Carolina Dynamo News Release -- www.carolinadynamo.com
Thursday, May 23, 2013
GREENSBORO, N.C. -- The Carolina Dynamo are set to host the inaugural National Amateur Championship, part of U.S. Soccer’s Centennial Celebration, this Memorial Day Weekend at Macpherson Stadium. The Dynamo, who qualified for the tournament as the PDL’s representative after reaching the PDL Championship Game last season, will face Boston-based USASA side the Battery Park Gunners at 8 p.m. ET in the event’s second semifinal on Friday night. The NPSL’s FC Sonic and USASA’s Croatian Eagles will meet in the first semifinal at 5:30 p.m. ET.
The two semifinal winners will meet on Sunday morning at 11:30 a.m. ET to decide the inaugural winner of the National Amateur Championship.
"We are proud to announce the inaugural National Amateur Championship, which will bring together the best amateur teams in the country and crown a true National Amateur Champion," USASA Executive Director Duncan Riddle said. "It is especially fitting to begin this tournament as U.S. Soccer celebrates its Centennial year. Many of the member leagues and teams of USASA are also commemorating U.S. Soccer’s 100th year and have done so much to grow and popularize the game of soccer throughout the United States."
The winning team will be awarded the Hank Steinbrecher trophy, which the USASA named in honor of the former Secretary General of U.S. Soccer and National Soccer Hall of Fame inductee.
“What a fantastic year to celebrate not only the 100th anniversary of U.S. Soccer but to start a new, truly historic National Amateur Cup,” Steinbrecher said. “I am looking forward to attending the event in Greensboro and spending time with players, referees and administrators. What fun it will be. My family and I are delighted to have the trophy named in our honor although the real honor will be to crown the first National Amateur Champion.”