NORTH AMERICAN SAND SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIPS

One of the nation's top summer sports festivals kicks off June 11-13 on the famed Virginia Beach Oceanfront as the North American Sand Soccer championships (NASSC), and its associated beach games, invade twenty sandy blocks along the resort strip. Known internationally as the crucible of amateur and pro/am beach soccer, the Championships are anticipating over 10,000 players plus a fan base of 35,000. The City of Virginia Beach will serve as the huge festival's "Presenting Sponsor" for a third consecutive year, along with Key sponsors Deer Park Water, Premier Soccer Hilltop, the Pugg Corporation and Verve/Vemma sports drinks. The Best Western Oceanfront will again serve as tournament headquarters. NASSC has been reselected by the Southeast Tourism Society as one of its Top 20 events of the summer, and by CosmoGirl magazine as one of the Top 100 free tourism events in the United States.

The centerpiece of the monster festival is the U.S. OPEN men's pro/am cash division, now in its ninth year, which features ten of the top international/national teams competing over three days in a large beach stadium for the U.S. National Championships. Included in the OPEN are players from several countries and states who have competed for their respective national teams in the FIFA World Cup of Beach Soccer. Entries are anticipated from Brazil, Senegal, and possibly Japan, to compete for the national crown. U.S. representation is expected from across the nation. The HRSC "Elite," with a host of former college and professional stars hailing from the Hampton Roads region, will be seeking yet another OPEN title to their annual list of top finishes.

Imbedded in NASSC 2010 are the highly popular "SideKick" venues of Beach Wrestling, Beach COED Flag Football, Beach Lacrosse, Beach Tennis USA, Beach Cornhole (bean bag) and a new national venue of "Thunderbeach Volleypalooza" (volleyball).

Guest celebrities from the professional sports and entertainment worlds will be on hand and, along with free fireworks displays, kids' clinics, beach movies and other attractions, ensuring an action-packed, fun-filled weekend for all. SURF, SUN and SAND SOCCER - You just can't beat it as the best way to kick off the summer, as can be verified by the 85,000 athletes who have enjoyed Virginia Beach sand soccer since its 1994 inception.