282 Teams vie for the 2009 US Youth Soccer Region I (East) Championship
Games kickoff at 8 a.m. Friday, July 3.

Watch daily video updates http://www.usyouthsoccer.org/multimedia/index.asp
Daily scores, standing and daily stories at http://championships.usyouthsoccer.org/RegionI
Also, follow the action on Twitter

BARBOURSVILLE, W.Va. (July 2, 2009) – Teams, parents, referees, tournament officials and volunteers gathered at Marshall University's Joan C. Edwards Stadium this afternoon for Opening Ceremonies to kickoff the beginning of the 2009 US Youth Soccer Region I (East) Championships. Preliminary games begin tomorrow at 8 a.m. at Barboursville Soccer Complex, Huntington YMCA Kennedy Center and Scott Orthopedics Soccer Complex, in Huntington, W.Va.

 

There are 10 teams returning to regional competition as 2008 US Youth Soccer Region I Champions. On the girl's side, defending Region I champions from the Under-13 through Under-18 age groups have returned. Teams include the Under-14 Bethesda Freedom (MD), Under-15 FC Stars of Mass (MA), Under-16 Scorpions SC Elite (MA), Under-17 PDA Fire (NJ), Under-18 FC Bucks Vipers (PA-E) and Under-19 FC Delco Fury II (PA-E). Boy's returning regional champions include the Under-14 Dix Hills Thunder (NY-E), Under-17 Lower Merion Velez (PA-E) and Under-19 McLean MPS FC (VA).

 

Already, the Under-17 Girls PDA Fire (NJ) won back-to-back Region I Championships and are going for a three-peat this week.

 

The Under-15 Boys Baltimore Casa Mia Bays (MD) and Under-17 Boys Lower Merion Velez already punched their ticket to the US Youth Soccer National Championships by way of their success in the US Youth Soccer National League. The Bays and Lower Merion placed first in League play, earning the right to advance. They hope to win the double by also being crowned US Youth Soccer National Champions this summer.

 

Numerous other players are returning to this week's tournament in hopes of realizing their goal of advancing to the 2009 US Youth Soccer National Championships in Lancaster, Mass., July 21-26, at Citizens Bank Fields at Progin Park.

 

The top 282 boys and girls US Youth Soccer teams from 15 State Associations that make up US Youth Soccer Region I will compete for the regional title. Preliminary games will be held July 3-5 at the Barboursville Soccer Complex, Huntington YMCA Kennedy Center and Scott Orthopedics Soccer Complex. Semifinals and finals will be held at the Barboursville Soccer Complex on July 6 and 7 respectively.

 

Players enjoyed a shooting competition, 5v5 mascot game and sky divers during today's celebration. Senator Bob Plymale and Govenor Joe Manchin encouraged the teams and voiced their excitement about the event being in West Virginia for 2009 and 2010. The teams paraded through the Joan C. Edwards Stadium and are now preparing for the start of tomorrow's round robin games.

 

New this year, US Youth Soccer Region I voted to start naming its perpetual trophies. Three have been voted on and approved: the Under-14 Girls Charlotte Moran Cup, Under-16 Girls Al Sinclair Cup and the Under-16 Girls Adele Dolansky Cup.

 

Charlotte Moran was the US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program Girls Region I Chair and was the executive director of the Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer State Association. Moran was involved in soccer for more than 20 years, beginning at the grassroots level as a team manager, evolving into roles at regional and national level.  Al Sinclair is the executive director of New Jersey Youth Soccer and previously served as president for 15 years. Sinclair also serves as the Region I Bylaws and Appeals Committee chair, a position he has held for 18 years. Adele Dolansky has been the face of the US Youth Soccer Region I Championships for 20 years as the chair of the event. She has been involved in youth soccer leadership positions since 1976.

Of all US Youth Soccer National Championship trophies, the Under-19 Boys will play for the oldest and most coveted of all, the James P. McGuire Cup, which dates back to 1935. This year will mark the 74^th anniversary of the storied cup.

 

Daily reports and complete results from the tournament will be available at http://championships.usyouthsoccer.org/regionI/.  Keep up to the minute with US Youth Soccer National Championship Series on Twitter.

 

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About the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series – The US Youth Soccer National Championship Series provides more than 10,000 teams from US Youth Soccer's 55 State Associations the opportunity to showcase their abilities against the best in the nation while emphasizing teamwork, discipline and fair play. The yearlong competition begins with over 185,000 players in the US Youth Soccer State Championships.  These champions and selected wildcard teams, through US Youth Soccer Regional Leagues, advance to compete in one of four the US Youth Soccer Regional Championships. Champions (U-14 through U-19) from each regional event advance to the US Youth Soccer National Championships.  The Under-15 through 17 Boys and Girls age groups have two teams representative of the US Youth Soccer National League, in which the top two teams in each gender age group earn a direct path to the national championships. Overall the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series provides the nation's top collegiate coaches with the premier stage to identify and scout the most coveted players in the country.

 

Media Request: When referring to the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series, the most prestigious event in youth sports, please refer to the event as US Youth Soccer National Championship Series on first reference and National Championship Series on anything thereafter. Never refer to as NCS or USYS NCS. We appreciate your cooperation.

About the United States Youth Soccer Association (US Youth Soccer) – US Youth Soccer - "The Game for ALL Kids!^®" is the largest youth sports organization in the country and largest member of the United States Soccer Federation, the governing body of soccer in the United States. US Youth Soccer registers more than 3 million players annually, ages 5 to 19, and over 900,000 administrators, coaches and volunteers in 55 member State Associations. US Youth Soccer programs provide a fun, safe and healthy environment for players at every level of the game. For more information, visit www.USYouthSoccer.org.

 

Media Request: When referring to the United States Youth Soccer Association, the largest youth sports organization in the United States, please refer to the association only as US Youth Soccer, and never as USYS or USYSA. We appreciate your cooperation.