One day memorial inter-community soccer tournament organized by Bhutanese Society of Kentucky ended here in Louisville, with exchange of cordial relations between the international communities resettled in Louisville as part of refugee resettlement program.
The game was played between nine soccer teams representing five ethnic communities. The game started at 10:30 with kicking of ball by Darko Mihaylovich and family members of the deceased boys who died last year in tragic train-car accident.
Darko Mihaylovich, program director at Catholic Charities has promoted and supported the idea of having a memorial game since the time of memorial service held last year.
The first game was played between Nepali Bhutanese team and Midnimo Football club, won by Midnimo club with 3-1 score.
‘The memorial soccer tournament is initiated to keep the memories of the young soccer-loving boys alive and honor them,’ says Bhim Koirala, the public relations officer of BSK.
According to the organizers, Kentucky Refugee Ministries, JCPS, Catholic Charities and CE & S Foundation supported the tournament in all possible ways. CE&S supported the game with $ 1000, as per a BSK official.
Two officials of the game-certified referee Jitu Basnet and Amrit Regmi administered the game, both volunteering to oversee the games. Jitu Basnet drove all way from Nashville, TN to fill the position as he committed earlier.
The final was played between a team of New Comer Academy, players comprised of Congolese youths and Somali-Bantu youth team. Somali-Bantu team won the match. Abdullah Abdullahi was declared man of the tournament
The winner was awarded with cash prize of $300 and runner team with $200
