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Charlotte Amalie
Thursday, March 28, 2024
HomeNewsArchivesYOUTH SOCCER TO PLAY ON ST. CROIX SATURDAY

YOUTH SOCCER TO PLAY ON ST. CROIX SATURDAY

Exactly one month after making a clean sweep, winning all the games in Tortola, St. Thomas Youth Soccer Association – Peacemakers will travel again. On Saturday March 11 the Peacemakers travel to St. Croix to take part in a tournament there.
Thirty Peacemakers in the age categories Under seven, under 11 and under 13 are scheduled to play against various teams such as Anthony International, Lew Muckle, Alkon Rhea & Hart, Computer Solutions, Eldon Lambert Appraisals, Whitecliffs, Florida Construction, Villa and Quality Auto Parts from St. Croix as well as a team from St. John. Several veteran Peacemakers players will be on this trip but many on the under seven, under nine and under 11 teams will be on their first soccer trip.
Many of the children on the under seven team have been playing since January and are very excited about the opportunity to play in this level of competition.
This is not the first time the Peacemakers are playing against St. Croix teams. In December there was the (delayed due to Hurricane Lenny) annual Thanksgiving Soccer Tournament. St. Croix fielded several teams for that event but St. Thomas dominated, winning all the games. This tournament should be exciting and more challenging for St. Thomas because St. Croix is likely to have more players available and have benefitted from more practice since December.
The re-match of the Under 13 boys will undoubtedly be a true test of skill and talent. Peacemakers Under 13 Coach Clifton Williams is not phased by this and states that his "players are physically and mentally prepared, even though some strong players like Laurence Bonelli Jr. and Malik Feracho will not be on this trip".
Williams further indicated that "this tournament will be a good opportunity for the players to experience benefit from playing different positions" from the ones they normally play when they have the complete team present.
"This is a perfect opportunity to test their skills and the team approach, we are ready", he said. The Dec. 11 tournament the Under 13 boys game St. Thomas vs. St. Croix was easily the most exciting game of the tournament because the playing skills were so high, according to Williams.
At the end of the first half the score was 4-3 but 3 goals had been scored by the very talented and fast Crucian – Dennis Liburd. The game continued to be a nail-bitter but by the end of the second half Peacemakers Max Hoffman had scored 2 goals, followed by goals by Zachary Coffelt and Laurence Bonelli Jr.
The rematch this Saturday should be a crowd thriller, Williams said.
A release from the organization said plans are all in place for the trip. The arrangements have been made by the seemingly tireless president, Trevor Velinor, with a lot of support from the board members and parents.
Several parents will be traveling with the team and they too are looking forward to this event, according to the release.
Stephen Brusch, a St. Thomas Youth Soccer Association, Inc. Board member is excited
about the trip. He says the "Peacemakers (he coined the name) travel under the three ships
of youth soccer – friendship, scholarship and sportsmanship…. under these ships/banners – everyone wins."
Funds for this trip were raised entirely by the players, parents, siblings, coaches and friends of St. Thomas Youth Soccer Association. On Saturday, March 4 the Peacemakers held a car wash from 9 a.m.to 3 p.m. in the Wendy's parking lot. It was a tremendous success financially but also in bringing the team family together, according to Tanya Ward Benjamin spokesperson for the group.
"It was heartwarming to see such a wide cross section of this society along racial, socio-economic and cultural lines all working together despite their ages, the young, middle age, sort of old and those in between, to wash, dry and shine cars or help with the distribution of materials, direction of traffic or distribution of food and water," Benjamin said.
"All age ranges, colors, shades and backgrounds – girls and boys were involved in this fun fund raiser.
"St. Thomas Youth Soccer Association is particularly indebted to Wendy's management for the use of the water, the parking lot and for the food discounts for the participants, Benjamin said.
St. Thomas Youth Soccer Association is also grateful to the many persons who willingly bought advance tickets for the Car Wash from the players and their parents, who gave donations if they could not attend the car wash and to those who heeded the requests of those on the roadway to come in and get their car washed, Benjamin added.
It is important to note that the player participation was very high because the players knew that each ticket sold would reduce the cost of their airfare. Additionally important is that many players sold all their tickets and participated in the Car Wash even though they were not going to be traveling because of prior commitments or their team not going – the Under 11, A team for example is not going on this trip. The children (and their parents) realized that the more funds raised the better it would be for all the Peacemakers, Benjamin said.
For more information call Trevor Velinor at 693-2213 or Tanya Ward Benjamin at 776-2105
or 776-4844 ext. 262.

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