North Carolina Teams dominate at 2006 USASA Veterans Cup

The USASA (United States Adult Soccer Association) national VETERANS CUP – which has been played around USA for the past 8 years – has for the past two years been hosted by the NCASA and local NC soccer associations in Wilmington NC . It is expected that the city of Wilmington and surrounding areas had an income of over $8 million from the over 3000 players, supporters spending 1 week in the City and local beaches.

It may not be as International and viewed by billions of spectators as the World Cup just held in Germany, but for the best O30 to O60 soccer teams in USA – this is the most prestigious tournament played every year.

The tournament this year which featured 90 Veteran Cup teams from all over the USA plus an O60 to 83 year old Japanese team was held at the Veterans Park Complex from 18-23^rd of July turned out to be a showpiece for North Carolina soccer.

Greensboro  represented the largest group of teams – the GSO United Soccer Club – which participated in the:
O30 division (first time)
O40 1^st division
O45 division
O50 division
O55 division
(We are working and in a year or two will have an United open and O60 United team as well)

In the 8 men’s division (O30 through O60) 2 NC teams became Veteran Cup champions:
Port City Soccer Club - O35 Division - Wilmington, NC
Greensboro O40 United - O40 1st Division - Greensboro, NC

And 5 teams advanced to the final as runners up:
Faircloth Electric Hurricanes - O30 Division - Raleigh, NC
Team Phoenix - O35 Division - Raleigh, NC
RBC Centura - O40 Premeir Division - Charlotte, NC
Showmars - O45 Division - Charlotte, NC
Greensboro O55 United - O55 Division - Greensboro, NC

The following 4 NC teams went through the preliminary rounds and got beat in the semi-finals:
Strike Force - O35 Division - Wilmington, NC
Lagerheads - O40 Division - Wilmington, NC
Winston Salem United - O40 Division - Winston Salem, NC
Greensboro O50 United - O50 Division - Greensboro, NC

In the women's division, where teams as old as O55 participated, 1 NC team went to the final as runners up (but the other 4 participating NC teams had a blast!):
Sporting Charlotte - O30 Division - Charlotte, NC

*Special thanks to Kim Bergenser for this article and his efforts to make it appear in the Greensboro News & Record