THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, July 19, 1996 TAG: 9607180140
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JAMES C. BLACK, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 89 lines
ANDREW PATTERSON marched onto the football field at the University of Louisville's Cardinal Stadium raising a white placard that said: Virginia Beach, VA. USA. Behind him were 13 teammates; two carrying a banner with the team's name - Beach FC Hotspur.
The 10-under soccer team was in Louisville over the Fourth of July weekend to take on the world in the third annual MasterCard International Sister Cities Cup. More than 100 teams representing 10 countries took part.
And when it was all over, Hotspur had conquered the international field. The Beach team defeated Javanon '86 of Louisville, 3-1, in the title game.
``It's different than any of the other tournaments we go to,'' said Bobby Wells, whose youngest son Greg plays for Hotspur.
Although Hotspur didn't get to play any of the foreign teams, the players had many opportunities to meet people from different countries.
Wednesday evening, players, coaches and families were invited to the Louisville Redbirds minor league baseball doubleheader.
Thursday was the first day of soccer competition. Afterward, participants attended the Old-Fashioned Fourth of July Picnic.
On Friday, teams from as far as Taiwan, Soweto and Albania marched at Cardinal Stadium during the Parade of Nations. After the parade, the United States Men's Select Amateur Team hosted Club Atletico Marte of El Salvador in an exhibition soccer match.
On Saturday evening, participants gathered at Kentucky Kingdom amusement park.
In addition to the festivities, the Hotspur team exchanged T-shirts it brought from Virginia Beach to exchange with the other youth.
``It is a unique cultural experience for these boys to play with teams from around the world,'' said Wells, director of claims litigation for Norfolk Southern. ``It's an opportunity for them to meet and play against kids they wouldn't ordinarily see.''
Wells' 14-year-old son Bryan, who was just along for the family trip, wound up playing with a team from Bogota, Colombia. The team was in town for a basketball camp but was added to the soccer tournament at the last minute.
``Soccer wasn't their sport,'' said Bryan, an upcoming freshman at Catholic High. ``But they had a lot of fun.''
The Colombians lost all three of their games, two by shutout. Hotspur, however, traveled a different road.
The Beach team won two of its first three games to advance to the semifinals and then defeated the Owensboro (Ky.) Untouchables, 3-1, to advance to the championship.
Hotspur played Javanon '86 in the final - a Louisville team Wells helped start when his family lived in Kentucky.
``Going in, we expected to play Javanon,'' said Hotspur coach Gary Werner. ``We suspected they were the best two teams. . . . I think it added to the drama because of the relationships built between the teams.''
Javanon took a 1-0 lead in the first half on a penalty kick.
Still trailing early in the second half, tragedy struck for Hotspur. Defenseman Marcus Jackson was injured when he and a Javanon player were in hot pursuit of the ball.
``I was running hard and our shin guards hit together and my tibia broke,'' said Marcus, who will attend Princess Anne Middle this fall.
Marcus, like a few of his teammates, was not accompanied by his parents on the trip. Tom Jackson is a petty officer first class aboard the George Washington in France. Lana Jackson was in Virginia Beach working and taking care of their two other children, Lana and Natalie.
``When I saw him go down, I knew he was hurt,'' said Werner, who has coached youth soccer for 18 years. ``It was difficult for me because his parents weren't there and he wanted his parents to be there.''
Marcus, however, did not realize the severity of the injury initially.
``I just thought it was a bruise,'' Marcus said.
Lana Jackson had reservations about sending her son to Louisville since neither she nor her husband could make the trip.
``The first time that I don't go on one of these trips is the time he breaks his leg,'' said Lana Jackson, a legal secretary for Taylor & Walker in Norfolk.
While Marcus laid on a stretcher being attended to, his teammates took care of business on the field. Matt Cramer, Matt Lombardo and Jack Palmer each scored goals as Hotspur earned a 3-1 victory.
``It got us really pumped up,'' Greg said. ``We tried to win it for Marcus and we did.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MORT FRYMAN
Hotspur rallied after defenseman Marcus Jackson suffered a broken
leg early in the second half of the championship game.
Photo by DEBBIE WILSON
Beach FC Hotspur marched onto the University of Louisville's
Cardinal Stadium, proudly carrying their banners. by CNB