The Texas team has finally bagged the winner trophy in the two-day ‘first Bhutanese Inter-State Soccer Tournament’ that concluded today in Atlanta, GA.
Trophies on the table. Photo courtesy/Hari Timsina.
Gopi Khatiwada’s single score, minutes before the half time, with his head during a corner shoot, pushed back Georgia (Red), leading it to convince with runner during the final match.
The final match, earlier scheduled to begin at 6pm, could not kick-off on time due to incessant rain. At estimated one thousand plus Bhutanese including their local friends watched the match live in the playground.
Meanwhile, Krishna Rai from Pennsylvania was declared ‘man of the tournament’. California team received a small award for its ‘fair play’ role. Krishna Lamichane, the goalkeeper from Tennessee, bagged an award for his exceptional abilities.
At least 18 Bhutanese soccer teams, representing 14 States, including several hundreds fans from across the USA have thronged in Atlanta, GA to participate in the two-day knockout Bhutanese Inter-State Soccer Tournament, which concluded today evening.
The Texas team, winner of the tournament, celebrates victory. Photo courtesy/Raghab Kafley.
The independent sports lovers and volunteers, the organizer of the tournament, informed BNS that soccer teams from California, Kansas, Utah, Missouri, Texas, Georgia (two teams), Ohio (two teams), Tennessee, (two teams), Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Illinois (two teams), Michigan and Colorado participated in the tournament.
The judges of the matches were US-certified FIFA umpires, who are non-Bhutanese.
According to Bikash Chhetri, one of organizing committee members, the slogan of the tournament was ‘empowerment through sports’. Chhetri further added that such an opportunity was aimed at exploring to bring together young Bhutanese, sports lovers, among others, and help them create motivation to continue their dedication to games and sports, in particular—soccer.
Click here to see highlights of the tournament in photographs.
Below is the result of the first day tournament on Friday.
Pole ‘A’
A team member of California (left) holds the trophy for his team's 'fair-play'. Photo courtesy/Raghab Kafley.
- California Vs Charlotte-North Carolina (winner—California)
- Virginia RUC Vs Utah (winner—Virginia)
- Pennsylvania Vs Wheat Aurora, Illinois (winner—Pennsylvania)
- Georgia-Red Vs Missouri (winner—Georgia)
- Tennessee Vs Cincinnati, Ohio, (winner—Tennessee)
Pole ‘B’
- Chicago Vs Kansas (winner—Chicago)
- Kentucky Vs Colorado (winner—Kentucky)
- Texas Vs Tennessee –B (winner—Texas)
- Georgia-Green Vs Michigan (winner—Georgia)
- Akron-Ohio Vs Shoot Dead-Virginia (winner—Ohio)
Second Round
- Pennsylvania bet Virginia RUC
- Kentucky lost against Texas
- Georgia-Red bet Tennessee-A
- Georgia-Green pushed back Akron-Ohio
It is reportedly learnt that the organizers including this time’s soccer team manager reached an informal decision to organize similar event next year in California.
Reported by Kamal Dahal with inputs from Gopal Subedi from the soccer venue, GA for BNS.
June 19th, 2011 at 3:49 am
भुटानीहरु अमेरिकामा पुनर्स्थापित भएपछि यो इतिहासिक कार्य भएको छ . जसले भुटानी युवावर्गलाई मैत्रीपूर्ण खेलको माध्यमबाट सही मार्गमा हिड्न संदेश दिएको छ / म अन्तरिक हृदयाबाट यसमा संलग्न सबै आयोजक समितिलाई धन्यवाद दिन चाहन्छु /
June 19th, 2011 at 4:01 am
टेक्सास टिमले आफ्नो पोल्टामा विजय हासिल गर्नु भएकोमा बधाई छ /
बाली
अजी
June 19th, 2011 at 4:05 am
भुटानीहरु अमेरिकामा पुनर्स्थापित भएपछि यो इतिहासिक कार्य भएको छ . जसले भुटानी युवावर्गलाई मैत्रीपूर्ण खेलको माध्यमबाट सही मार्गमा हिड्न संदेश दिएको छ / टेक्सास टिमले आफ्नो पोल्टामा विजय हासिल गर्नु भएकोमा बधाई छ /
साथै , म अन्तरिक हृदयाबाट यसमा संलग्न सबै आयोजक समितिलाई धन्यवाद दिन चाहन्छु /
बाली
Aussie
June 19th, 2011 at 6:33 am
Congratulation to the Texas team for winning the trophy. Organizer did a great job by holding such a historic sporting event.
June 19th, 2011 at 6:59 am
It is a great sportsmanship shown by all Bhutanese players across the nation just to be in GA to participate in this historic occassion. Thanks to All the players. A Big Thank you for your interest and enthusiasm; and Congratulations to Texas (Repeat of the Mavericks?) To me all of you are the winners just by being there. This would not have happened without the leadership and encouragement of Mr. Khare Basnet, who did so much in Bhutan as a national coach and now as a sports leader in America. We all are proud to have him here and remain grateful, hoping for future guidance.
I am hopeful that perhaps, sports can play vital role to promote understandings, hope and progress of our people and bring “Unity in Diversity” at all levels. Will see you in California next year.
Cheers!
Dick Chhetri
June 19th, 2011 at 7:12 am
Congratulation to Texas team for being able win soccer victory trophy. And thanks to the organizing committee for hosting such a great tournament. Keep up with the good work.Finally congratulation to all who actively participated to make this tournament a successful one.
June 19th, 2011 at 2:04 pm
The organizing committee deserves sincere thanks from every Bhutanese for their great interest, commitment , enthusiasm and success. This shows our unity. Congratulation to Texas team and big thanks to all other teams for their fair play and sportsmanship.
June 19th, 2011 at 2:13 pm
Congratulation Texas team.
Dick chhetri,
You really need to change your mindset.Sports is separate from all dirty personal politic. Don’t mix up unity,conflicts, egos, differences,OBCA, ABA in sport spirit.
Your Khare Basnet. (A Drukpanized man) How come he spell his first name wrong..
He has got nothing to do with organizing the first interstate football tournament in Atlanta Georgia.
June 19th, 2011 at 3:02 pm
Congratulation guys i know you have really strong team.Awesome keep it up.
June 19th, 2011 at 4:25 pm
I am impressed at the able leadership of organizing the historic interstate soccer match with in the short span of resettlement in the States. This is not an easy task. The players deserve special recognizing for enthusiastically participated from across the State despite their busy scheduled and of course it involves sizeable amount of dollars to meet the expenses.
Finally big congratulations to the winning team of Taxes and infect, everybody deserve congratulations for participating in this historic soccer tournaments.
Definitely the organizing committee holds the key role to make it a success event, and hence deserve Muri muri suvakamana and regards.
I am optimistic that one day the Bhutanese residing across the globe might organize an inter-continental soccer matches and of course I will try to present as a spectator then.
Thanks
June 19th, 2011 at 7:06 pm
The organizing team would like to thanks all of the participating teams, soccer lovers,cheerleaders and spectators to the specified venue of 1ST BHUTANESE INTER-STATE SOCCER TOURNAMENT. It is our pride that we have become able to organized such a fascinating match of Bhutanese from the nation.
Congratulation to Taxes Team and thanks to all our participating team, without you we are able to make this a successful event.
We thanks to our Bhutanese Volunteers of Georgia for their incredible help and thanks to all Georgian Bhutanese and organization(Bhutanese) who supported us to make this event successful.
Thank You
Best Regards
Hari Timsina
Member
Organizing Committee.
June 19th, 2011 at 7:19 pm
CONGARGE D WINNER…THOUGH WE LOSS D GAME WIT CALIFORNIA…BUT WE R DAMN HAPY TO PATICIPATE IN WONDER TOURNMENT…CHARLOTTE SOCCER TEAM….TNKS D ORGANIGER N CREW MEMBER…DIZ D GR8 CREDIT FOR D LOVER OF GAME….CEERZ..
June 20th, 2011 at 8:33 am
Wonderfull and i would like to thank Organizing Committee and BNS.But We would be greatfull, if veido is uploade.
Thanks
June 20th, 2011 at 7:40 pm
Congratulation to the taxes soccer team.Thanks to all the teams for showing real sportsmanship.
Cheers.
June 20th, 2011 at 11:41 pm
This is how TEXAS START….lets see upcoming game….First game make our TEXAS proud…..
Thank you Georgia Atlanta family who organized the game and make us to have fun with all friends and familys from back country….
FWFC, TEXAS become winner….!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 21st, 2011 at 12:02 am
thanks to all my home boys @ fort worth boys for winning the tournament and bringing the trophy to home. i wish u a successful career ahead.
June 21st, 2011 at 3:24 am
There is no our team from Arizona.I don’t know you guys welcome our state or not,.,.,.,.,.there are many and good soccer players from Phx and tucson.,.,.,.,anyway this is a historic sporting even here.Thanks to all bhutanese brother and sister,also congratulation to texas team.
June 22nd, 2011 at 3:55 pm
Wow @becoming how we started and how we end?? Ask all people who attended the match. We show really good and attacking techniques. As our team are so young and all r student as long our hope gonna succeeded. Thanks all organized team and all guys who supported. And specially thanks to great help provided by ALTAMESA church…… By FFC. Fort Worth. Texas
June 23rd, 2011 at 6:58 am
First of all salute to my georgian Bhutanese who organized these soccer tournament, and thanks goes to all the volunteers who made it a great success. Congratulation to Team Texas for winning the first trophy. Congrats to all those who particiapated and ofcourse many many thanks goes to my home team for bringing home trophy for “fair play”. Hope we will see more team next year here in California.
Ganesh subedi
California
June 24th, 2011 at 3:12 am
Video of some soccer here. More to come. Enjoy
http://bhutan-atlanta.blogspot.com/2011/06/bhutanese-interstate-soccer-tournament_19.html
June 30th, 2011 at 7:42 am
To Bhutanese Community, Donors and Well Wishers in California
Dear Community Members, Donors and Well Wishers,
This is to inform you all that the California Bhutanese Club (Soccer Team) have successfully participated in the “First Bhutanese Inter-State Soccer Tournament” held in Atlanta, Georgia on June 17th and 18th, 2011 organized by Bhutanese Volunteers of Georgia.
Our players and participants are home safe and sound on 22nd June, 2011 with pride.
As a part of the team and a manager, I am very proud to publicize that our team from California has become an inspiration to all the participating teams from other 18 states of the USA in the field of soccer.
Just in brief, after an excruciating journey of 60 plus hours of straight driving to reach the soccer field to participate in the competition, swollen with contentment, our team achieved the best team of the tournament called “Fair Play Trophy” (most prestigious award in the field of soccer) after a tie-breaker match (penalty kick) with Georgia Red Team in the semi-final letting Georgia Red Team to compete in the final with Texas.
I must say that California Bhutanese Club (Soccer Team) have made all the Bhutanese community, donors and well wishers in California a self-important participants of this historic sport event of the Bhutanese in America.
I, on behalf of the team and on my own behalf, I would like to thank all the well wishers, donors and the community members for helping our soccer team to participate in this historic event. It would not be possible without your encouragement and helping hand.
California Bhutanese Club (CBC) will send every contributor (DONOR) an individual letter of appreciation soon with more details.
Once again, I would like to thank each of you for helping us make our representation a successful one and make all California Bhutanese bigheaded.
For more details, Please contact the following individuals:
Sugam Rai (Captain)
Jeewan Nepal (Co-Captain)
Uttam Gurung (Co-coordinator)
Shiva Gurung (Team Instructor)
Prakash Poudel (Publicity Coordinator)
Lal Thapa (Student Coordinator)
Nabin Magar (Student Coordinator)
With Much Anticipation
Ananta Gurung
Soccer Team Manager (2011)
California Bhutanese Club
Oakland, California USA
Note: Thank you Bhutanese Volunteers of Georgia for making this tournament a success. You all have written a history in the field of sports in America for Bhutanese. We will have Second Bhutanese Inter-State Soccer Tournament in 2012 with your name written.
July 4th, 2011 at 1:15 am
Videos of Day One and of Day Two are available on the blog, Bhutan>Atlanta. Enjoy!
First Bhutanese Interstate Soccer Tournament (Day One Video)
First Bhutanese Interstate Soccer Tournament (Day Two Video)