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.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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