COSTA MESA : Soccer Groups Given World Cup Banners

More than 200 World Cup banners displayed on street lamps around South Coast Plaza during the soccer tournament have been donated to youth soccer groups in Orange County.

Jim Henwood, general manager of South Coast Plaza, and Anton Segerstrom, general manager of Crystal Court, presented the banners Friday to representatives of the American Youth Soccer Organization.

The Hawthorne-based group coordinates tournaments for nearly 500,000 soccer players ages 5 to 18 around the country, including about 50,000 in Orange County, according to Lolly Keys, AYSO public affairs director.

“These may be the ultimate World Cup souvenirs,” Keys said. “It’s a nice way to carry on the excitement generated by the World Cup to our next season starting in the fall.”

Keys said that the banners will be distributed to 12 AYSO regions in Orange County. The flags could be used as raffle items for fund-raisers, or displayed during games and at local AYSO headquarters, she said.

“This will keep soccer in the public eye,” said Jack Minter, regional commissioner in Mission Viejo.

The U.S. World Cup team trained for more than a year in Mission Viejo and the players were treated as members of the community, Minter said.

He said that more than 3,000 children participate in AYSO tournaments in Mission Viejo.

The banners depict soccer players and the World Cup mascot, Striker. They were taken down from the lamp posts July 18, a day after the finals.