Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country
Founded 05-05-05
April 10, 2008 issue
People of the Planet Gather at ASU for Second Annual Soccer Tournament
The 7th annual ASU Diversity Celebration kicked off on Sunday, April 6, with the second annual Appalachian People of the Planet Soccer Tournament. Players from 35 countries gathered at ASU’s Kidd Brewer Stadium to take part in the event.
Players from ASU and the community were distributed on two international teams, Space and Fire, and two American teams, Earth and Water. In addition, youth players were also invited to play this year in two divisions—U8 for 6-, 7- and 8-year-olds; and U10 for 9-, 10- and 11-year-olds.
“The tournament brought the community and ASU together to celebrate unity and diversity on the soccer field,” said Rahman Tashakkori, coordinator and founder of the tournament.
The first adult game between Space and Earth started at 9:00 a.m., followed by a game between Water and Fire. At noon, the youth players were divided into three groups to play three co-ed matches. Following the youth matches, kids received medallions, certificates of participation and gift bags.
At 2:00 p.m., Earth and Fire faced each other in the third match of the day. Immediately after the third match, the closing ceremony brought all the players and spectators together to hear Cindy Wallace, ASU vice chancellor for student development, provide some remarks about the tournament and its importance. At the end of the ceremony, all the players received medallions from Wallace, ASU Assistant Vice Chancellor Tracey Wright and Ben Papoola, ASU women's soccer head coach and co-chair of the People of the Planet organizing committee. Following the closing ceremony, Space and Water played the last match of the day.
At the tournament, about 80 adult players, 70 youth players and 40 children, ages 5 to 11, carried flags. A large number of spectators from the High Country community came throughout the day to watch the different matches.
“I am very grateful to the volunteers who were involved to make this event possible,” said Tashakkori. “The coaches, team captains, referees, field supervisors, community liaisons and registration desk personnel were among these volunteers who came from the community and ASU to make things happen that day.”
Blue Horse Promotions Inc., Booneweather.com, Krause Construction Company Inc., Los Arcoiris Restaurant, M-Prints Inc., Boone Rentals Inc. and ASU’s Equity Office sponsored the event. The ASU Department of Computer Science sponsored the event’s website.