US Soccer officials tout national championship next summer

ROCK HILL — The crown jewel of US soccer is coming to Rock Hill’s Manchester Meadows.  Late last week officials from the U-S Youth Soccer Association toured the facilities and met with local officials to talk about next year’s national championships scheduled for July 24-29, 2012.

Jim Martella, chairman of the U-S Youth Soccer National Championship Committee, says the key attraction to Rock Hill is the Manchester Meadows soccer fields and the complex.

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Next July will not only be the first time the U-S Youth Soccer National Championships have come to Rock Hill, but it’ll be the first time South Carolina has hosted the event.  City officials conservatively estimate the economic impact of the championships at three-million dollars.