198 teams competed in the 10^th Annual Ukrainian Nationals Invitational Soccer Tournament

By Eugene A. Luciw, J.D.

Wonderful weather and very good field conditions greeted 198 teams from throughout the Atlantic seaboard and Canada at the Ukrainian Nationals Annual Memorial Weekend youth soccer tournament. Play commenced Friday under the lights at Tryzubivka and progressed throughout Saturday and Sunday at four additional venues. All of the championship games were played on Tryzubivka’s six fields of play, on Sunday.

The competition, especially in the finals games, was fierce. The various soccer clubs and leagues had undeniably entered their strongest teams. Some were even so-called "select" and "premiere" squads.

Nevertheless, the Ukrainian teams in the competition did very well. The Ukrainian Nationals - Tryzub captured eleven first-place and five second-place trophies.

Chornomorska Sitch, from Whippany, New Jersey, won the U-16 boys' championship in a thrilling shoot-out final against a powerful North Union team from Lewisburg, PA, while Ukrainian Sports Club Karapty took the U-11 boys championship home to Toronto, Canada. Tryzub was particularly honored to have hosted teams from these two Ukrainian clubs and salutes their successes against very stiff competition.

On Saturday night, the Ukrainian Nationals hosted a "Picnic under the Stars". The teams, parents and guests enjoyed a marvelous evening of fun to the accompaniment of a live dance band, "Midnight Java".

Under the leadership of Tournament Director, Cheryl Mannato, the tournament committee moved the play and a mass of players, spectators, referees, vehicular traffic, field marshals, vendors and volunteers with the precision of a Swiss watch. Each venue was fully stocked with appropriate concessions, supplies and conveniences.

Tryzub thanks Ms. Mannato, her committee and all of the volunteers for their commitment to excellence. It takes leadership, dedication, organization, communication, cohesiveness and many months of sheer hard work to organize and to execute an event of this magnitude. Numerous guests literally marveled at the excellence of Tryzub’s facilities and the unparalleled organization and appeal of all aspects of the tournament.

In a manner that is characteristic of a genuine leader, Ms. Mannato spoke little of herself. Rather, she gave high compliments to her predecessor, Dan Nysh "...for his nine years of tireless dedication and yeoman like work in building a Class A tournament from a fledgling vision." She saluted the "benevolence, gentility and selflessness of ... the people who are the tournament". She expressed deep gratitude to her committee executives: Dan Nysch (tournament director for the nine previous years); Joe Hosack; Jim McNesby; Bruce Tullio; Terry Simmons; Donna Serratore; Beth Matthews and Bob Sitler.

She was awed by a corps of committee members and other tireless front line volunteers: Dave Bateman, Dave Caddick, Tom Drummond, Lou Ann Lottilo, Mark Messina, Tom Milewski, Colleen Plummer, Larry Towle, Dan Solecki, Gary Stephenson, Ostap Lewyckyj, Damon Asper, Maria Dolynskyj, Anna Dolynskyj, Zina and Andrij Zajac.

She commended those that supported the work of the committee and also went "above and beyond": Dan Harman, Will Henry, Nadia Korsun, Stephan Kozak, Taras Kozak (Ukrainian Nationals President), Gene Luciw, Justin Mannato, Ray McDonald, Shel Powell, Bo Pazuniak, Bill Jur, Anita Chajkowsky.

"Without the remaining few hundred volunteers who showed up to work their respective shifts, this tournament would not be possible. These names are too many to list but they know who they are", said Mannato.

Each champion and finalist player received a custom-designed trophy with an engraved Tryzub and an explanation of its special significance to the Ukrainian American community. Each team in the finals received a personalized trophy that prominently displayed our revered national emblem.

Listed below are the results of the tournament: