Joint Announcement of the CESA North-South Soccer Classic

Greenville, South Carolina – May 19, 2005

South Carolina’s leading soccer club, Carolina Elite Soccer Academy (CESA), and the South Carolina High School Soccer Coaches Association (SCHSSCA), announced today an unprecedented agreement between a soccer club and South Carolina’s high school soccer coaches for the advancement of soccer in South Carolina. In the five-year agreement, CESA will serve as the primary sponsor for the event, donating both financial and logistical assistance regarding event management. The annual event, now known as the CESA North-South Soccer Classic, will be held this year on June 11, 2005 at the College of Charleston’s soccer stadium at Patriots Point in Mount Pleasant.

“The North-South Soccer Classic has a long history of honoring the best high school senior soccer players in South Carolina,” said Kevin Heise, Executive Board Member of SCHSSCA. “We are pleased that we have reached an agreement to place this event on a solid financial footing. We deeply appreciate CESA stepping up to assist us with this effort and look forward to future collaborations.”

“We did this because we believed that it was important for us to step up after the event lost its corporate sponsor to demonstrate our commitment to not just club soccer, but to South Carolina soccer in general,” said Andrew Hyslop and Pearse Tormey, CESA’s Co-Executive Directors. “There is all too often a perception of ‘us versus them’ regarding high school and club soccer. In order to continue the rapid progress of South Carolina soccer, all of us in the soccer community have to reach out beyond our isolated interests and work together.”

CESA is ranked #1 in South Carolina, #3 regionally, and #12 nationally by gotsoccer.com. The club was formed in April 2004 through the merger of St. Giles United and Greenville Futbol Club in order to offer more opportunities to youth soccer players than has been available previously in South Carolina and in most regions of the Southeastern United States. CESA now offers a wide range of services ranging from highly competitive Region III Premier League play to our highly affordable in-house recreational league that includes not only CESA’s players but also recreational teams from around the South Carolina upstate area. CESA was formed and exists to provide the best possible service to its players, regardless of whether the player is a highly ambitious national team player or a casual recreational player seeking to keep fit and have fun.

Further information:
Andrew Hyslop, Co-Executive Director, CESA
Pearse Tormey, Co-Executive Director, CESA