20s in Charleston for qualifying

[Sandon Mibut]

A friend of mine just e-mailed this; I assume he got it from US Soccer's website.

U.S. SOCCER TO HOST UNDER-20 QUALIFYING IN CHARLESTON, S.C., FROM NOV.
13-17: Qualifying for the 2002 FIFA World Youth Championship being hosted by U.S. Soccer will be staged in Charleston, S.C., at Blackbaud
Stadium from November 13-17, 2002. This marks the first time in 22 years that U.S. Soccer has hosted an Under-20 qualifying tournament.

The four-team, Group B qualifying tournament will feature the U.S.Under-20 Men’s National Team, as well as Canada, the second-place team
from Central America and the winner from the Caribbean playoff between the Group B and Group C champions, in a six-game, round-robin tournament. The top two finishers in Group B group will advance to the FIFA World Youth Championship in the United Arab Emirates from March 25– April 16, 2003. This region’s other final round qualifying tournament will be held in Panama from October 16-20, 2002.

This tournament marks the first time since 1980 that U.S. Soccer has hosted an Under-20
qualifying tournament. Last year U.S. Soccer hosted the 2001 Under-17 Group A qualifying tournament in St. Louis, Mo.

So now the question becomes, how long is the drive from Chraleston to Raleigh if one wanted to watch some of the ACC Tournament on off-days of qualifying?!?!

[Sandon Mibut]

BTW, this event should prove as further motivation for teams to build their own Soccer Specific Stadium, regardless of size.

[turnaround]

I wonder when tickets go on sale?

[dheck]

Originally posted by Sandon Mibut
So now the question becomes, how long is the drive from Chraleston to Raleigh if one wanted to watch some of the ACC Tournament on off-days of qualifying?!?!

287.36 miles from Charleson, SC to Cary, NC according to www.mapquest.com, mostly on I-26/I-95/I-40.

[dheck]

Originally posted by Sandon Mibut
BTW, this event should prove as further motivation for teams to build their own Soccer Specific Stadium, regardless of size.

I hope that is true. Blackbaud Stadium, in addition to being soccer specific, even has an integrated soccer pub, The Three Lions.

http://www.charlestonbattery.com/images/photo_stadium_overview3.jpg
Blackbaud Stadium (http://www.charlestonbattery.com/stadium_overview.asp)

http://www.charlestonbattery.com/images/photo_stadium_TLC3.jpg
The Three Lions (http://www.charlestonbattery.com/stadium_pub.asp)

[CG]

Definitely making the drive for this!

[fidlerre]

wish it were thanksgiving week...

would give me the opportunity to make a little thanksgiving vacation for the qaulifying.

oh well...just have to await the reports from those who attend :(

[Sachin]

I intend on going down as well.

Sachin

[GersMan]

Me three, and at the risk of tempting fate, would certainly welcome some kind of ride-share, room-share kind of deal to cut costs.

I've met a couple of you so hopefully can get past the "is he an axemurder" phase. (and history has shown that no american soccer fanatic has ever been convicted of any capital crime).

Sure wish they would have just put it in germantown

[NCFire]

Originally posted by Sandon Mibut

So now the question becomes, how long is the drive from Chraleston to Raleigh if one wanted to watch some of the ACC Tournament on off-days of qualifying?!?! [/B]

I'm making that drive next weekend. I hear around 5-6 hrs.

I'll definently try to make it down, esp. for any weekend games.

[collegesoccerfan#1]

If the qualifying tournament for the 20's is like the 17's last year in St. Louis, it's a four team round robin with double headers played on each of three days with a day off between matches. So that means that the 20's will play on Wednesday (11/13), Friday (11/15), and Sunday (11/17).

The ACC tournament will be Thursday (11/14) with three matches - 4v5, 2v7, and 3v6; Friday (11/15) with two matches - 1v4/5 winner and 2/7 winner v 3/6 winner; and then the championship match on Sunday (11/17).

So the plan would be to catch the two 20's match on Wednesday in Charleston, the three ACC matches on Thursday in Cary, back to Charleston for the 20's on Friday, play tourist in Charleston on Saturday, and then catch the 20's on Sunday from the pub at the stadium while watching the ACC finals on the tube!

Can it get much better than this?

[k1v1n]

Originally posted by collegesoccerfan#1
Can it get much better than this?

Yes! You could be watching the Big East final on the tube. :)

BTW Collegesoccerfan#1, if I'm not in Piscataway that week can I hop a ride to Charleston with you?

[turnaround]

I wish had the job some of you guys have. How do you get so much free time?

[collegesoccerfan#1]

Originally posted by k1v1n


BTW Collegesoccerfan#1, if I'm not in Piscataway that week can I hop a ride to Charleston with you?

Absolutely .... and maybe we'll let Turnaround go with us if he promises to behave! :-)

[GersMan]

Originally posted by turnaround
I wish had the job some of you guys have. How do you get so much free time?

I worked to get it.

[turnaround]

Ah ha! Sometimes I feel like I work for the Ayatollah!