People of the Planet Love Soccer

Love soccer and the world will love you.

Soccer is one of the largest and most publicized sports in the world today. It has remained strong in nearly every country on the globe and claims billions of fans. On Sunday, April 11, international players will come together for a day of sport.

The People of the Planet Soccer Tournament for the fourth year will be held at Appalachian State University's Kidd Brewer Stadium. It will start at 8:45 a.m. with player introductions and followed by the first adult match at 9 a.m. Children's matches will begin at noon and won't be scored. Each team will represent universal elements, Space, Earth, Fire and Water.

The purpose of the tournament is to celebrate the diversity of the world's people and the unity that they share. Started in 2006 as a part of the Appalachian State University Diversity Celebration week the event has grown each year. In 2006 individuals from 28 different nations took part in the tournament. Admission to the tournament is free.

The tournament is sponsored by the Appalachian Equity Office as a part of the Diversity Celebration Program and several local businesses. Even in the case of language barriers most people of the world know the game. By bringing peoples of the world together to play the sport the tournament develops understanding and healthy competition.

The adult teams that will play on Sunday will be mostly faculty, staff, students and alumni of the university. Community members will also be playing with University folk. Kids aged five to six, seven to eight, nine to ten and 11 to 12 will be broken into boys and girls teams. The pool of players will draw from the Watauga Parks and Recreation and High Country Soccer teams.

Precision Printing Inc., M-Prints, Los Arcoiris Restaurant, Dr. Mark R. Harter Family Practice, and Blue Horse Promotion Inc. have sponsored the tournament. Groups from the Appalachian State University also sponsored the event and had help from High Country Soccer, and Boone's "I Have a Dream Task Force."

"Hopefully the weather will be really nice for this year." Parisa Tashakkori, daughter of tournament founder Rahman Tashakkori, said.

"Last year the weather was really nice...and the games got really competitive...I coached one of the kids games which was really fun...and everyone gets involved and for the kids we don't keep score." Tashakkori said.

Tashakkori said that there would be four adult teams, two all girls teams that will play each other, and several children's teams. Some of the adult teams will be coed. Team members represent several dozen nations and the hope is that community members will come out and show their support for the game that brings the world together.

For more information, visit http://www.cs.appstate.edu/soccer/. Also, Tashakkori can be contacted at (828)-262-7009.