The Cornerstone Sports Complex in north York was the epicenter of an invading horde of SUVs and vans bearing soccer moms, soccer dads and soccer players by the hundreds on Labor Day weekend.
CLICK HERE FOR ALL THE PHOTOS!
The Rose Mary Stahr Memorial is named for the woman who was heavily involved for years and years as director of York’s largest annual sporting event. Her husband, Orval, looks after the sports complex, doing all he can to make sure everyone has a great time.
Sharon Stahr, Orval and the late Rose Mary’s daughter-in-law, has taken over tourney director duties.
Even though it was still early morning, Saturday’s crowd had the complex buzzing with activity and anticipation as teams and fans poured through the gate, then dispersed for the day’s first matches. Tourney action was to continue through Monday.
There were no York teams entered in the tournament.
Amy Lounsberry, an Omaha resident whose son, Evan, plays for the 10-under Gladiator Nationals, came from Omaha to cheer for her son. As Lounsberry, sporting a straw hat ideal for the sunny, hot day the weatherman promised was to come, spent some quiet moments knitting at a shaded table.
Lounsberry said most of her son’s team stayed Friday night in Lincoln, however her family went back to Omaha, figuring they “were almost home anyway” at Lincoln. That way some uniform laundering could be accomplished, too. The Omaha soccer mom complimented York on its first-class soccer facilities. How many fields?
“I don’t know,” she said, “but we play on Field M, so If they start with A that would be at least 13.
Orval Stahr was confident his pre-tournament prediction of about 60 teams was close to the mark.
“I can tell by how much toilet paper they use,” he said with a grin. “That’s usually pretty accurate.”
Contact — stephen.mosele
