Warwick Soccer Club travel teams ‘Team Up To Save Babies'

1,000 kids play soccer for March of Dimes Brewster, N.Y.n It's about children and families. It's about fun and great youth soccer. It's about increasing the awareness, reducing the incidence of, and ultimately finding a cure for premature birth. It's the March of Dimes Sweet Shot Tour. And the Warwick Soccer Club travel teams came out in full force to support the first stop on the Tour n the Sayegh Law Soccer Showdown. The Warwick Club teams competed against 66 others at Turf World Sportsdome in Brewster, NY. The teams came from across the Hudson Valley, southern Connecticut, and the New York City metro area to play in the tournament. Three Warwick teams walked away with division titles. Warwick Liberty, coached by Tom Dempsey, fought hard to take the U12 Girls' Championship. Warwick Wolverines, coached by Dan Rappaport, took 2nd place in U13 Boys and the Warwick Wildcats coached by John DiCarlantonio battled for 2nd place in the U-11 Girls division. Other Warwick teams competing in the tournament included Warwick Titans U9 Boys & Girls, Warwick Wildcats U10 Girls, Warwick Avalanche U10 Boys, Warwick Wildcats U12 Girls, Warwick United U12 Boys, Warwick Wildcats U13 Girls, and Warwick Wild U14 Girls. The Sweet Shot Tour is a series of soccer tournaments that support the March of Dimes Prematurity Campaign. Every year more than 480,000 babies are born prematurely n one baby in every eight, and that number is increasing, according to March of Dimes statistics. In half of all premature births the cause is unknown. In New York State alone, 150 babies are born each day that have to fight for their lives. The inaugural Sweet Shot Tour event was a great success, according to Kristi Greco of the March of Dimes Greater New York Chapter, Hudson Valley Division, due in part to the outstanding support of corporate friends and generous donors. Official sponsors of the Showdown included: Wendy's, Pepsi of the Hudson Valley, 101.5FM WPDH, and proud supporter of the Sweet Shot Tour n Major League Soccer. Sayegh Law was the Soccer Show Down 2004 Title Sponsor which was hosted by the East Hudson Youth Soccer League. More than 50 local volunteers participated throughout the weekend, organizing and staging the 30-hour, 3-day, 330 game, youth soccer event including a number of Warwick High School varsity soccer players. The next stop on the Tour is the Winter Blast Soccer Showcase, scheduled for February 11-12-13 at the Hudson Valley Sportsdome in Milton, N.Y. The Warwick Soccer Club is partnering with the March of Dimes and the Hudson Valley Youth Soccer League, in support of this event that will host more than 100 area travel soccer teams. The MetroStars have joined the 2005 Tour as an official sponsor.