SNF TO SPONSOR NATIONAL YOUTH SOCCER TOURNAMENT IN AUGUST

Realizing that soccer is both a very popular sport with our "new arrivals" and increasingly popular with American-born youth, the Serb National Federation feels that the time is right to initiate a national youth soccer tournament.  The delegates at the most recent SNF Convention enthusiastically endorsed the idea. The Board of Directors approved the concept at its last meeting and selected Mirko Maric of Munster, Indiana, as the First SNF Soccer Director.

“Mirko has had a long and illustrious career of over the last thirty years both as a soccer coach and as an official,” said SNF President Dan Pyevich. “We feel very lucky to have someone of his abilities, particularly in the first year of this new and long overdue program.”

Pyevich went on to explain that the SNF executive committee members spent a great deal of time deciding on what time of year to hold the first soccer tournament. “We wanted to choose a time that respected our Church calendar, did not interfere with other scheduled major SNF events, and was during our youth's summer vacation.” One of the few weekends that satisfied these criteria was August 6-8.  

“Hopefully, a capable colony will come forward to host this important inaugural event,” said Pyevich, who invites all interested lodges and colonies to contact the SNF Home Office to bid on the event. “There is currently no major national Serbian youth soccer tournament, and the SNF is very excited about launching this groundbreaking event.”

Maric says he and Pyevich are pleased the soccer tournament is about to make its SNF debut. “We have been bouncing ideas back and forth over the past year trying to make this into reality. Our main focus is going to be on youth players, male and female, ages 19 and younger,” says Maric, who expects the event to have five brackets depending on the number of teams. “I believe my experiences (as a player, coach, referee and tournament organizer for the White Eagles soccer club) combined with the full support and backing of the SNF will make this the premiere Serbian youth soccer tournament in North America.”

The SNF is currently soliciting bidders for this first soccer tourney. Bid invitations remain open until the end of February at which time a host community and lodge will be selected. Interested lodges and parish communities are invited to contact the SNF Home Office for details on how to place a bid for hosting this and future soccer tournaments.

Pyevich and Maric acknowledge that they will be feeling their way for the first several years, but are nevertheless taking the event very seriously with the idea that it will blossom into one of the Serb National Federation’s major annual tournaments. Reserve the weekend of August 6-8 this summer and keep reading the American Srbobran for details on the location and complete schedule of events as the information becomes available.