Local Soccer Team Will Kick Up A Storm in Columbus, Ohio On July 29 At This
International Youth Soccer Tournament
BURBANK, July 13, 2005. . .Youth soccer teams from around the United States
and Latin America are gearing up for the final round of the 2005 Jetix Kids
Cup being held at Easton Fields in Columbus, Ohio, on Friday, July 29.
The Southern California Blues girl’s soccer team garnered a spot in the finals and are ready to tear up the field in this internationally spirited competition. Team members include Kelly McCormick, Kaitlyn Dickman, Emily Goldstein, Madison Kaminski, Katie Perry, Alissa Stewart and Natalie Werner.
The SoCal Blues depart for Columbus on Thursday, July 28. Games begin at 9:00 a.m. followed by an awards ceremony at 1:45 p.m ET.
While in Columbus, the team will also get to attend the 2005 Sierra Mist MLS All-Star Game which takes place on Saturday, July 30.
The Jetix Kids Cup is a global youth soccer tournament that promotes fair play, sportsmanship, and the importance of physical fitness. Highlights from the 2005 Kids Cup will be presented on Saturday, August 20 during ABC Kids on the ABC Television Network and on Sunday, August 21 during the Jetix programming blocks on Toon Disney and ABC Family. The programming is jointly sponsored by Gatorade and Kellogg’s.
Dear
Blues,
I would like to share with you a great experience that only one can experience
as a U-12 player; the Jetix Kids Cup. The Jetix Kids Cup was sponsored
by Major League Soccer (MLS) and Disney. It is a 5 v 5 competition.
The following Blues players won the very competitive regionals
in Encino, CA on June 11, just narrowly defeating our sister Blues
team in the finals: Katie Perry, Madison Kaminski, Emily Goldstein,
Natalie Werner, Alissa Stewart, Kaitlyn Dickmann, and Kelly McCormick.
We were flown with one parent each and our coach, Rob Kaminski (Maddi's Dad) all expenses paid by MLS to Columbus, Ohio the last weekend of July to compete with winning teams from Chicago, New York, and Brasil. Our experience was awesome! It was fun to play against other American soccer teams, but it was thrilling and challenging to play against the girl's Brasilian soccer team!
We faced many challenges like time zone changes, humidity, long grass, way too tight Jetix uniform shorts, lost luggage, and inability to speak Portuguese; but we enjoyed it all!
Our experience not only included playing
soccer - we met many professional soccer players and the band Bowling
for Soup, we attended the MLS All Star Game and participated in the
opening ceremony, we interacted with other soccer players our age,
and we guest-appeared on a Disney taping with Freddy Adu and Kyle Martino.
One memory that really sticks out in my mind is the night before
we left. The Brasilian boys and girls, using sign language, asked
us to play 3 v 3 soccer with a tiny ball on the hotel's cement
terrace. It was great fun, because we formed combination teams; no
longer Americans against the Brasilians. To quote a former trainer,
soccer became our international language. In addition, three MLS professional
players watched us for two hours.
So youngers, as you approach U-12, challenge yourself and go for it! This experience will stay with us forever. By the way, we won both the National and International Championship Titles!!! Watch us this weekend when highlights from the 2005 Jetix Kids Cup will be shown Saturday, August 20 during ABC Kids on the ABC Television Network and on Sunday, August 21 during the Jetix programming blocks on Toon Disney and ABC Family.
Kelly McCormick, Blues Goalkeeper
