Third Annual Dallas International Girls Cup a Tremendous Success
U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Tom Sermanni makes appearance at event to answer questions
The third annual Dallas Internationals Girls Cup kicked off March 26 and hosted 88 teams from many U.S. states and England, Ireland, Canada, Sweden and Australia. Most international teams were accommodated with host families of the Dallas Texans. The tournament took place at the brand new Ross Stewart Soccer Complex in Farmers Branch, Texas (close to Dallas), as well as at the Cox Soccer Complex only two miles from Ross Stewart.
On Tuesday night, March 26, the Dallas International Girls Cup organized a spectacular opening ceremony at the McFarlin Auditorium at Southern Methodist University. More than 2,000 attended a show that included video presentations, national anthems played by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra Brass Quintet, performances of the Wildcats Wranglers and a question-and-answer session with featured guest Tom Sermanni, Head Coach of the U.S. Women’s National Team.
Wednesday night the tournament hosted the coaches and managers reception at the Omni Park West Hotel. Representatives from all six countries, sponsors, partners and Farmers Branch town officials were present. Thursday night, hundreds of soccer players attended the tournament dance party held at the Omni Park West Hotel. The Wildcat Wranglers were on hand to teach the girls Texan line-dancing, with Bill Cody as the DJ. It was an exciting evening the girls will be talking about for months to come.
Four International teams made it through to the tournament quarter finals: St. Albert Impact, the Newfoundland Provincial Team and Ottawa South United from Canada and Sodra Sandby from Sweden. Ottawa South United made it to the semifinals, where they were stranded against the high level team from Texas D’Feeters.
After five days of fierce competition the following teams won the Dallas International Girls Cup 2013: Dallas Texans 01 in the U12, Solar Chelsea Red 00 in the U13 category, Tophat 17 Gold from Georgia in the U14 category, D’Feeters ’98 ECNL from Dallas in the U15 category, Colorado Rush ECNL in the U16 category and Solar ECNL in the U17 category, who beat the Newfoundland Provincial Team from Canada.
All winning teams received a trophy as well as a travel certificate worth $10,000.00 to be used towards a trip to the Gothia Cup in Sweden and the Dana Cup in Denmark for 2014.
