Swaim-led trio tops soccer tournament; Schultz is MVP

NMI National coach Nick Swaim teamed up with Meaghan Hassel-Shearer and Claire Brostrom to rule a 3-on-3 soccer tournament held Sunday at the Navy Hill field.

The trio and 12 other teams competed in a single round-robin tournament with each game lasting eight minutes. Participants played on two fields with each field about a quarter of a size of the normal field.

The Swaim-led team won in the finals against the trio of Brenda Schultz, Caleb Arriola, and Jack Thoensaket, 4-3.

Despite her losing effort in the championship game, Schultz’s heroics all throughout the tournament were still recognized, as the NMI National Team member was adjudged most valuable player in the one-day event.

The trio of Zoe Jewell, Scott Hayden, and Lar Wonapanya played in the battle for third and prevailed over the team of Archie Rausora, Amber Roberts, and Peter Bonser.

The weekend tournament is a fundraiser for the women’s futsal league.

Laura Williams, member of the NMIFA Women’s Committee, said funds earned from the entrance fees in the 3-on-3 tournament will be used to purchase equipment for the futsal league.

Williams added that they decided to hold a 3-on-3 tournament instead of a regular one to encourage more participants.

“In a tournament like the 3-on-3, there is a lot of camaraderie and good sportsmanship, it is supposed to be fun. We would like to bring more people out to participate in football either during tournaments or leagues. It is a great sport for the whole family and we have many families that participated together,” said Williams, who herself participated in the tournament along with son Caleb Arriola.

The 3-on-3 tournament had players with different skill levels and drew participants as young as 14 years old.

“It is very important that everyone is able to participate in football, we encouraged all skill levels. This is the reason teams were chosen at random in such a way that their overall skill was balanced,” said Lindsay Davis, chairman of the NMIFA Woman’s Committee.

“We all had a lot of fun, 3-on-3 is much faster and more intense even though the games are shorter,” said NMI National Team member Becca Newman.

Tournament organizers thanked Tan Holdings Corp., PTI, Palms Resort Saipan, and Pacific Islands Club for supporting the fundraiser. They also acknowledged Whispering Palms School and Division of Parks and Recreation for allowing them to use the soccer facility.

Meanwhile, the women’s futsal league will kick off in October.

Futsal is an indoor game with five players in each team.

“It is also referred to as the “great skill developer.” It demands quick reflexes, fast thinking, and accurate ball control as it is played on a basketball-style court, with no walls and a low bouncing ball, requiring players to use their skill rather than the ball’s bounce to propel it,” Williams said.

The league was supposed to open in September, but organizers decided to change the schedule to give participants more time to prepare and avoid playing in a muddy field at this time of the year.

The women’s committee will be holding boot camps and registrations next month before the league opens.