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.