Michigan, USA - Chaldean agility, strength, speed, and finesse are showcased weekly in Southfield, Michigan. A fifty-yard dash, a sand dive, a spike, ace, dig, and a Hail Mary touchdown pass are par for Chaldeans that meet and compete in the 2007 Chaldean Church Sports League.
No helmets. No shoulder pads. No problem. The Chaldean churches newest youth football league requires hardly any of the standard equipment associated with the sport. A pair of shorts and a league-furnished jersey, along with a desire to have fun are about the only things needed to participate in the Chaldean Church Sports flag football league.
Over 100 Chaldeans from southeast Michigan get the opportunity to play each other throughout the day at the Southfield Civic Center. The Chaldean Church Sports League features flag-football field and volleyball for Chaldean youth, eighteen years and younger. The volleyball sand courts and flag football field come alive every Saturday from noon until 3 p.m. with spirited sports competition, prayer, and camaraderie.
Chaldeans enter their third week of competition in the league leaving one last week for final recruitment and registration. The league includes St. George Dragon Slayers (Shelby Twp, Mi.) St. Joseph Protectors (Troy, MI), Mar Addai Healers (Oak Park, Mi.), Sacred Heart Saints (Detroit, Mi), Mother of God Guardian Angels (Southfield, Mi.), and the St. Thomas Twin Tigers (West Bloomfield, Mi).
Each church in southeast Michigan has entered their best team in hopes of winning the Chaldean Church Sports League Cup and the title of the best Chaldean church sports team in their respective sport for 2007. The program provides a fun and exciting opportunity to engage in spirited competition with continuous action while learning lessons in teamwork, faith, and hope. The 2007 league is directed by Dr. Natham Karumi, a successful chiropractor and Arlene Kakos, a leading computer scientist with Hewlett Packard. Dr. Karumi directs the boys flag-football league while Ms. Kakos directs the girls sand volleyball league. The Chaldean Church Sports youth program is designed to bring the Chaldean community closer together emphasizing community participation and sportsmanship. Players learn skills and lessons that help them succeed both on and off the field. It is mandatory that all Chaldean players participate in their community during the sports season in order to qualify for team play.
Each team has until Saturday, June 30th to submit their final team picks. Team coaches are allowed to recruit and participate in the draft in order to field their best players. The only condition is that the player must be under the age of 18 and involved in the community, says Dr. Karumi. The program directors visited each Chaldean church in Michigan drumming support for the league and sought the best Chaldean coaches available. The Chaldean Football League donated star players to coach the youth teams while the girls volleyball program director recruited top high-school and college volleyball Chaldean players to coach. We have over sixty girls playing in the league and some of the best Chaldean volleyball coaches leading them to victory, says Arlene Kakos. Players are forming new friendships, having fun, enjoying the sun, and representing their church in spirited competition. The twelve week season culminates into a two-week playoff game where each church is given the chance to take home to their church the league cup. The league cup will remain on display at the winning church until the 2008 season when the cup is up for grabs to the winning team.The Chaldean Church Sports League will also be hosting a fall boys and girls basketball and mens table tennis competition.
