Portland, ME Welcomes Over 5,000 Players to the US Youth Soccer Region I Championships

The chase for the crown begins Friday at 8:00 a.m.

PORTLAND, Maine (June 26, 2008) – Afternoon showers did not dampen the spirits as more than 5,000 US Youth Soccer players converged upon Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland, Maine for the opening ceremony of the 2008 US Youth Soccer Region I Championships.

A parade of teams entered the stadium by their respective state and each team was recognized for their accomplishment in advancing to the regional championships. Two teams, McLean MPS Freedom (VA) Under-17 girls and Baltimore Casa Mia Bays 93 (MD) Under-15 boys are back to defend their title as the US Youth Soccer National Champions.

One of many US Youth Soccer notable alumni, Dante Washington, a former two-time All-American took the stage to extend his congratulations to the teams and give words of inspiration for the games that are set to begin tomorrow. Washington, who played in the MLS for 10 years, was reminiscent of his humble beginnings in US Youth Soccer and encouraged the players to work hard to achieve all of their dreams on and off the soccer field.

In the midst of training for the summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Abby Wombach stopped by to congratulate the teams as well. She has persevered to become one of the top players in women’s soccer, and after the Games, she will return to the U.S. to compete in Women’s Professional Soccer.

“I think the biggest piece of advice I would like to give everybody sitting out here on this field is that you cannot mimic what your teammate does and call it your own. You can’t mimic what I do and call it your own,” Womach said. “You have to figure out how to do it on your own and how to make it on your own because that’s going to make it more special and you’ll appreciate it more. I wish all of you guy the best of luck.”

As preliminary games kickoff tomorrow, some teams will being playing in their first-ever US Youth Soccer Regional Championships and some are seasoned veterans to the prestigious tournament. Regardless of previous experience, all will have to make the 2008 US Youth Soccer Region III Championships their own in order to advance to the US Youth Soccer National Championships in Little Rock, Arkansas.

More than 248 boys and girls US Youth Soccer teams from 15 state associations that make up US Youth Soccer Region I (East) will compete for the regional title, June 27-July 1, at Bowdoin College, Wainwright Soccer Complex and Falmouth High School in Portland, Maine.

Daily reports and complete results from the tournament will be available at http://championships.usyouthsoccer.org.

Regional winners of the Under-14 through Under-19 brackets earn a berth to the 2008 US Youth Soccer National Championships to be played July 22-27, at Burns Park Soccer Complex in Little Rock, Arkansas.

The James P. McGuire Cup is the oldest trophy in youth sport dating back to 1935 with the inaugural youth championships. The Under-19 boys age group as the National Champion will hoist the McGuire Cup. This is the 73^rd anniversary of the storied cup.

Following individual State Cup tournaments, the US Youth Soccer Regional Championships are the second stage of the country’s premier national youth soccer tournament. The dates and locations for the four US Youth Soccer Regional Championships and the US Youth Soccer National Championships are:

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2008 US Youth Soccer Region IV (West) Regional Championships
Waipio Peninsula Soccer Park – Honolulu, HI
June 16-22, 2008

2008 US Youth Soccer Region II (Midwest) Regional Championships
Sports Score 1 and 2 Soccer Complexes – Rockford, IL
June 20-25, 2008

2008 US Youth Soccer Region I (East) Regional Championships
Bowdoin College, Wainwright Recreational Soccer Complex and Falmouth High School – Portland, ME
June 26-July 1, 2008

2008 US Youth Soccer Region III (South) Regional Championships
WRAL Soccer Complex and Gillette Soccer Complex – Raleigh and Wilson, NC
June 19-June 25, 2008

2008 US Youth Soccer National Championships
Burns Park Soccer Complex – Little Rock, AR
July 22-27, 2007

For more information on US Youth Soccer, please visit http://championships.usyouthsoccer.org.

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. Adding to the excitement in 2008, the national championships will feature two teams from the newly formed US Youth Soccer National League in the U-15 and U-16 age groups. 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.

About the United States Youth Soccer Association (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 3.2 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.