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Long Beach to host COOP Beach Soccer Championships this weekend
LONG BEACH, Calif. (May 31, 2012) – The COOP Beach Soccer Championships will return to Long Beach, Calif., this weekend, where more than 130 teams will compete in their respective divisions while also taking part in the event’s beach festival activities, which begin Friday evening and last through Sunday.
The festival will kick off Friday with a free kids’ beach soccer clinic at 4:30 p.m. where youngsters of all ages will have an opportunity to learn beach soccer skills and strategies from top pro players.
Head coach of the U.S. Beach Soccer National Team, Eddie Soto, has organized and led the clinic since 2007 and has a set of fun activities lined up for Friday evening. All children are welcome to participate, regardless of whether they are competing in the tournament this weekend.
“The kids’ clinic is a fun way to start the weekend activities because it gets the youth and pro players fired up to play the next day and really is a fun activity for all ages and skill levels,” said Marc Koehler, tournament director. “The weekend event circles around the soccer competitions, but whether or not you’re a soccer fan, there will be festival fare and activities for all ages.”
COOP, the returning title sponsor of the event, is a leader in innovative outdoor toys, games and sports equipment designed for family fun and will host the COOP Fun Zone, where kids and adults can enjoy multiple games and activities.
Four professional soccer teams, including two California-based teams, will compete for the Long Beach championship title, including SoCal Beach FC from Oceanside, Calif., Shoreline Beach Soccer Club from San Diego, Hawaii 5.0 of Kailua, Hawaii, and Japan Beach Soccer Network Selection from Japan.
“Any person who enjoys a good competition needs to take in at least one of the pro games on the beach this weekend, which will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday,” Koehler said. “These athletes have tremendous ball control skills and have a true passion for the game. These guys are exciting and inspirational to watch, regardless of your soccer knowledge.”
All festival activities associated with the COOP Beach Soccer Championships are free and open to the public. For more information about the festival, including a full schedule of activities, visit www.beachsoccerusa.org/. For information about COOP, visit www.coop-sports.com.
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Youth of all ages can learn from top-level professional beach soccer players at the free kids' soccer clinic, which is the opening activity for the COOP Beach Soccer Championships beginning Friday at 4:30 p.m. Click photo to view/download hi-res version.
