Oldest Ongoing Soccer Tournament In The U.S. To Celebrate Its 100th Anniversary With 2024 Amateur Cup Championship

The winner of the title of National Amateur Cup Champion is the top distinction that an elite amateur soccer club can earn in the United States.

We’re pleased to celebrate 100 years of amateur soccer in the United States with this prestigious tournament. It is a testament to the longevity and growing popularity of the sport in America.”
— John Motta – President, USASA

CHICAGO, IL, UNITED STATES, May 22, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ — The competition to compete and win the Fitz Marth Cup, awarded to the winner of the National Amateur Cup Soccer Tournament, will occur July 25-28, 2024 in DeKalb, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. The competition is held under the auspices of the USASA (United States Adult Soccer Association), the preeminent amateur soccer association in the United States with over 220,000 members. The winner of the title of National Amateur Cup Champion is the top distinction that an elite amateur soccer club can earn in the United States. The amateur soccer club, SC MesoAmerica of Los Angeles, was the 2023 champion.

In 2024, The National Amateur Cup Soccer Tournament brings together four elite amateur teams from throughout the United States to compete, in the semifinal and final games. The tournament will feature 4 days of men’s and women’s semifinal matches, leading to the final. Teams qualify to compete in the semifinals after first winning their own State’s or region’s championship. Unlike other amateur competitions in the U.S., the National Amateur Cup tournament is open to any amateur adult team in the U.S., that enters and competes in one of the regional qualifying events.

Said John Motta, President of USASA, “We’re pleased to celebrate 100 years of amateur soccer in the United States with this prestigious tournament. It is a testament to the longevity and growing popularity of the sport in America.”

DeKalb Illinois, where the National Amateur Cup soccer tournament is being held, returns the national championship to its home, Chicago, Illinois, the site of the first amateur soccer championship competition, which was held in 1924. The local USASA club, Dekalb County United, will serve as the host organization.

The winner of the Fitz Marth Cup also receives a place in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup competition. Another historic tournament, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup competition is conducted on a single-game, knockout basis and open to professional and amateur teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer.

In addition to the competition on the field, the 100th-anniversary celebration will include a variety of festivities, according to USASA Executive Director Bruce Bode. He said, “We are planning fan zones and special guest appearances. We will also highlight the history of this tournament during the build up to and at the finals. We want to create an unforgettable experience for players, fans and families, and create an environment for attracting and welcoming many new fans to the U.S. soccer community.”

READ MORE HERE

The Rise Of Amateur Adult Athletes In A Society Of Pros

The amateur adult athlete doesn’t get paid to play. Ironically, most actually pay to play sports as adults. Quite simply, amateur adult athletes play for love of the sport and the camaraderie of a team.

The common thread that ties amateur and professional adult athletes together is sport. However, this article will highlight the unabashedly American tradition of playing sports as an adult and its contrast to the professional scene

The Birth Of The Amateur Athlete

The word “amateur” comes from a French derivation of the Latin word “amator”, which means lover.  When applied to sports, it refers to someone who participates in a sport because they love the game and not because they are being paid for their activity.

Although the idea of amateurism has been mistakenly attributed to the ancient Greeks, it is more likely a romanticized concept enhanced during the resurrection of the modern-day Olympics in 1896, where it was stipulated that only non-professionals could participate.

Money Changes Everything

In recent years, the Olympics have modified their amateurs-only stance to include professional athletes’ eligibility to compete as well.  In fact, in much of elite-level sports today in the United States, there is little about the athletic experience that has not been monetized.  

Although The Masters golf tournament still reserves a spot or two for a top amateur golfer, most other elite sports competitions are strictly among professionals.

Whether it’s record-breaking transfers, multi-million dollar contracts, or the advent of NIL deals at the collegiate level, today, little separation between elite sports and money remains. This thought begs the question: where does organized sport leave the amateur athlete, the ones playing for nothing more than kinship and glory— the ones who step onto the field night after night emboldened simply by the love of the game?  Is there room for the amateur athlete in today’s sporting world

Soccer Leads The Pack Of Amateur Adult Athletes

Few sports in the United States embrace their amateur roots as much as soccer. It would not be until the 1990s that the country saw the founding of an established professional league in the game. Despite that tenure, which continues to this day, professional soccer in the United States continues to be slower in achieving acceptance by the general population than other sports.

By comparison, amateur soccer, at both the youth and adult levels, has enjoyed meteoric growth throughout the country, exemplified by the hundreds of new amateur teams that continue to form every year.

Community & Heritage Run Deep For Amateur Athletes

When you look at America’s amateur soccer teams, there is a major unifying factor—community. Initially, American soccer gained popularity largely through the play of immigrant communities in the Northeast. This can still be seen today at the adult amateur level.

Look at any adult amateur league, and you’ll find teams such as NY Pancyprian-Freedoms and RWB Adria, names that proudly proclaim their cultural heritage.  This is in stark contrast to the increasingly international and mercenary façade of professional sport.

In today’s world, people feel like they see themselves less and less in their “local” professional teams. Yet amateur sport provides a true place close to home where someone can identify and feel like they belong.

The Goal Is Different For Amateur Athletes

Additionally, amateur athletes are the antithesis of the “hustle culture” that has become increasingly popular in many online spaces, such as TikTok and Instagram. This contemporary mentality advocates that everything should be done in the pursuit of growing followers and or creating a material benefit. In this culture, hobbies cannot simply be something one does for fun. Instead, they must be a source of revenue or growing connectedness.

“Work without a tangible benefit” is derided as not “maximizing your potential.”  However, the goal of amateur athletics is purely individualized. The amateur athlete plays for other reasons, such as fitness or discipline, or simply because he or she enjoys participating as part of a team effort. Amateurs play because they love the sport and their sporting community.

Another advantage adult amateur sports offers is that it promotes diversity in skills and openness to all. In the sport of soccer, there are numerous websites, like Adults Play Sports, where one can find a team nearby, no matter what skill level one has.

Although it is true that there are elite amateur teams and leagues that are so skilled that they can–and do– compete against professional teams, amateur soccer teams are plentiful. Most open the door to all, including beginners and those whose rusty college skills need awakening.

What motivates an amateur player, if not money? The beauty of amateurism is that every amateur athlete gets to decide what they want to get out of participation.

For some adult athletes, it’s simply a way to get out of the house for a couple of hours a week. For others, there is a defined fitness goal they are striving toward. For some, it is simply being part of their team’s community. For others, they eye participation as a means of enhancing their skills, leading to upward progression in the sport.  Everyone gets to set their own goals.

One can strive to be the best, but for most, the expectation is to be the best version of oneself and to have fun.

Love Of The Game: From Pro To Amateur Adult Athlete

The love of the game is exemplified by a story about soccer star Sacha Kljestan, who had a storied career in professional soccer.

One day, after retiring from professional soccer, Sacha was in his gym working out when he had a chance meeting with someone who suggested that he join their amateur team. Kljestan joined the Des Moines Menace team as an amateur for their US Open Cup first-round match, where he contributed to their upset win.

Sacha said that it was his love of the game that brought him back—spoken like a true amateur.

The United States Adult Soccer Association Bridges The Gap For Adult Soccer Players

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) estimates that just 0.9 percent of collegiate athletes go on to compete professionally, which leaves the door wide open to those who would like to continue to play sports as adults.  In amateur soccer, the only barrier to entry is the ability to find a place to play.

Although there are a number of valuable apps that help amateurs find nearby teams, the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) is America’s largest amateur organization, with over 2000 men’s and women’s member teams throughout the U.S., encompassing all levels.  Visiting their website can help connect players to nearby compatible teams.

Amateur Sports Fans: The Unsung Heroes

I cannot write an article on amateur sports without mentioning the importance of amateur sports fans. The efforts of millions of amateur athletes around the country must be supported. Amateur teams need their local communities to stand up and support them and cheer them on from the sidelines of whatever venue they find to play at. Even just one cheering fan can make all the difference.

In today’s hyper-competitive world, the amateur athlete is more important than ever. For themselves, amateur sports provide an escape from the digital world and the 24-hour media cycle while enjoying a safe, healthy, competitive pursuit.

Amateur athletes help keep sports alive and thriving. There will always be a place for the amateur athlete.

Bruce Bode

Guest Post Contributor

READ MORE HERE

 

DeKalb County United to host USASA National Amatuer Cup

With women fresh off state cup title, president John Hall hopes to increase local awareness about club

By Eddie Carifio

Since its founding in 2017, the DeKalb County United soccer club has been looking to elevate itself in the community.

This week, president John Hall said the club is making a big splash in that department, hosting the 100th United States Adult Soccer Association National Amateur Cup at Northern Illinois University’s soccer stadium in DeKalb.

“For us, since we started the club, it’s been hard to put ourselves in the forefront of the community,” Hall said. “There’s still a lot of people who don’t know we exist. So this was a way, through some extra marketing and extra attention, maybe people realize we’re here.”

FC Arizona and FC Milwaukee Torrent will play one men’s semifinal Thursday and New York Pancyprian Freedoms and Tobacco Road FC will play in the other, with the title game at 7 p.m. Sunday.

On the women’s side, the Rochester Lazers will face Winger FC in one semifinal while Pan World Women and Edgewater Castle FC will meet in the other. The title game will be Sunday.

Before the men’s final Saturday, United will face Steel City at 4:30 p.m. in its season finale.

“We’re proud of our community, and we’re proud of our club,” Hall said. “This was a way to showcase it on a little bigger stage than just the Midwest Premier Leagues or women’s leagues or state cup. It was our first opportunity to do something bigger, and we jumped all over it.”

Hall said memorabilia from 100 years of the event will be displayed throughout the weekend.

Back in November, Hall said he started talking with USASA president Bruce Bode about hosting the event. What started as informal talks snowballed quickly into DeKalb hosting the event.

“I’ve known him for a few years through this soccer journey, and I just kind of mentioned off-the-cuff actually how it would be really cool to bring to DeKalb,” Hall said. “We could help with marketing and bring attention to it. I think a light bulb went off through a series of phone calls and emails. We put a proposal together and made the official bid. Fortunately, they decided to go with us.”

While Hall said that hosting the tournament helps put the team in the national spotlight, he’s really hoping it helps make an impact locally.

“Certainly it’s nice for people around the country to understand we’re a club and what we’re about,” Hall said. “Everybody loves our logo and all that. But national attention doesn’t really move the needle as far as we’re concerned with community impact and sustainability.”

The women’s team is fresh off winning the Illinois State Cup with a 7-0 victory over Rockford on Saturday and the men’s team hasn’t lost a league game since June 26.

But Hall said putting on an event the scale of the Cup and bringing in eight teams to the community and the tourism revenue that comes with that is a whole different ballgame.

“It’s an exciting opportunity to bring a bigger event to town,” Hall said. “It will put us on the map a little bit.”



National Amateur Cup tells the story of the beautiful game. By Dan Vaughn

National Amateur Cup tells the story of the beautiful game.

by Dan Vaughn

Soccer America Confidential

July 22, 2024

 

In a country as young as the United States, 100 years is a long time. 

 

In 1924, the National Amateur Cup final was played for the first time, crowning a champion of American amateur soccer. Every year since, excluding the 2020 pandemic year, amateur clubs from around the country have played through a bracket until the final two face off for the title of best amateur soccer team.

 

USASA executive director Bruce Bode, describes the history of the Cup as important, though a little complicated in the beginning. “At the time the Amateur Cup was founded in 1924, it was before the founding of U.S. Soccer (the organization), and amateur soccer clubs were the real representatives of American soccer. There were a lot of factory and ethnic teams, primarily from the Midwest and East.”

 

The first amateur cup final was played between two such clubs: a factory team, Fleisher Yarn, and an ethnic team, Chicago Swedish Americans. Fleisher won the first final 3-0. 

 

Since then, there have been champions from across the country. Teams from Philadelphia to Denver, Dallas to Detroit, have won the National Amateur Cup. The list of past amateur cup holders is the history of the sport, showing the spread of soccer from the East Coast to the Rust Belt and out West. The history of the Cup tells the story of the beautiful game.

 

This year’s finals will take place in Dekalb County, Illinois, just outside of Chicago, with the semifinals kicking off on Thursday and the championship match on Saturday to see which team will hoist the Fritz Marth Cup. The host organization of this year’s tournament is USASA local member, Dekalb County United. 

 

2024’s Semifinalists

 

The participants in this year’s semifinals come from across the country, representing the four regions that USASA divides the country into. This year’s teams are a perfect blend of old and new school teams, displaying both the legacy and trends in American soccer.

 

Region I is represented by the Pancyprian Freedoms, a club founded by Greek immigrants in New York City in 1974. The team is a throwback to the many ethnic clubs that have won the tournament over the years and is highly decorated, winning the U.S. Open Cup three times in the early 80’s. 

 

The team from Region II is a new face in the tournament, Milwaukee Torrent. Founded by former Bayer Leverkusen academy player, Andreas Davi, the team plays in the NPSL and is a perennial playoff contender, including this season. This is the club’s first time playing in the Amateur Cup.

 

Region III is represented by repeat-winner Tobacco Road FC. Created by a group of former teammates in 2014, the team has grown into a club soccer powerhouse in North Carolina. This marks the second year Tobacco Road has been the Region III winner. Last year it lost in the semifinals to eventual champion, MesoAmerica FC.

 

FC Arizona, which was just knocked out of the NPSL playoffs, is the champion of Region IV. While the team officially hails from Phoenix, the club has feeder programs throughout the state and extends from age five through semi-pro adult. FC Arizona is a developing program that is expanding in its home state.

 

Eyes on the prize

 

While every club sees competitions like these in their unique ways, every team representative highlighted the significance of the USASA Amateur Cup and the value it would bring to their organization and players.

 

“The Amateur Cup is another great event to bring teams together from across the country. FC Arizona will always look to showcase our players, and look for opportunities to help them go to the next level. A lot of eyes are on our club right now,” said FC Arizona head coach Alejandro Aguilar.

 

Pancyprian assistant coach Paul Kontonis focused on his team’s storied history and how the Amateur Cup would be the newest addition to the New York club’s impressive resume. “Our expectation is to get to the final and play for a championship. That is what we are planning for.”

 

“Winning a national championship is obviously something unique. Now that you are in the semifinal, you obviously want to go all the way,” said Torrent’s Andreas Davi. Cedric Burke, Tobacco Road’s founder and head coach, is locked in on how close his team came last year and how he wants this year to be different: “Winning this title is why we started this club.”

 

For Bruce Bode and USASA, it’s the opportunity to showcase its organization members from across the country for a weekend to a large national audience. “We want to have an event where everyone walks away from it and says ‘this was great!’ We want the teams to have a great experience and want to come back again.”



Region I First Round Complete

First Round Complete

Final 8 Set for 28 April

(15 April) The final match of the first round of our Amateur Cup qualifiers ended with Christos FC of Maryland outlasting the Alexandria Reds of National Premier Soccer League in penalty rounds after a 1:1 draw. This game was rescheduled after a communication gaffe saw their original date without referees. After a scoreless first half, Manny Ruiz opened the affair with a strike in the 50th minute. His goal appeared to advance the Reds to the next round but Kyle Saunderson tied it up in the waning minutes to send it to extra time. Christos prevailed when it went into penalty rounds 4:2.

 

The prior ties of the first round were played the week prior. Awaiting the Reds/Christos winner was Los Toros of Metro DC/Virginia who handily shutout Lancaster City FC of Eastern Pennsylvania 6:0. Jack Stone led with a hat trick as Seth Cain, Carlos Hernandez and Ziggey Aggrey contributed. The other South brackets winners saw Steel Pulse FC (MD) edge West Chester United (EPA) 1:0 from a goal by Jonny Humberto Ramos at the end of the first half. They will host Eastern Penn’s Vereinigung Erzgebirge who defeated Virginia Marauders FC (MDCVA) 3:1. Alex Hajj, Antoine Hoppenot and Jalen Weatherspoon tallied for VE with Matthew Martinez scoring the lone goal for the Marauders.

 

The North bracket saw Region cup holder Newtown Pride FC of Connecticut shutout Massachusetts side Sete de Setembro 2:0. Shanardo Green and Gustavo Gomes put the goals through in the second half for Newtown. Their quarterfinal opponent will be the

NY Pancyprian Freedoms of Eastern New York who went through after penalty rounds against their Eastern Premier Soccer League rival Hoboken FC 1912 of New Jersey. In a match that saw the lead see-saw in regulation and extra time, the teams put away 3 goals apiece. Luis Argudo gave the Freedom the lead in the first half but Hoboken’s Jameson Railey drew it even early in the second. James Thristino put Pancyprian ahead briefly only to find Corey Burkhardt tie it again four minutes later. The Jersey side took their first lead on a goal from Alberto Pangrazzi in extra time. That appeared to be the game winner until Thristino hit one at the end of the match. The Pancyprian prevailed in penalty rounds 5:3. NPSL side New York Shockers defeated SC Vistula Garfield (NJ) 2:1. Adel Cekic converted a penalty in the 60th while Filippo Bellu doubled the lead in the 70th. Hubert Dul was good on his penalty kick but it was not enough for the Jersey side. The Shockers will host Providence City FC (MA) in their quarterfinal slot. The first-round match between Providence and NY Greek American (ENY) was not played when Greek American withdrew in protest of field conditions. The protest was reviewed under the auspices of the USASA National Cup Committee and determined that it failed. As the team had abandoned the match, the result was forfeited and given in favor of Providence City FC.

 

We also played a Werner Fricker Cup quarterfinal, the rubber match between West Chester and Steel Pulse. The Eastern Penn side got the better of their Maryland rival this time with a 5:2 victory. Kenneth Roby put in a two-goal, two-assist performance including and assist to Joshua Pulla who had his own brace. Ridge Robinson tallied the other goal.

 

We move onto the Gerhard Mengel Cup, the Over-30 Championship this weekend. First game on Saturday evening with Torres FC (MA) hosting Sportfriends Polonia SC (NJ). On Sunday the other North bracket has New York Ukrainians (ENY)        against Greenwich FC (CT) while the South features NoVa FC (MDCVA) playing Vereinigung Erzgebirge (EPA) and Christos FC (MD) traveling to Rochester to meet Spencerport Storm of Western New York.

Region I Kicks Off 100th Anniversary of the Amateur Cup

Sixteen Teams Battle For Region Title

(5 April) Founded in 1923 as the National Amateur Challenge Cup in response to the growing number of teams entering the National Challenge Cup (Open Cup), the first tournament was not completed due to inclement weather. In 1924, the first side to hoist the inaugural cup was Philly powerhouse, Fleisher Yarn, defeating Chicago Swedish-Americans in the final. Fittingly, the 100th edition kicks off in Region I with the winner heading to DeKalb, Illinois, 25-28 July with USASA club, Dekalb County United, serving as the host organization to determine who will lift the Fritz Marth Trophy.

This Sunday, eight first round matches will be played throughout the Region. Newtown Pride SC of Connecticut look to defend their Region title, falling short last summer in the National final to SC Mesoamerica of Southern California. They will host Sete de Setembro of Massachusetts at Newtown High School Blue & Gold Stadium in a northern bracket battle. Another northern tie has SC Vistula Garfield of New Jersey hosting National Premier Soccer League entry New York Shockers. Two Eastern New York clubs with Open Cup pedigree are among the mix. The NY Greek American will travel to Rhode Island to meet Providence City FC while the NY Pancyprian Freedoms are involved in an Eastern Premier Soccer League derby against Hoboken FC 1912 of New Jersey.

The southern bracket features former the winner of the 2016 edition of the Amateur Cup, Christos FC of Maryland, crossing the Potomac River to take on Alexandria Reds of the Northern Premier Soccer League. Three sides from Eastern Pennsylvania are among the southern group with the Hank Steinbrecher Cup holder West Chester United taking visitors Steel Pulse FC of Maryland, Vereinigung Erzgebirge entertaining Virginia Marauders FC of Metro DC-Virginia while Lancaster City FC head down to Los Toros of Metro DC-Virginia.

The winners advance to the quarterfinals that will be played on 28 April. The Region final is scheduled for Saturday, 15 June, at the Ukrainian American Sport Center in Horsham, Pennsylvania.

100th Anniversary of National Amateur Cup Soccer Tournament

A CENTURY OF PASSION, UNITY, AND EXCELLENCE IN CHICAGO

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

100th Anniversary of National Amateur Cup Soccer Tournament: A Century of Passion, Unity, and Excellence in Chicago

Chicago, Illinois — December 11, 2023 — Soccer enthusiasts from across the nation are eagerly anticipating the historic 100th anniversary of the National Amateur Cup soccer tournament, set to take place from July 25-28, 2024 in DeKalb, Illinois outside Chicago. This landmark event celebrates a century of amateur soccer, bringing together amateur soccer teams to compete for the Fritz Marth Cup.

Since its inception, the Amateur Cup has been emblematic of amateur soccer in the United States, fostering a strong sense of community among soccer players and fans alike. Over the years, the tournament has become a testament to the grassroots passion for the beautiful game.

The centennial edition promises to be an extraordinary spectacle, bringing teams from all corners of the country to the Chicago area for the semifinal and final games.

“The 100th anniversary of the Amateur Cup is a momentous occasion for players, teams, and fans. This tournament has been a cornerstone of amateur soccer for a century, embodying the essence of dedication and sportsmanship,” said John Motta, President of United States Adult Soccer Association. “The first Amateur Cup final was held in Chicago in 1924 and we are excited to host this remarkable event back in the Chicago area.”

The tournament will feature men’s’ and women’s’ semifinal matches leading to the final, where they will vie for the prestigious title of National Amateur Cup champion. The champion receives a place in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup competition which includes both amateur and professional teams.

 

Unlike other amateur competitions, the National Amateur Cup tournament is open to any amateur team in the country that enters one of the regional qualifying events. This is a change made possible by the USASA National Board of Directors which approved a policy change that permits teams unaffiliated with USASA to enter the National Amateur Cup provided they register with the appropriate state association or national office.  Unaffiliated teams will now be able to enter an approved state association qualifying competition. Teams from national amateur leagues such as the National Premier Soccer League, the Women’s Premier Soccer League, and United Women’s Soccer are expected to compete as well as teams from NISA Nation and several multi-state regional leagues.

The event will take place in DeKalb, Illinois about an hour’s drive from Chicago’s O’Hare airport. The local USASA club, Dekalb County United, will serve as the host organization. DeKalb County United plays in the Midwest Premier League, a USASA multi-state amateur league with more than 30 teams throughout the Midwest.

John Hall, President of DeKalb County United said, “We are thrilled to have been selected as the host of the 100th USASA National Amateur Cup.  We’re grateful for our partners at Northern Illinois University for working with us to make this event possible in DeKalb County. Thank you to USASA for their trust and collaboration to make this a reality. We look forward to welcoming the top amateur men’s and women’s clubs in the nation to our community in 2024 for an historic event.”

In addition to the competition on the field, the 100th-anniversary celebrations will include a variety of festivities. USASA Executive Director Bruce Bode said, “we are planning fan zones and special guest appearances. We will also highlight the history of this tournament during the build up to and at the finals. We want to create an unforgettable experience for players, fans, and families, ensuring that the event resonates with all members of the soccer community.”

For more information, sponsorship opportunities, and entry details, please visit the official tournament website at:  https://www.usadultsoccer.com/amateurcup

Press Contacts:

Bruce Bode, Executive Director United States Adult Soccer Association. Email: bbode@usasa.com Phone: 630-614-1280

Richard Groff, National Amateur Cup Administrator. Email: rgroffusasa@gmail.com Phone: 215-208-2205

John Hall, President, DeKalb County United. Email:  Dkcu.john@gmail.com Phone: 815-739-7405

About National Amateur Cup

Amateur Cup is the oldest and largest elite open amateur team competition that selects an amateur champion and includes multiple national, regional and state leagues.  Started in 1923 by the United States Soccer Federation, the National Amateur Cup will crown its 100th Champion next July in Illinois, the site of the 1924 Championship. The National Amateur Cup is an elite program of the United States Adult Soccer Association and includes over 125 high level amateur teams entering local state association and national league events. SC Mesoamerica of Los Angeles was the 2023 champion. Recently, Michelob Ultra and Dunkin’ became supporting partners of the National Amateur Cup. For more information visit: https://www.usadultsoccer.com/amateurcup

 

About USASA

The United States Adult Soccer Association is the national association for adult amateur soccer in the United States. Established in 1982, USASA oversees a wide range of adult soccer programs, leagues, and competitions, providing opportunities for players of varying skill levels to engage in the sport. Through its fifty-four state associations, 220,000 players and national leagues, USASA promotes the growth and development of adult soccer at both the recreational and competitive levels, fostering a sense of community and sportsmanship. USASA is a member of the United States Soccer Federation and plays a vital role in advancing the adult soccer landscape in the United States.

 

ABOUT DKCU
DeKalb County United is a minor-league soccer club serving communities of North Central Illinois. Founded in 2017, DKCU is a non-profit 501c4 volunteer managed organization committed to uniting our community through soccer. Men’s and women’s teams participate in the Midwest Premier League, Illinois Women’s Soccer League and National Metro Soccer League. In partnership with a full youth academy, the club looks to provide our supporters with a fantastic matchday atmosphere at NIU while providing DeKalb County businesses and organizations with support through our joint fundraising efforts, engagement and marketing to promote local initiatives.

DKCU is 100% community funded through memberships, sponsors, ticket sales and outreach events hosted by the club. More information can be found at dkcunited.com or www.dkcuacademy.org.

Bavarian United Named 2022 National Amateur Champion

The National Amateur Cup, one of the nation’s oldest soccer tournaments, named its 2022 champion August 7 in Milwaukee, WI.

Region II champion Bavarian United defeated Region I champion NOVA FC 1-0  to claim the Fritz Marth Trophy.

The competition featured the four USASA Regional champions from this year:

Region 1 – NOVA FC

Region 2 – Bavarian United

Region 3 – ASC New Stars

Region 4 – Los Angeles Strikers

Region I Finals – 18 & 19 June

FINALS TO DETERMINE WHO ADVANCES TO NATIONALS.

The Region I cup finals are this weekend at the Ukrainian American Sports Center in Horsham, Pennsylvania. Six titles are up for grab as a cumulation state and Region qualifiers that started as early as last September. The winners will go on to represent the Region in their respective national finals.

Our first championship match will be Saturday evening as the Renegades (MDCVA) and Safira FC (MA) battle for the Over-40 Cup. It will be the second final trip in a row for the Renegades who lost out to Fairfield GAC FC (CT) in penalty kicks last season.

Following the Over-40 will be the Amateur Cup for the Fritz Marth Trophy featuring 2019 champion Newtown Pride FC (CT) against NOVA FC (MDCVA). This is the first cup run for NOVA who defeated West Chester United (EPA) in the southern bracket semifinal.

Sunday morning, we kick off with the Gerhard Mengel Cup for the Over-30 Championship. This will be a replay of last season’s title match between cup holders Christos FC (MD) and NY Pancyprian Freedom (ENY).

For the second year in a row, we will play the Women’s Championship. Defending champion Sidekicks FC (MA) look hold off Hoboken FC 1912 (NJ).

We wrap it up with the Werner Fricker Cup for the Amateur Open Championship with West Chester United (EPA) taking on Jackson Lions FC (NJ).

Along with the finals, we also will run Men Under-23 Championship for the Gus Xikis Trophy over the weekend with that final taking place on Sunday.

The finals can be seen live on YouTube. Go to our link for finals.

Region I Cup Finals Live Stream

Region I Finals this Weekend

SEVEN CHAMPIONS TO BE CROWNED

Region I will once again be hosted at the Ukrainian American Sports Center in Horsham, Pennsylvania with 19 sides competing for seven titles. Along with the five men finals, the weekend includes tournaments for the Women’s and Under-23 Championships.

Some teams started their journey to the finals as early as last September playing state qualifiers. In April the various state champions started at the quarterfinal rounds divided north and south in the Region. A few of our winners will advance to the USASA National Finals scheduled at the TBK Bank Complex in Bettendorf, Iowa between 4-6 August.

Our first title match features the Manhattan Celtic Masters of Eastern New York against Christos FC of Maryland for the Over-40 Cup. The Celtic arrived to the final defeating 2021 champion Fairfield GAC FC (CT) and Kel Kau Masters (MA) in penalty rounds. Christos went through 12 rounds of penalties to get by two-time finalist Renegades (MDCVA) and then edged Phoenix SC (EPA) 1:0 in the semifinal. The two sides meet Saturday evening at 5:00.

The second leg of our Saturday doubleheader will be the Amateur Cup for the Fritz Marth Trophy. Last season’s finalist and 2019 national champion Newtown Pride FC of Connecticut look continue their TST success of two weeks ago against newcomer Sure Sports FC of Maryland. Newtown made its way getting by NY Pancyprian Freedoms (ENY) and FC Omens (MA) in their norther bracket. Sure Sports upset veteran side West Chester United (EPA) in the quarters and then overcame last season’s Region champion NOVA FC (MDCVA). The winner receives a berth to the National Finals and a shot for an automatic place in the US Open Cup.

Sunday morning will be the inaugural championship in the Over-50 Cup for the Giacomo Testani Trophy. True Soccer of Massachusetts will battle it out against the Philly Bucks of Eastern Pennsylvania. The Region lost its Cup Director, Jack Testani, in April after battling cancer for many years. Jack was a stalwart in our soccer community serving not only the Region but for many decades in the Connecticut. This newest trophy is named in his honor.

We continue the tradition of the Werner Fricker Cup, the Amateur Open Championship that stemmed from the US Open Cup. National and Regional cup holder West Chester United of Eastern Pennsylvania after lifting the Hank Steinbrecher Trophy will face former champion Lansdowne Yonkers FC of Eastern New York. United beat Christos in their semifinal encounter while the Bhoys went through Loco Gunners (MA) and Vistula Garfield SC (NJ) to reach the final. The match will be at noon.

The last of our men’s finals will be the Gerhard Mengel Cup for the Over-30 Championship featuring NY Greek American of Eastern New York against Vereinigung Erzgebirge of Eastern Pennsylvania. The Greeks advanced by defeating Safira SC (MA) and Sportfriends Polonia SC (NJ) while VE posted victories against NOVA FC (MDCVA) and Tartan Devils (PAW).

Once again, the Region is hosting the Women’s Championship. Two-time defending champion Sidekicks FC of Massachusetts will battle it out against HVAA Pride of Eastern Pennsylvania and Rochester Lazers of Western New York. After group play on Saturday, the final will take pace Sunday morning at 10:00.

We also will conduct our successful Men Under-23 Championship for the Gus Xikis Trophy that features nine teams that will seek semifinal places for Sunday morning. The final will be at 1:00 on Sunday.

All our finals can be seen live on the New Logical YouTube channel. Go to our link for finals.

Region I Cup Finals Live Stream

Region Finals Almost Set

LAST SET OF QUALIFIERS THIS WEEKEND.

The Region is down to its final weekend of qualifiers with half of its slates set for next month’s finals that will be played at the Ukrainian American Sport Center in Horsham and the Vereinigung Erzgebirge Club in Warminster. This weekend we will find out who will play for the Amateur, Over-40 and Over-50 titles.

In the Amateur Cup, Newtown Pride FC of Connecticut will host FC Omens of Massachusetts in the northern semifinal. The Pride defeated NY Pancyprian Freedoms of Eastern New York 3:2 in their quarterfinal round. Gabriel Ganzer scored first for Newtown only to see a penalty from Joseph Holland draw it even before Holland put the Pancyprian ahead at half time. At the restart, Ronaldinho Diniz evened it up and Ganzer put away the game winner in the 82nd minute.

In the southern bracket, last season’s Region winner NOVA FC of Metro DC/Virginia will travel to Maryland to take on Sure Sports FC. In its first ever regional match, Sure Sports defeated West Chester United of Eastern Pennsylvania 4:1 to reach the semifinal. NOVA easily handled Appalachia Steel FC of Pennsylvania West 8:2 that included a hat trick from JP Ayolmbong.

The Werner Fricker Cup final will feature two former champions of the competition, West Chester United and Lansdowne Yonkers FC of Eastern New York. Cup holders West Chester defeated Christos FC of Maryland 3:1 to reach the title match. The Bhoys go through with the same result with a victory over Vistula Garfield SC of New Jersey in their semifinal tie.

The Gerhard Mengel Cup will see the NY Greek American of Eastern New York take on Vereinigung Erzgebirge of Eastern Pennsylvania for the Over-30 Championship. Paul Nattoli scored a brace and Sikele Silvester the game winner in a 3:2 win for the Greeks over Sportfriends Polonia SC of New Jersey. Markus Lahtinen and Mark Gallagher tallied for Sportfriends. VE drew 1:1 with the Tartan Devils of Pennsylvania West as Greg Shertzer put the East Penn side up in the 54th minute followed by Jolo Reuben tying it up just before the final whistle. VE edged their cross-state opponent 3:2 in penalty rounds.

In the Over-40 Cup, Christos FC earned its spot in the final after a lone goal from Dan Lader was enough to defeat Phoenix SC of Eastern Pennsylvania. John Schickert earned the shutout. They await to winner between Kel Kau Masters of Massachusetts and Manhattan Celtic Masters of Eastern New York who play this weekend.

The inaugural Over-50 Cup will feature Chesire Azzurri of Connecticut against True Soccer FC of Massachusetts in one semifinal while the Philly Bucks of Eastern Pennsylvania will host Christos FC.

Our finals weekend will be on 17 & 18 June and it includes the Women’s Championship along with the Men Under-23 Championship for the Gus Xikis Trophy. Registration for the U23 tournament is open until Monday, 29 May. Teams interested in the Women’s Championship should contact their State Association.

Super Cup Weekend

AMATEUR & OVER-40 CUPS QUARTERFINALS

It will be a Super Cup weekend as we play the quarterfinals of the Amateur and Over-40 Cups throughout the Region. The Amateur Cup features the 2019 champion Newtown Pride FC of Connecticut hosting 6-time Open Cup champion NY Pancyprian Freedoms of Eastern New York. The victor of that match will face the winner between FC Omens of Massachusetts and Jackson Lions FC of New Jersey. In the southern bracket, last season’s Region cup holder NOVA FC of Metro DC/Virginia entertains Appalachia Steel FC of Pennsylvania West where the other quarterfinal has first time Region participant Sure Sports FC of Maryland traveling to the 2022 Werner Fricker Cup champion West Chester United of Eastern Pennsylvania.

In the Over-40 Cup, we have a rematch of last year’s semifinal between Renegades of Metro DC/Virginia against Christos FC of Maryland. Den of Lions Legend of New Jersey head out to Phoenix SC of Eastern Pennsylvania in the other southern quarterfinal. A New England derby showcases Kel Kau Masters of Massachusetts hosting Craft Food Hall FC of New Hampshire while Fairfield GAC FC of Connecticut travel to Manhattan Celtic Masters of Eastern New York.

Last Sunday we completed our quarterfinal rounds of the Gerhard Mengel Cup, the Over-30 Championship. Sportfriends Polonia SC of New Jersey earned a date against the NY Greek American of Eastern New York after a 10:2 knockout of Vasco da Gama of Connecticut. Mat Gawronski completed a hat trick, with Markus Lahtinen and Johnny Geleski earning braces plus goals from Sam Harrington, Paul Wojdyla and Thomas Szumilo. The southern bracket featured two 1:0 shutouts with Vereinigung Erzgebirge of Eastern Pennsylvania defeating NOVA FC and the Tartan Devils of Pennsylvania West edging Christos FC. Toby Abdul’s 73rd minute goal from a corner kick was enough to advance VE while Cory Werth put through the goal set up by Rob Vincent and Rami Bensasi.

In some sad news for the Region, our Cup Director, Jack Testani, passed away after battling cancer for many years. Jack was a stalwart in our soccer community serving in the Connecticut Soccer League for over four decades including President of the league at his death. He also served as Vice President of the Connecticut State Soccer Association. Jack was a former player and manager of the Bridgeport Italians SC and inducted into the Connecticut Soccer Hall of Fame in 2012. At all of our Region Cup matches this weekend, teams will start with a moment of silence in recognition of Jack.

Competitions Resume with Gerhard Mengel Cup

REGION I GOES INTO ITS NEXT ROUND OF PLAY WITH O-30 MATCHES.

We resume our cup season this weekend with three quarterfinal games in the Gerhard Mengel Cup, the Over-30 Championship. One match was played two weeks ago with the NY Greek American of Eastern New York defeating Safira FC of Massachusetts 3:1. They await the winner in their northern bracket between Sportfriends Polonia SC of New Jersey against Vasco da Gama of Connecticut. It will kick off at 2:00 at Dave Waks Field in Wayne, New Jersey.

In the southern bracket, NOVA FC of Metro DC/Virginia will host Vereinigung Erzgebirge of Eastern Pennsylvania, 12:30 George Mason University Sports Complex in Fairfax, Virginia. The other quarterfinal features Christos FC of Maryland traveling to Pittsburgh to face the Tartan Devils of Pennsylvania West. The match is set for 4:00 at Cupples Stadium.

In other ties played two weeks ago, West Chester United of Eastern Pennsylvania advanced to the quarterfinals of the Amateur Cup after their 4:0 win against Albion SC of Delaware. They will host Sure Sports FC of Maryland next week. The Werner Fricker Cup quarterfinal saw Christos rout Appalachia Steel FC of West Virginia 13:0. West Chester will be their next opponent in the semifinal.

Next week we will have a full complement of quarterfinals in both the Amateur and Over-40 Cups.

Region I Kicks Off 2023 Cup Qualifiers

THREE MATCHES START THE NEW SEASON.

The 2023 cup season gets on its way with three matches opening the qualifiers on 2 April: Amateur, Werner Fricker and Gerhard Mengel Cups.

In the Amateur Cup, we have a first round contest featuring West Chester United of Eastern Pennsylvania hosting Albion SC of Delaware 2:00 at Delacey Sports Complex in West Chester, Pennsylvania. This is the first entry of Albion in Region play taking on the experienced United who won the national Werner Fricker Cup last summer.

The Region will continue the tradition of the Werner Fricker Cup, whose roots go back to the National Challenge/Open Cup that for decades was carried by amateur sides. This “open title” features three clubs who have won the championship nationally over the past: Christos FC of Maryland, Lansdowned Yonkers FC of Eastern New York and previously mentioned West Chester United. Sunday we have a quarterfinal match between Christos and Appalachia Steel FC who is representing West Virginia in this tie. It is set for 1:30 at Laytonia Recreational Park in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

The final match kicking of the cup season sees Safira FC of Massachusetts traveling to Massapequa, New York to take on NY Greek American of Eastern New York in the Gerhard Mengel Cup. This Over-30 battle will take place at Field of Dreams at 1:00.

Our Region qualifiers involve teams from eleven State Associations of which several of their clubs competed in state cups to advance to the five events, which also includes the Over-40 and Over-50 Cups. More than 150 sides fought to reach these qualifiers. In addition to these cups, the Region will also hold the Women’s Championship along with the Under-23 Tournament for the Gus Xikis Trophy. It all concludes on the weekend of 17 & 18 June with  a number of the winners moving forato the USASA National Cup Finals involving all four Regions.