Global Post; Seattle, Washington, July 6, 2016.
On July 3,2016; Sunday, the mega sports festival of Bhutanese Americans was ended extravagantly with grand success of the 6th Annual Interstate Bhutanese Soccer Tournament, celebrating the US Independence Day on its eve with DJ Night in the beautiful city of Seattle, Washington. The Atlanta Georgia team won the Championship title of the 6th Annual Interstate Bhutanese Soccer Tournament 2016, beating Fort Worth Texas in the final game by 1-0 played in the Starfire Stadium.
The Champion of the tournament – Atlanta, Georgia was awarded with a Championship Trophy and cash prize of $5000.00. The First Runner Up – Fort Worth, TX was awarded with Cash Prize of $3000.00 and the Second Runner Up (Third Position) of the tournament – Columbus, Ohio was awarded with the Cash Prize of $1500.00.
The Bhutanese American Sports Council (BASC) and host organization, Bhutanese Community Resource Center (BCRC) had welcomed all the participating teams organizing a Welcome Meeting with free dinner on June 30th 2016, with participating team leaders from different states, held in Everest Kitchen, Seattle, WA, sponsored by Mohan Gurung, the Commissioner at Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs. The three days (July 1, 2, & 3, 2016) long mega soccer event was inaugurated in Valley Ridge Soccer Fields on July 1, 2016, in the presence of Kathryn Campbell from SeaTac City Council, David Daw from South King County Human Services, Amina Ahmed from Emerging Communities for Equity, Santa Lama – BASC President, Pralhad Gurung – the BCRC President, Ganesh Subedi – the BCC President, and other special guests from the host state and interstates.
The first and second rounds of games were played between 22 teams registered from seventeen different states, among which team Georgia, Ohio, North Dakota, and Texas entered for the Semi-final playoffs. The Columbus Ohio won the Third Position beating North Dakota in penalty kick-off during the Semi-finals. The single goal scored by Lokesh Chhetri for Georgia in the 32nd minutes of the first half in the final game won the Championship title of annual Bhutanese American Soccer Tournament for the year of 2016.
This year, to raise the standard of the tournament the organizer and the host organization had worked hard, introduced new practices, and adopted changes and improvements in their procedures and practices. Any concern can feel that satisfaction of changes and improvements from those encouraging reactions and remarks from the participating teams, audiences and communities who witnessed the event and enjoyed the tournament.
The entire tournament was volunteered, managed and supervised by the Bhutanese Community Resource Center (BCRC) and Bhutanese American Sports council (BASC) officials. The BCRC with the help of volunteers from different community organizations, churches, and other social groups, catered lunch, water, transportation assist for airport pickups, and lodging assistance for the guests and participating team’s players. Highly qualified referees from Washington Youth Soccer including US certified Bhutanese referee, Jitu Basnet, were hired to judge all the games of the tournament.
On the final day in the Starfire Stadium, the Sports Councils officials and the BCRC volunteer teams played the Exhibition match, which was won by the BCRC team with 1-0. The final game was started after performing the tournament ceremony which included the read out of the greetings from the Washington State governor, Jay Inslee read by Mitra Dhital – BCRC board member, and Senator Pramila Jayapal represented by Abina followed by national anthem of the United States and Bhutan.
Kul Bahadur Gurung from California received the Life Time Achievement Award in Soccer for his years of involvement in playing and promoting Bhutanese soccer in Bhutan, in refugee camps and in USA. He was awarded with the Life Time Achievement Award trophy, certificate of excellence and a cash prize of $601.00 awarded by the Bhutanese American Sports Council.
Bhola Khanal from Georgia received the trophy of the Best Goalkeeper of the tournament and cash price of $150. Similarly, Bishnu Koirala from Texas received the trophy of the Best Defender of the tournament with $150, Dilli Bhatarai from Ohio received the trophy of the Highest Scorer and cash price of $150, Sunil Sangraula from Washington received the trophy of the Rising Player Award with $150 cash prize, and Purna Magar from North Dakota was awarded with the Best Midfielder trophy and cash prize of $150.
Man of the Match was selected in every match of the tournament and awarded with the trophy of Man of the Match and cash prize of $100.00. According to the Tournament Coordinator of BASC and the Discipline Action Committee, Uttam Gurung, the tournament went without any recorded injury, disputes, and disturbances; all participating teams played well disciplined, and this year’s tournament remained the most peaceful among the consecutives former years’ tournaments.
The BASC official and the Speaker, Sukman Subba announced the decision of the board about the host of 7th Annual Interstate Bhutanese Soccer Tournament declaring that the next tournament will be held in Minnesota in the summer of 2017.
The Bhutanese American soccer lovers and fans from different states and around the world had watched the games of Seattle, Washington played in Valley Ridge Soccer Fields and at Starfire Sports Stadium. The Bhutanese American Sports Council honored the state host team, the BCRC, with the Award of Appreciation.
Reported by A. K. Rana Sampang
