More than 300 participants, among them parents, coaches, players and family members, flocked to the University of the Virgin Islands Field on Friday for the three-day St. Thomas Youth Soccer Association's third annual Thanksgiving Soccer Tournament.
Youth soccer teams from as near as St. John and as far away as Antigua gathered for the three-day event that ended Sunday with the distribution of trophies and awards to the winning teams and second and third place finishers.
"The interscholastic competition was initiated three years ago to foster teamwork, leadership, and comradeship and a love for soccer," according to Stephen Brusch, president of the Association. "The tournament was a natural outgrowth of league play,' he noted.
St. Croix had the largest contingent of 110 that included six teams, coaches and chaperones. Antigua brought two teams in the under 13 and under 14 division consisting of 64 participants.
Anguilla was represented by 32 players, coaches and chaperones. Tortola had 40 participants. And Roosevelt Roads in Puerto Rico transported their contingent of 65 on a Coast Guard cutter. This was in addition to 120 players from St. Thomas and St. John who participated.
"It was a wonderful melting pot and an exciting sporting event," said John de Jongh Jr., President of the Lockhart Companies and the St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce. "I really applaud the members of the St. Thomas Youth Soccer Association for this undertaking, UVI for accommodating us all on their field, and the local businesses that provided food, water, snacks, and juices for all these people.
"Each year the participation level grows and this was handled very well."
Winners in their respective divisions were: Roosevelt Roads was first place finishers in the under 10 A division, followed by St. Croix Red second place, and St. Thomas Blue third. In the B division St. Thomas Maroon was first, St. Thomas White came in second, and St. Thomas Green third.
In the under 11 girls division St. Thomas Red and St. Thomas Blue tied for first place. In the under 11 boys division St. Thomas Blue came out on top, followed by a second place St. Croix team, and St. Thomas Red was third.
A St. John girls team took first place in the under 13 girls division followed by Anguilla and a St. Thomas team. In under 13 boys action St. Thomas Blue took first place, Anguilla was second, and St. Croix was third place finisher. In under 14 boys play St. Thomas was first, Antigua second and St. Croix third.
There were also two noncompetitive games with St. Thomas Women Soccer vs. a combined girls/young women of mixed ages from Tortola, St. Croix and St. John. One of those games was on Saturday evening in Lionel Roberts Stadium and the other was on Sunday afternoon at the UVI Field at the conclusion of the tournament. The girls/young women combined team won both games.
"A three-day tournament has never been attempted by our organization but the games went well, competition was good with an excellent demonstration of athleticism, skill, talent, and sportsmanship," said organizer Tanya Benjamin. "I can think of no other sport in the territory that crosses such a wide cross-section of people. Additionally, the impact it has on the young people here and those that traveled is amazing and all positive."
The final standings were as follows:
UNDER 7 (CO-ED)
St. Thomas Red won over the St. Thomas Blue team.
UNDER 10 BOYS – 2 DIVISIONS, A AND B
A division
Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico – 1st
St. Croix Red – 2nd
St. Thomas Blue – 3rd
B division (only St. Thomas)
St. Thomas maroon – 1st
St. Thomas white – 2nd
St. Thomas green – 3rd
UNDER 11 GIRLS
Tie: St. Thomas Red and St. Thomas Blue each won one game
UNDER 11 BOYS
St. Thomas Blue – 1st.
St. Croix – 2nd
St. Thomas Red – 3rd
UNDER 13 GIRLS
St. John – 1st
Anguilla – 2nd
St. Thomas – 3rd
UNDER 13 BOYS
St. Thomas Blue – 1st
Anguilla – 2nd
St. Croix – 3rd
UNDER 14 BOYS
St. Thomas – 1st
Antigua – 2nd
St. Croix – 3rd