By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Remus E. Borisov, Fleet Public Affairs Center Atlantic

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. ­ Sailors from Pre-commissioning Unit (PCU) George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) competed in the 14th annual North American Sand Soccer Championships (NASSC) at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront June 8 to 10.

The tournament is the largest single-weekend sand soccer festival in the world with more than 8,000 players on 800 teams participating. Teams from nearly 20 states and as far away as Norway traveled to Virginia Beach to play in this international beach soccer tournament.

"This weekend tournament is awesome," said Aviation Electronics Technician 2nd Class Jeffrey Stewart who plays center forward for the George H.W. Bush team. "The weather is spectacular, and the atmosphere on the beach is great. I couldnıt ask for more."

This yearıs tournament had hundreds of youth teams aged 9 thru 19, menıs and women's single gender squads, college teams, and even "corporate-coed" competitors from businesses and military organizations promoting health and fitness. There were brackets seeded to support all levels of play - from the beginner to the most professional.

A bracket for military command teams was introduced to the tournament this year after Cmdr. Mike Walls, team striker and navigator of the George H.W. Bush, had a meeting with the director of the tournament a few months ago and suggested a category for military teams. The military bracket in the tournament included teams from Old Dominion Universityıs (ODU) ROTC, amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73), USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), PCU George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) and Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron Two (HSC-2).

"This is our first year playing together," said Electricianıs Mate 2nd Class Gregory Abboud a goaltender on the George H.W. Bush team. "Itıs great to be out here playing with these guys, weıll have fun no matter the outcome." The Bush team faced the ODU ROTC team in a first round upset, then team "Alianza" with the same result.

"We're on a new ship, so weıll be starting a lot of traditions like competing in this tournament," said Machinist's Mate 2nd Class Gregory Gonzales a sweeper on the George H.W. Bush team. Team Kearsarge was their last rival in the tournament as the George H.W. Bush team finished 0-3.

NASSC is an annual major charity event to aid in the development of the Hampton Roads Soccer Complex in Virginia Beach, one of the nationıs premier soccer facilities, hosting 400,000 visitors yearly.