site, the 2007 HiFive CincyChallenge declared the following teams champions within their divisions. BU09Blue, Sycamore Arsenal Black; BU09White, Elite FC u9 boys; BU10Blue, WC United B97 Blue; BU10Red, LUSC Cheetahs; BU10White, WC United B97 White; BU11Blue, Lakota United Fusion; BU11White, WC United B96 Red; BU12Blue, WC United B95 Blue; BU13Blue, Cincinnati Classics Hammer FC; BU13Red, WC United B94 White; BU13White, LUSC - Fire; BU14Blue, Cincinnati Classics; GU09Blue, GSE Cardinal U9 Premier; GU09Red, WC United G99 Blue (U8); GU09White, WC United G98 Silver; GU10Blue, WC United G97 Blue; GU10Red, Middletown Flames; GU10White, GFC Arsenal Blue; GU11Blue, WC United G96 Blue; GU11White, Ohio Elite SA - Gold; GU12Blue, WC United G95 Blue; GU12White, WC United G95 White; GU13Blue, WC United G94 Blue; GU13Red, Cinti West Wildfire (U12); GU13White, Ohio Elite SA - Academy; GU14Blue, CUP/Sycamore; GU14Red, Palatine Celtic Premier and GU14White, CKSC Lightning. For scores of all the games and photos from fans, visit the Web site at at www.cincychallenge.com. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2007-10-15 09:00:00 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

Girl's soccer team from southwest Michigan dreams big. By Kim Richardson LEBANON - The Paw Paw/Mattawan area in southwest Michigan is an area known for its vast vineyards and blueberry fields, where small communities join together to produce top products for the world market. This weekend, these communities exported a soccer team to the HiFive CincyChallenge; the U-10 Red Arrow Daredevils. These eleven girls hail from five different towns and joined together last year under the leadership of Coach John Conner and Assistant Coach Dalynne Adams. The girls bonded quickly, both on and off the field. They started attending practices and games and quickly advanced to birthday parties and sleep-overs. As their off-field friendships grew, so did their on-field accomplishments. To date the girls have shared in the following achievements: 1st at Halloween Classic, Fisher, Ind; 2nd at Alliance FC Spring Invite, MI; 1st at Portage Soccer Classic, Portage, MI; 1st at River City Classic, Lowell, MI. They hope to walk away with a similar accomplishment at the CincyChallenge this weekend. Last June, the girls had an opportunity to spend an afternoon with their hometown hero, Lindsey Tarpley, a Women's US Soccer National Team striker. Tarpley was named "Player of the Match" after the USA 4-0 win over Findland at the 2007 Women's World Cup. Tarpley's message to the girls, "Dream Big." To follow the girls U10 Red Arrow Daredevils as they dream big as well as all the teams of the 2007 HiFive CincyChallenge, visit the Web site at www.cincychallenge.com. PHOTO: (Contributed) Lindsey Tarpley poses with the U-10 Red Arrow Daredevils. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2007-10-13 21:00:00 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

HiFive CincyChallenge soccer tournament to run this weekend By Gerard McLean LEBANON - The HiFive CincyChallenge soccer tournament will be held this weekend at the Lebanon Sports Complex in Lebanon. According to its Web site, the HiFive Cincy Challenge is hosted by the Warren County Soccer Club and the Cincinnati United Soccer League, with a goal to provide a tournament with solid competition, a lot of fun, and a great overall experience. The HiFive CincyChallenge will host 192 teams from Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky in a total of 316 games over 28 divisions. The teams are boys and girls, ages U9 through U14. For more details on the HiFive CincyChallenge, including real-time scores and photos from family and fans, visit the Web site at www.cincychallenge.com. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2007-10-12 12:32:41 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

MidFest Soccer Classic names champions By Gerard McLean MIDDLETOWN - According to its Web site, the 2007 MidFest Soccer Classic declared the following teams champions within their divisions. B-U09, Team Ohio FC Black; B-U10, Revolution FC; B-U11, Wasa Eagles Black; B-U12, Hilliard Blue Team B-U13, LUSC Fire; B-U14, Metro FC 93 White; G-U08/U09, Middletown Mustangs; G-U10GOLD, cincinnati west explosion; G-U10SILVER, Extreme 97G; G-U11GOLD, FC Bellbrook BLAST; G-U11SILVER, Sycamore Arsenal GU11-Ciricillo; G-U12, Sycamore Arsenal White; G-U13, ESSL Arsenal White; G-U14GOLD, CJ United Crossfire and G-U14SILVER, FC Tippecanoe Twisters 93. For scores of all the games and photos from fans, visit the Web site at www.midfestsoccerclassic.com. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2007-10-01 12:32:41 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

MidFest Soccer Classic in its third year By Gerard McLean MIDDLETOWN - The MidFest Soccer Classic is being held this weekend in Middletown, OH, hosting over one hundred soccer teams from the Dayton, Cincinnati and central Ohio area. All games are scheduled to be played at Smith Park. "Each year, the tournament grows by a little more," claims Kathy Stites, tournament director. "This is our third year and we're pulling in teams from northern Ohio, Indiana and West Virginia." The tournament is hosting boys and girls travel soccer teams U9 through U14. For complete information on the 2007 MidFest Soccer Classic, including scores of all the games in real-time, visit the tournament web site at www.midfestsoccerclassic.com. PHOTO: Volunteers register the teams to play in the Midfest at the Kingdom Sports Center in Middletown on Friday night. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2007-09-29 12:32:41 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

Coach inspires girls to persevere through example By Tiffany Gudde CENTERVILLE - If you only had a month to live, what would you do with that time? Dave Fine, 37, then head coach for the St. Louis Soccer Club U13 girls team, knew exactly what he wanted to do. He wanted to coach his soccer team in the Mead Cup Soccer Tournament. A little over two years ago, Fine decided to coach the girls team. Within weeks, he was diagnosed with cancer. Over the next 18 months, he battled his illness with three surgeries and numerous chemotherapy treatments. Throughout, Fine continued to run practices and coach games. "When our team was accepted into the 2006 Mead Cup," writes Chris Madison, then assistant coach, "Dave was excited to return to Dayton to his favorite tournament." Unfortunately, Fine's wife felt he was too sick to make the drive to Dayton, so the team left St. Louis without him. Fine somehow later convinced his wife to drive through the night to get to Dayton before their first game on Saturday. Fine passed away a few short weeks after the Mead Cup in Sep, 2006. "Dave made a huge impact on the girls he coached," says Madison. "Most of the girls on the U14 team only knew him a short time, but they still miss him and think about him all the time." Madison's daughter Nicole wrote an essay about Fine for school and another player wrote and read a poem for his funeral. (Both are available at www.tourneycentral.com/ddnnews.html) To find out how the St. Louis Soccer Club-Fine U14 girls team did during the 2007 Mead Cup and for all other scores and photos, visit the web site at www.meadcupsoccer.com. Photo (contributed by Chris Madison) Dave Fine entertains himself during some down time at the 2006 Mead Cup. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2007-09-18 17:22:12 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

2007 Mead Cup Soccer Tournament declares champions By Gerard McLean CENTERVILLE - According to its Web site, the 2007 Mead Cup Soccer Tournament declared the following teams champions within their divisions. B096v6FiveStar, Troy Elite Ward; B096v6Gold, LUSC Cobras; B106v6FiveStar, Troy Elite '98 Ward; B106v6Gold, Flash Youth Soccer Club; B108v8FiveStar, NCAA Blast FC Red; B118v8FiveStar, Team Ohio FC Cosmos; B118v8Gold, FC Nova 97 Black; B1211v11FiveStar, NCSL Eagles; B1211v11Gold, St. Louis SC - Kargacin; B128v8FiveStar, Carmel Academy 96; B128v8Gold, VSA Heat 95 Gold; B13FiveStar, PSG FC Nova 95 black; B13Gold, Blast FC; B14FiveStar, Grand Rapids Crew Juniors; B14Gold, Crew Jrs Black; G096v6FiveStar, Cardinals U9 Premier; G096v6Gold, OP U9 Black; G106v6FiveStar, Warren County United Blue 97; G106v6Gold, OP U10 Black; G118v8FiveStar, Gators 97 Blue; G118v8Gold, Greater Toledo FC; G1211v11FiveStar, Lighthouse Express; G1211v11Gold, Warren County United Blue 95; G128v8FiveStar, MI Gators FC 96 Orange; G13FiveStar, VSA Heat Blue; G13Gold, WSC Premiere Royal; G14FiveStar, Toledo CELTICS and G14Gold, Celtic Brasil '93. For scores of all the games and photos from fans, visit the Web site at www.meadcupsoccer.com. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2007-09-03 17:01:12 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

Mead Cup soccer tournament gearing up for finals By Gerard McLean BEAVERCREEK - From the pool of 453 hopeful teams on Friday night, 90 teams remain to vy for a trophy at the start of the semi-final and final games on Labor Day at the 2007 Mead Cup soccer tournament. That number will be reduced to almost half following the first round of games this morning. But, win or lose, it is clear that many teams had fun along the way. Darren Timmeney, head coach of the Boys U13 TKO Academy from Kalamazoo, Mich. took the time to write an email from the fields, thanking the more than 400 volunteers from the CUSA soccer club working at the tournament. "Thank you, what a great and well run tournament!!! Great soccer, great refereeing, great fun," writes Timmeney. His team went 0-1-2 at the tournament. For all the results of the Mead Cup as it unfolds, visit the web site at www.meadcupsoccer.com. PHOTO: (contributed by Dennis Hall) A LUSC Fury player advances the ball at a BoysU13Gold preliminary game on Sat. against the local Metro Rapids. The Metro Rapids won 3-0. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2007-09-03 07:15:12 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

Mead Cup Soccer Tournament kicks off annual tournament By Gerard McLean DAYTON - The 28th annual Mead Cup Soccer Tournament kicked off in festival fashion tonight at the Dayton Marriott, with coaches and players from over 450 teams enjoying food, fun and soccer conversation at the registration event. According to its Web site, the 2007 Mead Cup attracted teams from Ohio, Missouri, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Ontario, Canada. Over 7,000 soccer players accompanied by parents and fans will be in the Dayton area through the weekend. The Mead Cup is played at three locations; Old River Park, Ankeney Soccer Complex and Oak Grove Park. A total of 800 games will be played at ages U8-U14 for both boys and girls. The finals for most divisions will be played on Monday at Ankeney Complex. For complete information of the Mead Cup, including scores and standings, visit the Web site at www.meadcupsoccer.com. PHOTO: Marge Etson with the Centerville United Soccer Association (CUSA) helps wrap up an apparel sale at the tournament registration event. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2007-08-31 22:15:12 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

Birthday comes with extra present for soccer players By Gerard McLean MIAMITOWN - For two girls on the U9 Lady Warrior 98 White soccer team, this year's birthday celebration came with an extra present. Each scored a goal over the weekend at the Arsenal Challenge Cup, held at four venues in northern Cincinnati. Sommer Donnelly and Nikki Bidwell both turned nine years old this weekend and celebrated with cupcakes, a trip to the Build A Bear store and a trophy in the GU09Silver division. While the team made it to the finals, they lost on a penalty kick in overtime to Fluid Futbol Academy Storm from Maineville, Oh. "The girls really enjoy spending time together both on and off the field," writes Chris Bidwell, head coach of the Lady Warrior 98 White. "Celebrating birthdays is one part of the team's bond." To see all the scores and contributed photos of the 2007 Arsenal Challenge Cup, visit the Web site at www.arsenalchallengecup.com. PHOTO: (contributed) Sommer Donnelly, Nikki Bidwell and teammates pose with their birthday cupcakes. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2007-08-20 07:15:12 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

Inner-city kids champion soccer By Gerard McLean LEBANON - Soccer as an alternative to football and basketball is a tough sell to inner-city Akron parents, but the coaches of the Akron Inner City Tsunami soccer team are not letting that get in the way of developing the sport. The Tsunami is playing in the Arsenal Challenge Cup this weekend and they intend to win their division. "The coaches have all played the game at some level," writes Derrick Reedus, a parent of one of the soccer players. "They could all get good paying coaching jobs in suburban communities, but choose to coach with our kids." Dr. Reedus explains that while the kids love love the sport, the parents are not as convinced that the monetary future of soccer for their kids is as bright as basketball or football. However, they have come to appreciate the benefits soccer brings such as regular exercise, teamwork and leadership. "We have come this far with the blessing of God, community-minded foundations, individuals, parents and volunteers," adds Reedus. The Tsunami was undefeated in their spring U9 league and are looking forward to an equally successful fall season as a U10 team. You can catch all the action of The Tsunami during the Arsenal Challenge Cup at www.arsenalchallengecup.com. PHOTO: The Tsunami proudly display champion medals after a recent tournament win. The head coach and director of the Inner City Soccer Club in Akron, Oh. is Dele Olabisi Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2007-08-18 10:15:12 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

Arsenal Challenge Cup to host a 'High School Musical 2' party By Tiffany Gudde WEST CHESTER - It all started on Monday afternoon with an email from soccer mom Lynn D., saying that the hotel she was staying at did not have the Disney Channel. Was there was any other place their team could see High School Musical 2? Within hours, Missy Ciricillo, tournament director and Mary Ciesa, Senior Account Executive-Dayton/Cincinnati Marriotts had found a hotel, planned a party and sent out invitations to all 204 teams competing in the tournament. "For any High School Musical movie fan, this is a huge deal," says Ciricillo. "It's the premiere weekend for the movie." The original High School Musical made-for-TV movie released in Jan. 2006. According to Disney, it has been the most successful Disney Channel Original Movie produced to date, with over 7.7 million viewers in its premiere broadcast. "This is the exciting, fun part of the job," says Ciesa. "This is a great way to connect with the community and really showcase our commitment to groups that visit our area." The party will be held at the Courtyard Cincinnati North at Union Centre in West Chester this Sat. Doors open at 7:00pm and the movie starts at 8:00pm. The Courtyard is providing free popcorn and seating for about 60, though the Arsenal Web site says "you can bring a blanket and get comfy on the floor." For more information about the High School Musical 2 party and the Arsenal Challenge Cup, visit the Web site at www.arsenalchallengecup.com. PHOTO: Mary Ciesa, Senior Account Executive-Dayton/Cincinnati Marriotts, is working the phones, planning the High School Musical 2 party for the Arsenal soccer players. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2007-08-16 07:01:12 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

Springfield of Dreams declares 2007 champions SPRINGFIELD - According to its Web site, the 2007 Springfield of Dreams declared the following teams champions within their divisions. BU09, Springfield Thunder 98; BU10, Club X Lightning; BU11, Warrior 96 Red; BU12, Team Ohio FC Manchester; BU13, BSA Celtic 94; BU14, Marietta Storm; GU09, Springfield Thunder G-U-9; GU10, SC Alliance 97 Sparks; GU12, Miami Valley Ranger FC 95 and GU14, Club X Blue. For scores of all the games, visit the Web site at www.springfieldofdreams.com. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2007-08-13 12:17:12 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

Three soccer tournaments draw teams to the Miami Valley By Gerard McLean DAYTON - From Warren County to Springfield, soccer is the game in town this weekend. Drawing on teams as far away as Windsor, Ontario, the Springfield of Dreams in Springfield, the Cardinal Cup in Cincinnati and the Thunder United Classic in Lebanon brought in a total of 186 teams. As a special treat, the Springfield of Dreams is hosting three international friendly matches. According to it Web site, the Windsor Selects U21G team will play Wittenberg University Women on Saturday afternoon. On Saturday evening, they will play Cedarville University Women at 7:00 PM in Cedarville Universities beautiful stadium under the lights. The series will conclude Sunday afternoon with a friendly match between the Windsor Selects team and Capital University Women. For more information about the international friendlies, visit www.springfieldofdreams.com. To follow all the games and scores of the tournaments, visit the tournament calendar at www.tourneycentral.com/events.html. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2007-08-11 09:17:12 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

Champions declared at the 2007 Matt Dudon Memorial Cup By Gerard McLean ENGLEWOOD - According to its Web site, the 2007 Matt Dudon Memorial Cup declared the following teams champions within their divisions. BU08, BSA Celtic 99 White; BU09, BSA Celtic; BU10, Metro FC 97 Rapids; BU11, Warrior 96 Red; BU12, Club X Crush; BU13, Metro Rapids; BU14, Metro FC Rapids '93 Premier; GU09, Lady Warrior 98 White; GU10, Celtic 97 White; GU11, Metro FC G96 Rapids; GU12, NUSA Lady Sonics; Gu13, SC Alliance 94 Twisters and GU14, Lady Warrior 93 Black For scores of all the games, visit the Web site at www.mattdudonmemorial.com. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2007-08-06 09:17:12 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

Warrior teams set for marathon tournament run By Gerard McLean ENGLEWOOD - The first weekend in August is the starting line for what will be string of tournaments for the girls U9 Lady Warrior 97 White and U10 Lady Warrior 98 White soccer teams, both coached by Chris Bidwell. The Matt Dudon Memorial Cup, held in Englewood this weekend and hosted by the NUSA Soccer Club, is the traditional start of soccer in the Miami Valley and the Lady Warriors are taking full advantage of the opportunity as a jump start to their fall season. "We'll be at the Springfield of Dreams next weekend, the Arsenal Challenge Cup the next, Mead Cup on Labor Day weekend and the OP Invitational the following weekend," says Bidwell. So far, Bidwell's teams have not lost a game during the Matt Dudon, but for Bidwell, it is not about winning. "Pre-season tournaments give us the chance to practice the skills we learned during training. It is also a time for the girls - as well as the parents - to bond together as a team," Bidwell adds. To follow the Lady Warriors and all the teams participating in the 2007 Matt Dudon Memorial Cup, visit the web site at www.mattdudonmemorial.com. For information on other tournaments, check out the tournament calendar on this page. PHOTO: Aubree Duncan with the U9 Lady Warrior 98 White advances the ball during a game against FC Tippecanoe Hot Shots. The Warriors won the game 3-0. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2007-08-04 18:45:12 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

Sports medicine center comes through for Ohio Cup By Gerard McLean MASON - A call comes over the radio from field seven for medical attention and Christie Hornish, 26, an athletic trainer on duty during the women's weekend of the Ohio High School Cup, jumps into the medical cart and races off. Moments later, a young player strolls into the tent, asking for ankle taping. The athletic training tent for the Ohio Cup was staffed this year with trainers supplied by Cincinnati Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center. They also provided services for the all-star games held on July 14th and 21st, the men's and women's weekends respectively. "It's great having them out here," says Mike Yarger, tournament director for the Ohio Cup. "They understand the tournament format and the scope of what is required." The women's weekend saw a few minor injuries, but the men's weekend did not fare as well. Early in the tournament, a player from a Centennial High School team suffered a compound leg fracture during a game. Athletic trainers were first on the scene, with the Mason City Fire Department EMT following within minutes. For complete details on the Ohio High School Cup, including scores, standings and photos, visit the web site at www.ohiocup.org. PHOTO: Christie Hornish tapes Hannah Rinehart's ankles before a game on Sunday afternoon. Rinehart is a senior on the Bethel High School soccer team. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2007-07-24 14:12:26 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

Word-of-mouth spreads Ohio High School Cup popularity By Gerard McLean MASON - The Ohio High School Cup started out nine years ago as a way to raise money for college scholarships. Through word-of-mouth by coaches and parents who experience the Ohio Cup, this unique tournament event has created a band of loyal fans who help grow the event each year. "We're seeing a lot interest from teams in southeast Ohio this year," says Mike Yargar, tournament director. "It's word-of-mouth that's bringing them in." Yargar also attributes the growth of soccer programs at smaller division schools looking for pre-season competition. According to its web site, the Ohio Cup is open to all high school teams. "We don't have an invitation list like a lot of other high school tournaments," Yargar adds. "If you have a high school team and you want to play soccer, the Ohio Cup is open to your team." This year's Ohio High School Cup is held in Mason, Ohio at Heritage Oak Park. Since its inception, over $30,000 has been given in college scholarships to participating seniors. The senior showcase, held on the Saturday of each tournament weekend, offers another opportunity for seniors to get noticed by college coaches. In addition to the senior showcase and the tournament, the Ohio Cup offered a soccer clinic hosted by Capital University in Columbus. This was the first year for the clinic. For more information about the Ohio High School Cup, including all the scores for every game and photos contributed by parents and fans, visit the web site at www.ohiocup.org. The women's weekend is held July 20-22. PHOTO: Sarah Hagan, a sophomore and midfielder on the soccer team at Capital University, records the scores after the third round of play for Sunday's games at the Ohio Cup. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2007-07-15 21:55:26 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

Northmont junior helps Danish team win the 2007 Italy Cup By Hans Nielsen AALBORG - Melissa McLean, a junior at Northmont High School spent her summer vacation helping the AaB Junior Girls, a Danish soccer club from Aalborg, win the U17 division at this year's Italy Cup. McLean was invited to guest play with the Danish team after hosting several of the girls during last year's Warrior Classic. The AaB team advanced to the finals, having beaten several teams from Sweden and Norway and ended up facing a team from Cleveland, Ohio. At the half, the score was 2-0 (AaB) but when the final whistle blew, the game was tied 2-2. McLean was first in line to take a penalty kick. She made hers. "I didn't have time to think about being nervous," McLean says. "but after I made the shot, I remember shaking and laughing all at the same time. It was pretty intense." The final score was 8-7 as both teams cycled through the first five players. "Melissa played very well," Henrik Bundgaard, the AaB head coach added. "I looked her in the eyes when I was deciding who to put in for the shoot-outs and I could tell she was ready. She can come back and play with us anytime." For information about the tournament and the AaB team, visit the web site at http://www.aab-pigeungdom.dk/pigejunior/default.asp. For photos of the Aab team from the tournament as they become available, click on the "more soccer photos" link above. PHOTO: (Contributed) Melissa McLean poses with the team trophy as the Danish flag flies behind her. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2007-07-11 09:55:26 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

Northmont teen playing soccer in Italy By Hans Nielsen AALBORG - For one lucky Northmont teen, this summer vacation will be spent as an exciting trip to Italy playing in the 2007 Italy Cup with her adopted Danish soccer team, Aab from Aalborg. Melissa McLean, 16 and a junior at Northmont High School hosted two of the Danish players in her home as part of last year's Warrior Classic. This year, Melissa had been invited to guest play with the team as part of her family vacation. Melissa's mother, Vanesea, is from Denmark so adjusting to the language and culture was fairly easy. This is also Melissa's third visit to Denmark. "It's pretty exciting to play in another country with another team," McLean says. "I'm a bit nervous about the different style of play and the language, but I think I will adapt and learn quickly." For most of her stay in Denmark, McLean is staying at Cecilie Jessen's home, one of the players who stayed with her during the 2006 Warrior Classic. She also has a twenty-six hour bus ride to Italy, giving her some time to become familiar with the language and the other players on the team. The AaB team was originally scheduled to play in Denmark, then Spain, but the coach eventually decided on the Italy Cup as the best venue for the team. The team will play a total of five preliminary games this week against teams from Norway, Sweden and Cleveland, Ohio. "Soccer is the same language all over the world," McLean adds. "At least we all have that in common." For information about the tournament and the AaB team, visit the web site at http://www.aab-pigeungdom.dk/pigejunior/default.asp. For photos of the Aab team from the tournament as they become available, click on the "more soccer photos" link above. PHOTO: (Contributed) The AaB Soccer team poses for a group photo for parents before boarding the bus to Italy. From left to right, top row: Coach: Henrik Bundgaard, Malene Sorensen, Ida Bundgaard, Mathilde Sorensen, Line Beck, Jeanette Jensen, Helena Jacobsen, Pernille Troelsen, Cecilie Christiansen. Bottom row: Rikke Nielsen, Cecilie Mark, Melissa McLean, Cecilie Jessen, Christina Simonsen and Tien Dong. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2007-07-01 11:10:26 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

Berry Special Olympics Soccer scores again By Tiffany Gudde TROY - In 2000, Berry Special Olympics Soccer Invitational began with a vision to include people with disabilities in the Troy Strawberry Festival. The tournament has become a staple of the Festival and highlights the skill, sportsmanship and enthusiasm that Special Olympic athletes have for the game of soccer. Ten teams from Lorain, Lucas, Montgomery, Hamilton, Greene, Clark and Miami Counties participated in the games this year. "The social value of hosting the Berry Special Olympics Soccer Invitational during the Troy Strawberry Festival is overwhelming," writes Tom Helbig, director of athletic activites at Riverside of Miami County. "Athletes competing in this tournament are treated as soccer players first and as people with disabilities second. Any time you can communicate that message to the large audience the Troy Strawberry Festival attracts you are making quite a statement." Miami, Hamilton and Montgomery counties offer unified teams to promote the positive inclusion of people with and without disabilities. The focus is on being teammates and friendly competition. The traditional roles of people with disabilities as support volunteers are not honored. Partnerships with local corporate sponsors and the Columbus Crew adds credibility and a fun atmosphere to the event that continues to bring teams to Troy year after year. "This is the premier Special Olympics soccer tournament in the state of Ohio," Helbig adds. The Troy Strawberry Festival attracts an estimated 250,000 visitors annually. To find out more about Berry Special Olympics Soccer, vist the web site at www.berryspecialolympicssoccer.com. PHOTO: (contributed) Clark County and Toledo teams shake hands after their first match. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2007-06-17 09:07:26 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook • Discuss on NewsVine • Save to del.icio.us . . . . . . . . . . .

Champions declared at the 2007 The West Carrolloton Soccer Blast WEST CARROLLTON - According to its Web site, the 2007 West Carrollton Soccer Blast declared the following teams champions within their divisions. B10, Sycamore Arsenal Green Team; B10/11, Sycamore Arsenal - White; B12/13, Extreme U12-Wood; B13/14, Livonia Meteors; B15, STAR Magic; BHS, Thunder United Metro BU16; G08/09, Extreme U9-Wood; G10/11, Lady Wolfpack 95; G12/13, Lady Wolfpack 94; G14, Lady Warrior 92 Premier; G15, Lady Warriors 91 Black Premier; G16, Freedom 91 and G17/19, Southstars Rockers. For scores of all the games, visit the Web site at www.soccer-blast.com. Visit the event web site.... Story filed on 2007-06-11 09:14:26 DDN Digg This! • Post to Facebook •