Maccabi Games Detroit

ID I A R

YI

Detroit Soccer Player's
Unforgettable Week

HOWARD LARKY

Special to The Jewish News

S

UNDAY, AUGUST 19:
Reading The Detroit
Jewish News prepared
me for the Maccabi Games
which were beginning today
at the Palace of Auburn Hills.
While sitting at home, I was
extremely anxious to meet
the two soccer players from
Washington, D.C., who my
family was volunteering to
house for a week. The televi-
sion was entertaining me
when I heard my mother call
to help carry in our guests'
luggage. I met Danny Reiser
and Mike Bokman and I
knew instantly they would be
special friends which I would
have forever.
The opening ceremonies at
the Palace were not just an
evening activity — they had
more meaning. I was at the
Palace an hour early to take
team pictures. The funny
thing about the team picture
was that it was the first time
I saw our whole team to-
gether. We practiced together
but a couple of people were
always missing. I was curious
to see what delegations were
here, so I walked around the
parking lot. I never saw so
many Jewish young adults in
one parking lot waiting to go
into the Palace. I carried the
Israeli flag into the Palace
and I was the first person in-
to the ceremonies from my
delegation. As the Detroit
delegation was announced, I
could not help but smile and
feel proud I was part of this
great activity. The
ceremonies were fun,
especially when they ended
and the trading began.
MONDAY, AUGUST 20:
Monday was a rough day
because I had two soccer
games in which my team did
extremely well for its first two

24

FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 1990

outings as a team. In the mor-
ning, we lost to Montreal 3-1.
Then we came back at noon
and played the strong Boston
team, whom we tied 1-1. That
day I scored all the goals for
my team, but they were the
team's goals. I made many
new friends on the Montreal
team.
The night activity was the
Detroit Zoo. Mike Bokman
and I went around the zoo
with my friend from school,
Jason Wine. We saw many
new and old faces. Every
person was eager to meet new
people. I have to hand it to the
organizers of the Maccabi
Games for I have never seen
so many good-looking girls
before and they were all
Jewish! After the zoo, we went
to Jason's house where we
met more Maccabi par-
ticipants. Mike, Danny Reiser
and I watched a movie and
went home.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 21:
Tuesday we played the Pitts-
burgh team who had not won
a single game in all the Mac-
cabi Games I have been in
since Cleveland. In this tour-
nament, every team ran up
the score against Pittsburgh,
and Detroit coach Gabe Attar
did not feel it was necessary
to humiliate them, so he kept
the better players out of the
game. I played five minutes in
the first half; then I relaxed
for tomorrow's important
game. The final score was 7-0.
I went home and showered,
which was a big plus in hav-
ing the Games in Detroit. A
friend of mine and I went out
to watch the games and one
of the games we saw was the
Detroit softball team on
which Jason was a player. On
the way home my friend, Gabi
Kepes, talked about how she
was upset she did not par-
ticipate in the Games.
In the evening, Mike, Dan-

ny, and I went to the Sports
Night at West Bloomfield
High School. It was a good op-
portunity to see some of my
friends' games. I found soccer
players who played on my
club team, Michigan Celtics,
who were practicing amongst
themselves. I kicked the ball
around with them, which was
fun. Afterwards Dan, Mike
and I went to Buddy's for piz-
za which they never had
before.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST
22: On Wednesday, I went to
the soccer fields early and
watched some games to relax.
I was starting to get prepared
for our game against
Baltimore. The field was all
mud and the game started a
half hour late. We ended up
beating Baltimore, 1-0. With
a 2-1-1 record, we did not ad-
vance to the soccer quarter
finals. We started to play well
as a team, and I was suffi-
ciently pleased with the
team's performance. It was
great to have all the Detroit

spectators at the games and
I would like to thank them
now for cheering on the
Detroit team and giving us
support.
Mike and Danny's Wash-
ington soccer team was also
knocked out of the competi-
tion, so the pressure was off
all of us. We could now con-
centrate on having total fun.
Tonight was the night when
we went to the JCC for Party
Night. I had an enjoyable
time, and, like usual, I met
many new friends. We danced
and socialized, which was
enough activities for me after
I realized I had to go to my
first high school soccer prac-
tice in the morning to condi-
tion for two hours. By the
time we were done looking for
parties that night, I was
becoming tired, so we went
home.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 23:
On Thursday, Mike, Danny
and I went to the JCC to hand

Continued on Page 30

Howard Larky carried a
flag during opening
ceremonies and was the
captain of the Detroit
soccer team.