Worcester World Cup 2011 Recap

Ghana vs. Albania 

Last weekend's Worcester World Cup games were great; played by women and men that love the game, and put on a show for the community to witness.

While I wish more folks were in the stands, cheering on the players and teams, the fans that were there with their vuvuzelas, drums and flags made it a great warm-up for me for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, taking place in Brazil.

Women's Division
In the women's division the teams that made it to the semifinals were:

• Portugal vs. Ecuador
• USA vs. Columbia

I missed the game between Portugal and Ecuador, but I was told that Portugal put up a great fight, but Ecuador was too much for them and Ecuador won by a score of 2-1.

 USA vs. Columbia

In the match between USA and Columbia, the Columbian squad was very disciplined with the ball, and had some very good set plays that turned into goals.  The final score was 3-0 in favor of Columbia.

Team USA player attempting to stop Columbia attacking offense.

Team USA starting to advance the ball.

Women's Final- Columbia vs. Ecuador

Columbia vs. Ecuador: Ball possession

In the women's final between Columbia vs. Ecuador, it was very obvious from the opening whistle that both teams were fatigued, but the Columbian team seemed to find a boost of energy.

Columbia vs. Ecuador: Columbia on the attack

With midfielders that were "greedy geniuses" with the ball, the Columbian team moved the ball effortlessly down the field, and made runs that resulted in a few good shots on goal.  Columbia led
2-0 at the half.

In the second half, Columbia, again, put together some good runs, and scored 3 more times.

Columbia vs. Ecuador: Columbia controlling the ball on the attack

The final score was 5-0, and Columbia was crowned the Women's 2011 Worcester World Cup Champions.

Ecuador congratulating Columbia on their 2011 Worcester World Cup win.

ACE vs. CETS (Youth Game)

Men's Division

Albania vs. El Salvador: Intense action

For the men's quarter-finals, there were a number of great match-ups, such as:

• Brazil vs. USA
• Iran vs. Kosovo
• Nigeria vs. Albania
• El Salvador vs. Togo

Brazil defeated USA. (I didn't see this match.)

In the match between Iran vs. Kosovo, I was told that it got ugly when a number of players had to be separated and players had to be ejected. (I didn't see this game, but if there was a low point for this year's games, it was what transpired during this match.)

For the match between Nigeria and Albania, it was a match of the disciplined versus the undisciplined.

Albania played under control, was very purposeful with the ball, and had a handful of set plays that allowed them to get some very good shots on goal.

The Nigerian team featured a number of athletic and talented players, but they never seemed to be able to put a together a play or get the ball to the open player at an opportune time.

Albania went on to win 2-0.

In the match between El Salvador vs. Togo, El Salvador too played with discipline and wound up winning the game by a final score of 1-0.


Men's Semi-Finals


Albania vs. El Salvador: Final score 2-0 Albania

Brazil vs. Iran: Final score 2-0 Brazil

Brazil vs. Iran: Brazil advancing the ball

Men's Final

Albania vs. Brazil: Men's Final

In the men's final game, which paired Albania versus Brazil, there was an influx of people in the stands.

I soon looked around the stands, and they were abuzz to watch David battle Goliath.

In this story of David versus Goliath, David, being played in this match by Albania, was no match for the behemoth Goliath, played by the ever-present and looming Brazilian team.

Brazil scored first, and even though it was only one goal, it seemed to take the wind out of team Albania's sail and made their feet that much heavier; the fatigue-factor became more evident.

Brazil controlled the game from whistle to whistle, and when it was all said and done, the Brazilian team had trounced Albania 3-0 to win the 2011 Worcester World Cup trophy.

Brazil celebrating their 2011 Worcester World Cup victory!

Laces tied tightly
The women and men that organize the Worcester World Cup are an amazing group of people!  What started as seed has grown and blossomed into an amazing weekend-long event that features the diversity that exists in Worcester.

A Texas-sized hat tip to you and all of the volunteers that created such a great event and I look forward to next year's Worcester World Cup 2012.

Worcester World Cup: Ghana vs. Albania 8/13

The score was zero to zero at the end of the first half.

The second half is about to start!

Albania just scored on a penalty kick at 11:29 am. 1-0 Albania.

Worcester World Cup 2011: Iran vs. Guatemala

It's now halftime, and the score is 5-0 favoring the very athletic and ball-controlling Iranian team.

If team Iran plays this way for the rest of the tournament, they are going to be very hard to beat.

Here's a video clip of their 3rd goal.

Worcester World Cup: Family Fun

In the first game between Brazil vs. Egypt; Brazil won 6-1.

In the second game: USA vs. Ecuador. The USA is winning 3-0 with 3-minutes remaining.

Worcester World Cup: Game ON!

WORCESTER WORLD CUP 2011
AUGUST 12th, 13th and 14th at Foley Stadium (305 Chandler St.)
Kid Zone - Games, Moonbounce, Skill Building, ArtAffordable Authentic ethnic food from Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Iran, Liberian, Vietnam/China and Nigeria
BRING YOUR VUVUZELA ! ! !
Admission: Under 18yrs old freeAdults: $5 for weekend pass

All Games FREE Friday, August, 12th
Friday, August 12
5:30 PM  – Men's: Brazil x Egypt
6:40 PM  – Men's: Ecuador x USA
7:50 PM  – Men's: Iran x Guatemala
Saturday, August 13
 8:30 AM  – Men's: Liberia x Kosovo
 9:40 AM  – Men's: Iraq x Nigeria
10:50 AM – Men's: Ghana x Albania
12:10 PM  - CETS vs ACE Youth Exhibition Game
1:20 PM   – Men's: El Salvador x Burma
2:30 PM   – Men's: Jamaica x Togo
Sunday, August 14
8:30AM -- Men's Round II / Semi-Final Games All Day
10:50AM  – Women's: Portugal x Ecuador
 1:10 PM  – Women's: USA x Colombia
 5:50PM  – Women's FINAL
 7:00PM  – Men's FINAL

Worcester Youth Soccer (Registration is OPEN)

FALL 2011 Registration is now OPEN for Players and Coaches !

You can REGISTER ONLINE at WWW.WYSL.ORG  

Don't delay registering today so that you don't incur a late-fee or your child being wait-listed.  For those who prefer to register in person, and have questions, you can register at one of our in-person registration nights:

IN-PERSON registrations will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on:

WEDNESDAY, May 25th at DICK’S Sporting Goods, Lincoln Plaza.

Register by mail: Forms (with payment) can also be mailed to:

WYSL - PO BOX 20763 - Worcester MA 01602.

*** Fall 2011 Travel Tryouts ***

Tryouts will be held for travel teams on June 6th - 10th at Farber Field on Camelot Drive, just off Moreland St in Worcester.

ALL players wishing to play on a travel team must attend tryouts. Tryout times are based on age and gender.

• Monday, June 6 - U10 Boys/Girls born 8/1/01-7/31/03

• Tuesday, June 7 - U14 Boys born 8/1/97-7/31/99

• Wednesday, June 8 - U14 Girls born 8/1/97-7/31/99

• Thursday, June 9 - U12 Boys born 8/1/99-7/31/01

• Friday, June 10 - U12 Girls born 8/1/99-7/31/01

Be sure to Register BEFORE you go to Tryouts to avoid waiting in line to fill out paperwork and submit payment.

Thank You for participating in WYSL....help us to create the best League for your kids!

Worcester Youth Soccer

FALL 2011 Registration is now OPEN for Players and Coaches !

You can REGISTER ONLINE at WWW.WYSL.ORG  

Don't delay registering today so that you don't incur a late-fee or your child being wait-listed.

For those who prefer to register in person, and have questions, you can register at one of our in-person registration nights:

IN-PERSON registrations will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on:

MONDAY May 23rd & WEDNESDAY, May 25th at DICK’S Sporting Goods, Lincoln Plaza.

You can also register in person TODAY from 6- 8:30 p.m. at the Boys & Girls Club, located at 65 Tainter Street, Worcester, MA.

MAIL-IN :  Forms (with payment) can also be mailed to:

WYSL - PO BOX 20763 - Worcester MA 01602.

*** Fall 2011 Travel Tryouts ***

Tryouts will be held for travel teams on June 6th - 10th at Farber Field on Camelot Drive, just off Moreland St in Worcester.

ALL players wishing to play on a travel team must attend tryouts. Tryout times are based on age and gender.

Mon. June 6 - U10 Boys/Girls born 8/1/01-7/31/03

Tues June 7 - U14 Boys born 8/1/97-7/31/99

Wed June 8 - U14 Girls born 8/1/97-7/31/99

Thurs June 9 - U12 Boys born 8/1/99-7/31/01

Fri June 10 - U12 Girls born 8/1/99-7/31/01

Be sure to Register BEFORE you go to Tryouts to avoid waiting in line to fill out paperwork and submit payment.

Thank You for participating in WYSL....help us to create the best League for your kids!

WYSL: Soccer registration

The fall soccer season is coming to an end, but that doesn't mean you
can't start planning for the spring 2010 season.

Here's some information about two in-person registration nights, one
being TONIGHT at the Worcester Public Library beginning at 6 pm until
8:30 pm.

I coach two teams and to see kids learning the game, having fun and
getting exercise, it is the highlight of my week.

-------

This is a reminder about the In-Person Registration Nights this
week. There will be plenty of WYSL Board Members available to answer any question you might have or to receive input you have about the League...so drop in even if you don't have to Register!

TUESDAY October 27th from 6pm-830pm at the Worcester Public Library, Main Branch, 3 Salem Square.

THURSDAY October 29th from 6pm-830pm at the Elks Lodge at 233 Mill St.

IMPORTANT: If this is your first time playing for WYSL, please bring a copy of your child's birth certificate.

ONLINE REGISTRATION IS CURRENTLY OPEN TOO...for Players AND Coaches
at http://www.WYSL.org.

WYSL: Worcester Youth Soccer League Fall Registration

While the weather is changing to the warmer days, it's time to start thinking ahead and planning for fall soccer.

The Worcester Youth Soccer League(WYSL) has begun marketing the fall season and I must say it's so much fun to watch children learn and play the game of soccer, all the while learning some great life skills.

If you have a child, nephew, niece, granddaughter or grandson, please consider signing them up for fall soccer. We're always looking for girls and boys to get their kicks and keep rolling!

WYSLRegistrationAnnouncementF09

Publish at Scribd or explore others: children fun

Measuring Success

One of the things that always strikes a cord with me is how to measure
success. Some people measure their success by the the 'things' they
acquire such as real estate, jewelry, cars, houses and even people.

Lately, I've been measuring success by the number of people that I
have been able to affect. For example, this past fall I coached a
Girls Under-10 team, which my daughtet plays on as well. I thought it
was going to be tough coaching my own daughter, but it turned out very
well even though our record didn't show it.

The girls encouraged me to give them my best and in turn, they didn't
give up during games and even battled back, in one game from a 2-0
deficit at the half to come back and tie the game. Yes, the game
ended in a tie but it showed me that the girls did listen to me at
half-time when I told them they can still win the game. They played
like true Champions!

Now that the Government is finally using the 'Recession' word, even
though we've been in a recession for almost a year, it's made me focus
on what I'm doing even more and finish projects that I've started.

Other than Worcester Is MAJOR!, I host the Internet's only live, call-
in sneaker talk show OSD- Obsessive Sneaker Disorder that covers the
ever burgeoning world of sneakers and the people that collect them.
You can listen to the show as a podcast at www.ObsessiveSneakerDisorder.com.

My most recent project is Worcester's Finest 016 or WF016 for short.
Worcester's Finest 016 is an Internet video channel dedicated to the
great people in Worcester that make this City a great place to live
and raise a family and will feature various interviews with people
that call Worcester home. More detailed information about the channel
will be posted once the channel goes live.

Worcester's Finest 016 success will not be measured by how many people
are interviewed, but by the quality of the interviews with people that
would otherwise not be heard from.

So, how do you measure success? What measurement tools do you use?

Worcester World Cup

Worcester World Cup Schedule
Saturday, August 11th Schedule

9:00 am Game 1: Iraq x Senegal
10:10 am Game 2: Brazil x USA
11:20 pm Game 3: Togo x Ecuador
12:30 pm Game 4: Liberia x Jamaica
1:40 pm Game 5: Kosova x Ghana
2:50 pm Game W1: Guatemala x El Salvador (women)
4:00 pm Game 6: Albania x Iran
5:10 pm Game W2: Mexico x USA (women)
6:20 pm Game 7: Vietnam x Guatemala

Sunday, August 12th

9:30 am - 2:00 pm Men’s Round 2 (winners from Round 1 & Best Loser)
2:10 pm - 4:20 pm Men’s Round 3 (winners from Round 2)
4:30 pm Women’s Final Game
5:40 pm Men’s Final Game
6:50 pm Awards Ceremony Men’s (1st & 2nd) & Women’s (1st & 2nd)

Tournament organizers believe the Worcester World Cup is far more than a soccer tournament; it is a chance to recognize and celebrate Worcester’s past and present immigrant communities. This 2-day tournament will bring together 18 teams representing 16 countries and immigrant communities. Women’s teams from Guatemala, El Salvador, Mexico and the USA will be joined by Men’s teams from Togo, Albania, Iran, Jamaica, Ghana, Iraq, Guatemala, Brazil, Kosova, Vietnam, Liberia, USA, Ecuador, & Senegal.

The tournament is held at Elm Park Community School field, a focal point of the nascent immigrant soccer leagues and pick-up games in Worcester. Many of the players in the tournament live nearby and regularly practice and scrimmage on this field. Neighborhood community groups have asked the City Manager to prioritize this field for much needed renovation. City Councilor Gary Rosen has made the field’s renovation a personal project he wants to see succeed. The Worcester World Cup is a community celebration with entertainment along with games for children, national flags representing the teams, ethnic food vendors, and more! EHANA, the neighborhood association around the Elm Park Community School will be coordinating children’s activities and awarding prizes. There is no entrance fee for spectators.

Cultural Exchange Through Soccer (CETS) was born out of an effort to build relationships in an internationally diverse neighborhood and to support Elm Park Community School’s growth. It is a unique program that has proven its ability to bring neighbors together for recreation and for the neighborhood’s common good. CETS was started in the summer of 2003 and has grown substantially. What was an 8- week program with a dozen kids and one coach now boasts over 65 participants, including 14 coaches playing year round by using the EPCS gymnasium and the EPCS school field.

Join Cultural Exchange Through Soccer (CETS), the Pleasant Street Neighborhood Network Center, and Worcester Common Ground for the Second Annual Worcester World Cup!