Inaugural soccer cup brings together Latino community
Posted on Sunday, July 30, 2006
SPRINGDALE — As salsa music blared in the background, players called out to each other in Spanish, directing their teammates and organizing their plans for attack. On a field with hash marks and numbers, a different type of football was being played at Jarrell Williams Bulldog Stadium. Two goals were set up and opposite ends and blue ball was being kicked around the artificial turf.
Twenty of the best adult club teams from Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley were on hand Saturday in Springdale, competing for bragging rights at the inaugural First Security Invitational Security Cup. The two-day event ends today.
“ I am enthused and excited, ” said Den- nis Zelaya, who plays for the Diablos. “ This tournament has already become wellknown. ”
Zelaya scored the gamewinning goal in his team’s 3-1 win over Juventus of Springdale in the opening round of the single-elimination tournament. Midway through the second half, he received a pass from the midfield, streaked towards the left side of the penalty box and deposited the ball in the back of the net. After scoring the goal, Zelaya wore a look of happiness and relief as his team got to take a brief respite in the hot conditions.
“ I heard a lot of people saying that their feet were burning, ” Zelaya said, as beads of sweat settled on his face after the game.
As temperatures approached 100 degrees Saturday and the sun scorched the artificial turf, the public address announcer did his best impression of Telemundo’s Andreas Cantor, accentuating his calls when someone scored a goal. It was all part of a unique atmosphere, where English became the second language and the weather was the topic of conversation.
“ I wish it was a little hotter, ” Oswaldo Oseguera, a defender for Juventus, said sarcastically.
The Diablos had never played Juventus, even though approximately 12 miles separate both teams. Both clubs are affiliated with different city leagues and opportunities to play competition from other towns is rare. Carlos Chicas, who organized the soccer cup, said the event was a good way to bring together the Latino athletes in Northwest Arkansas.
“ We want this to become an every-year event and possibly bring 30 to 40 teams next year, ” said Chicas, who is a sportscaster for the local Univision station. “ We wanted to reach out to the Latino community. What’s a better way to do it than through soccer ?”
Oseguera, who helps run a family-owned Mexican restaurant that has its roots in Hot Springs, came to Northwest Arkansas four years ago and said he has seen a lot of changes in the area. However, Oseguera admits that even as the region’s Hispanic population has grown there are not many occasions when the Latino community can celebrate its culture.
“ This is the first big event like this I have been to since I have been up here, ” Oseguera said. “ I think it should happen more often, because it brings a lot of different people from a lot of different places up here. It gives them a little feeling of what Springdale soccer is all about. We’re motivated to keep it going. We’ll do whatever we have to do. ”
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