Saturday, September 12, 2009

It's That Time Again: Soccer Jamboree 2009


Over 800 Middletown kids (and their parents) flocked to the soccer fields at Vinal Tech today for the 2009 Soccer Jamboree. For those of you who missed the opportunity to stand around in the rain and gloom, waiting for individual and team pictures as well as scrimmage games, well, you missed the "it" place in town to be on this glorious New England day. Divided into 54 different teams by two-year age groups, the mayhem was unbelievable!

Sarcasm over the weather aside, there was pure joy on the faces of hundreds of soccer players as they raced around, greeting friends and cheering for their teams. The new uniforms for the 5-year-old league generated the most interest: instead of the standard blue/white reversible jersey that everyone else wears, the 5-year-old teams are identified by country and distinct colors: Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Italy, USA, Brazil, Argentina, and England. As a parent of a 5-year-old on team Ireland, I have to say that I have never seen such mass cuteness running around. They look like extra-mini world cup players, and I particularly enjoyed the kids who couldn't resist using their hands to help the ball into the goal when their kicks didn't exactly work out as planned.

Regular league games will run from next Saturday, September 19 through Sunday, October 18, at the Vinal Tech fields. Games run all day, starting at 9 am on Saturdays and noon on Sundays. Should you find yourself with nothing to do on a Saturday or Sunday over the next few weeks, grab a lawn chair, a hot drink (or bring money for the ice cream truck), and bring your best cheering voice...I promise the happiness is contagious!

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