The 2008 US Youth Soccer National Championships officially began today with the 56 teams competing for national crowns, in Under-14 through Under-19 age categories, gathering for the Player Luncheon held at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Over 1,200 players, coaches, referees, officials and administrators shared the afternoon honoring each other's accomplishments and commitment to soccer.
US Youth Soccer President Larry Monaco said, ""There were over 10,000 teams that began the journey in the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series and today we have the final 56 here representing the best teams in the country. We are looking forward to a great championship and crowning the national champions.""
""It is impossible to overstate the value of a tournament like this to our community. For one, the economic impact and two, in terms of its marketing impact," said Daniel O'Byrne, CEO of the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau. ""There are players and families from all of the country. We are really honored by their presence and the commitment they put in. We hope to reflect well on the values they bring to our community; we are going to be better off for their being here this week.""
The highlight of the afternoon for the players was the 2008 US Youth Soccer Regional Championship final highlight video. As the intro music began the players began clapping and bobbing their heads to the sights and sounds. Seeing their past successes during the second leg of the Series spurs them forward to beat the heat and humidity and emerge as the national champions this coming weekend.
Another highlight of the week is U.S. National Team standout Brian Ching. Ching will be at the Fox Soccer Channel booth at Burns Park Soccer Complex tomorrow from noon until 1 p.m. signing autographs. Ching plays for the Houston Dynamos, who are two-time MLS Cup champions.
The 2008 US Youth Soccer National Championship Series is the country's most prestigious national youth soccer tournament, providing over 185,000 players on more than 10,000 teams from US Youth Soccer's 55 state associations the opportunity to showcase their soccer skills against the best competition in the nation while emphasizing teamwork, discipline and fair play.
The US Youth Soccer National Championship trophies were paraded into the banquet hall by honored referees. The players were able to take pictures in front of the displayed trophies during the luncheon, but only a select 12 teams will be able to raise their trophy in victory after this weekend's finals. These 12 trophies hold a rich history of great soccer and will again be on display for the championship finals over the weekend.
Annually 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. In 2008, over 600 coaches attended the US Youth Soccer Regional Championships including the majority of the top 25 men's and women's programs based on the final 2008 NSCAA/adidas National Rankings for NCAA Division I schools.
On Saturday, August 9 at 1 p.m. Eastern, The US Youth Soccer National Championships Highlight Show, Presented by adidas, will air on the Fox Soccer Channel, US Youth Soccer's official television partner. The show will highlight the national championships providing feature stories, interviews, game highlights and more.
For more information please visit http://Championship.USYouthSoccer.org.
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