Puerto Vallarta Delfines Win Highland Park Sister Cities Youth Soccer Tournament

OVER THE FOURTH OF JULY WEEKEND, THE HIGHLAND PARK SISTER CITIES FOUNDATION HOSTED AN INTERNATIONAL YOUTH SOCCER TOURNAMENT AT OLSON PARK IN HIGHLAND PARK. THE TEAMS PATICIPATING WERE: THE PUERTO VALLARTA DELFINES, JALISCO, MEXICO (ONE OF HIGHLAND PARK’S SISTER CITIES); THE LAKE FOREST SCOUTS; DEPORTIVO HIGHLAND PARK; THE CHICAGO FIRE JUNIORS NORTH, AND HIGHLAND PARK AYSO.

THE DELFINES WERE ACCOMPANIED BY THEIR COACH, ARMANDO COSILION, SOME PARENTS OF THE PLAYERS AND SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE SISTER CITY COMMITTEE OF PUERTO VALLARTA, INCLUDING ITS PRESIDENT, OFELIA MARTINEZ, AND THE SOCCER TOURNAMENT ORGANIZER IN PUERTO VALLARTA, CARLOS MURGUIA. EVERYONE INVOLVED SAID THAT THE EVENT WAS PROFESSIONALY RUN, PROFESSIONALY REFEREED, PROFESSIONAL COACHED, AND THAT THE LEVEL OF PLAY OF ALL OF THE TEAMS WAS EXCEPTIONAL. THE TOURNAMENT WAS ORGANIZED BY ANGELO BIONDI WITH SUPPORT FROM THE PARK DISTRICT OF HIGHLAND PARK, AYSO SOCCER, AND THE MEMBERS OF THE SISTER CITIES FOUNDATION.

THE PUERTO VALLARTA TEAM HAD A WONDERFUL WEEKEND OF ACTIVITIES WHICH INCLUDED A FIVE-DAY TOUR OF CHICAGO (IN ONE DAY), MARCHING IN THE FOURTH OF JULY PARADE, PARTICIPATING IN THE EVENTS AT SUNSET PARK AFTER THE PARADE, A BARBEQUE DINNER,, ATTENDANCE AT THE BATTLE OF THE BANDS AND THE FIREWORKS AT WOLTERS FIELD, TWO FULL DAYS OF SOCCER, AN EVENING SWIM AND DINNER AT THE HIDDEN CREEK WATER PARK, AND A CONCLUDING AWARDS BANQUET AT THE BIRCHWOOD TENNIS CLUB ON SUNDAY NIGHT. 

THE DELFINES WON THE TOURNAMENT WITHOUT LOSING A GAME. THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME WAS BETWEEN THE CHICAGO FIRE JUNIORS NORTH AND THE DELFINES. THE ALL-GIRLS LAKE FOREST SCOUTS SCORED EARLY IN THEIR CONTEST AGAINST THE PUERTO VALLARTA TEAM.  THE DELFINES CAME BACK AND WERE ABLE TO WIN AFTER A HARD FOUGHT GAME.

AT THE AWARDS CEREMONY ON SUNDAY NIGHT, MAYOR NANCY ROTERING PRESENTED THE WINNING TEAM WITH ITS TROPHY AND EACH VISITOR FROM PUERTO VALLARTA RECEIVED AN HONORARY CITIZEN OF HIGHLAND PARK CERTIFICATE. OFELIA MARTINES AND CARLOS MURGUIA RECEIVED KEYS TO THE CITY.   COACH ARMANDO COSILION RECEIVED A SOCCER BALL SIGNED BY EACH PARTICIPANT IN THE TOURNAMENT.

THE CITY OF HIGHLAND PARK WAS PRESENTED WITH GIFTS FROM PUERTO VALLARTA, INCLUDING A DISPLAY FOR THE LIBRARY TO ACCOMPANY THE HUICHOL DEER THAT WAS A GIFT FROM THE PEOPLE OF PUERTO VALLARTA AND IS ON PERMANENT DISPLAY IN THE CHILDREN’S LIBRARY. 

THE PUERTO VALLARTA COACH INVITED TEAMS FROM THE NORTH SHORE TO PARTICIPATE IN A SOCCER TOURNAMENT IN PUERTO VALLARTA NEXT YEAR.  EVEYONE ENJOYED THE WEEKEND AND OUR INTERNATIONAL VISITORS WERE OVEREWHELMED BY THE EXPERIENCE.

THE EVENTS WERE SUBSIDIZED BY GENEROUS DONATIONS FROM PARENT POWER CHICAGO, BERNARDI SECURITIES, FIRST BANK OF HIGHLAND PARK, AND THE MODENESE SOCIETY OF HIGHWOOD.