Nations unite for World Soccer Games

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) - Teams faced off on the soccer field Saturday in an effort to bring together people of different nationalities who now call Dayton home. The World Soccer Games at Action Sports Center on Gateway Drive in Dayton brought in 28 different teams representing 16 countries. Players of all ages competed throughout the day.

"The only requirement was you had to represent a country and  someone on your team had to be an immigrant or a refugee or a natural from that country," said LaShea Smith, Director of the Department of Recreation and Youth Services.

The inaugural event was put together as a part of "Welcome Dayton," the city's effort to make immigrants and refugees feel welcome in the city.

One man who knows how special those efforts are to families who are new to America is Jose Camberos. His family moved to California from Mexico when he was three years old so that his father could work for Baskin-Robbins. As an adult, Camberos moved to Dayton to work for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. He's now raising his son here and is reaching out to families who are new to the country.

"There seems to be a growing community of Hispanic families here in Dayton  and we hope to keep reaching out to them whether it's through soccer or  other activities and get them involved with the community," said Camberos.

It seems city leaders agreed that soccer was the perfect way to bring people together. The World Soccer Games was one of the recommendations that came of the city's discussions over ways to enact "Welcome Dayton."

"It's the number one sport in the world despite what we may think here in  the US with football and basketball," Camberos said. "I think it is the one unifying factor that will help people understand  that it is one world and one sport."

Organizers said they hope the inaugural event kicks off something bigger and better next year.