Matt Riley (left) and Tanner Beckett both of Ona, W.Va. wrap themselves in a flag Saturday, while watching the girls West Virginia U-17 division team play New Jersey.
BARBOURSVILLE, W.Va. -- Following Saturday's soccer games in Barboursville, families from 13 states across the region scoured the Tri-State area looking for the perfect place to sit back, relax and enjoy their Fourth of July holiday.
Click here to read more about the soccer games.
BARBOURSVILLE, W.Va. -- Following Saturday's soccer games in Barboursville, families from 13 states across the region scoured the Tri-State area looking for the perfect place to sit back, relax and enjoy their Fourth of July holiday.
Hotels all over have been booked solid with players, coaches and parents who are attending the U.S. Youth Soccer Region 1 Championships.
Bob Bertucci of Gibbsboro, N.J., was watching his son Joseph play for the New Jersey U-16s Saturday morning. Once he finished, the family had plans to return to their hotel in Charleston, fire up the grill, lounge at the pool and then make their way to Power Park for the game against the Lakewood Blue Claws and to enjoy the scheduled fireworks show.
"It seemed like the perfect thing for us to do tonight," Bertucci said. "It was just pure coincidence that the team is playing a Phillies farm team."
He added he was impressed with how organized the tournament was. Bertucci coaches girls volleyball at Temple University in Philadelphia. Before coming to Barboursville, he was in Miami at a similar competition.
Austin Anderson and his nephew Luc Martin, 15, of Essex Junction, Vt., said they plan on doing the same thing.
After a long drive from Vermont, they are looking forward to the Class-A game tonight.
Stef Steffen of Downingtown, Pa., said her family may try to do the same thing. It all hinges on how long they stay at the New River Gorge.
"I did some research as soon as I found out we were coming to West Virginia," Steffen said. "[The New River Gorge] seems to be the place to go."
Click here to read more about the soccer games.
BARBOURSVILLE, W.Va. -- Following Saturday's soccer games in Barboursville, families from 13 states across the region scoured the Tri-State area looking for the perfect place to sit back, relax and enjoy their Fourth of July holiday.
Hotels all over have been booked solid with players, coaches and parents who are attending the U.S. Youth Soccer Region 1 Championships.
Bob Bertucci of Gibbsboro, N.J., was watching his son Joseph play for the New Jersey U-16s Saturday morning. Once he finished, the family had plans to return to their hotel in Charleston, fire up the grill, lounge at the pool and then make their way to Power Park for the game against the Lakewood Blue Claws and to enjoy the scheduled fireworks show.
"It seemed like the perfect thing for us to do tonight," Bertucci said. "It was just pure coincidence that the team is playing a Phillies farm team."
He added he was impressed with how organized the tournament was. Bertucci coaches girls volleyball at Temple University in Philadelphia. Before coming to Barboursville, he was in Miami at a similar competition.
Austin Anderson and his nephew Luc Martin, 15, of Essex Junction, Vt., said they plan on doing the same thing.
After a long drive from Vermont, they are looking forward to the Class-A game tonight.
Stef Steffen of Downingtown, Pa., said her family may try to do the same thing. It all hinges on how long they stay at the New River Gorge.
"I did some research as soon as I found out we were coming to West Virginia," Steffen said. "[The New River Gorge] seems to be the place to go."
She added that she's really impressed with how much there is to do in the area.
She may consider a return to West Virginia for leisure.
"This tournament is getting the state a lot of attention and it could become more a destination spot," she said.
While she and her husband drove up from visiting family in Tennessee, they were struck by the beauty of the mountains in West Virginia.
"It was a spectacular ride up," she said. "The kids slept the whole way, but my husband kept trying to keep his eyes on the road."
For others, the holiday will be spent at the field, watching soccer.
Diane McCarthy of Huntington has a son playing and a husband volunteering in the tournament.
"We have to come back tomorrow morning so it's an early night for us," she said.
The last rounds of preliminary matches are today, starting at 8 a.m. at the Barboursville Community Park and the Kennedy Center at the YMCA.
Reach Jon Offredo at jonoffr...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-5189.
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