What an unforgettable weekend this has been.
This was the very first soccer tournament for Dublin Champions United. Our team of thirteen 10- and 11-year-olds entered the U12 Boys category, competing against 10 teams split across two brackets. Going into the tournament, I knew we would be facing older and more experienced competition, but the boys were excited and ready for the challenge.

Saturday was heartbreaking.
We lost our opening match 4-3 against OV Toros and then lost our second match 3-2 against South San Jose Blue Hornets. Both games could have gone either way. In fact, I genuinely felt we were the better team in both matches, but sometimes soccer can be cruel, and luck simply wasn't on our side.
What made the first loss even more painful was that OV Toros scored against us within the first 30 seconds of the game. We spent the rest of the match fighting back and nearly pulled off a comeback.
After two losses, our hopes of reaching the final looked almost impossible. Only the top team from each bracket would advance, and most of us believed our tournament run was effectively over.
The boys were devastated.&nbsp;Many left the field in tears, believing their tournament hopes were over.&nbsp;But despite the disappointment, they never stopped believing.&nbsp;When the standings were calculated after Day 1, we surprisingly found ourselves in 3rd place in our bracket. Our goal difference kept us alive, and although the odds were against us, there was still a small path to the final if we could win our final group-stage game by a good margin and if other results went our way.
And what happened next is exactly why I am so proud of this team.
Instead of giving up, the boys came back on Sunday with renewed determination and a completely different mindset. They were determined.
They were focused.
And they were ready to fight.We adjusted our approach, modified our formation, stayed positive, and focused on controlling what we could control.



In our final group-stage match, the boys delivered a dominant 3-0 victory over South San Jose Blazers. 


Then we waited.
As the other results came in, we realized something none of us had expected.
We had finished at the top of our bracket.
We were going to the finals for the championship game.
And waiting for us there was none other than OV Toros - the very same team that had beaten us on Saturday in our opening match. The team that had gone undefeated throughout the tournament.The team that had conceded only three goals all weekend—and all three had come from us.This was our opportunity.

Before the final, I told the boys that this was their moment to prove who they were. I asked them to play with all the energy they had, as if it were the last soccer game they would ever play.
And they responded magnificently.
We opened the scoring and took a 1-0 lead. OV Toros equalized, but this time our boys refused to let the game slip away. They battled for every ball, supported one another, and showed tremendous courage.
We finished the first half leading 2-1.
Then came one of my favorite moments of the entire tournament. The day before, OV Toros had stunned us by scoring within the first 30 seconds of the game. This time, immediately after the second half kickoff, our boys returned the favor. Within the first 30 seconds of the second half, we found the back of the net and extended our lead to 3-1.
From that point forward, the boys were simply unstoppable.
They continued pressing, continued fighting, and continued believing.
When the final whistle blew, the scoreboard read:
🏆 Dublin Champions United 5 – 1 OV Toros 🏆
We became the Tournament Champions. From losing our first two games... To nearly being eliminated... To fighting our way into the final... To defeating an undefeated team 5-1 in the championship match... It was one of the most remarkable displays of resilience, determination, and teamwork that I have ever witnessed.
As their coach, I honestly cannot put into words how proud I am of this group of 13 players.
Every player contributed.
Every player sacrificed.
Every player worked harder than I have ever seen before.
Most importantly, they never gave up.
This weekend tournament was about much more than winning a trophy.
It was about believing when things seemed impossible.
It was about responding to adversity.
It was about learning that setbacks do not define us—our character does.
Most of all, it was about a group of young boys who refused to quit, even when the odds were stacked against them.
Please join me in congratulating these incredible young athletes on an amazing achievement:
🥇 1st Place out of 10 teams in the U12 Boys Division&nbsp;🥇
They have made all of us proud.
And I feel incredibly fortunate to be their coach.
~ Coach Joseph ⚽🏆❤️

Local Event: 🏆 Team Dublin Champions United wins District 2 Spring 2026 Tournament 🏆

Alameda County

Dublin

California

🏆 Team Dublin Champions United wins District 2...

What an unforgettable weekend this has been.
This was the very first soccer tournament for Dublin Champions United. Our team of...

🏆 Team Dublin Champions United wins District 2 Spring 2026 Tournament 🏆

Joseph Porathur

Michael Wittner

Bay Area

Pleasanton

Contra Costa County

San Ramon

Livermore

Danville

Fernando Haro

Castro Valley

Union City

Fremont

San Leandro

Angela Woodall

Walnut Creek

Newark

Behind Incontro Ristoranti

Join the Danville Lions Club for the 29th annual restaurant walk and beer and wine tasting pavilion featuring live music and dancing. Experience local flavors with a $45 food tasting or enjoy the beer and wine pavilion for $25, with proceeds benefiting Lions Club Charities, the Lions Blind Center, and educational scholarships.

Local Event: A Taste of Danville

A Taste of Danville

Join the Danville Lions Club for the 29th annual restaurant walk and beer and wine tasting pavilion featuring live music and...

Celebrate 117 years of the San Leandro Cherry Festival on June 6th! Start your day at 10 AM at the San Leandro Cherry Parade and cheer on your community as they make their way down E. 14th Street in festive floats, classic cars, and creative costumes.Then, head over to the FREE festival for live music, live music on the main stage, a vendor market with over 150 booths, the fresh cherry market, the family fun zone, a car show, and more!Get in step at the Main Stage with the dynamic funk band Farenhyte5150. Dance into the afternoon with Conjunto Karabali, featuring Mike Spiro and 14x Grammy Award-winning Santana Percussionist Karl Perazzo. End your 2026 Cherry Festival experience to the music of the legendary Bay Area band The Purple Ones - Insatiable Tribute to Prince!

Local Event: San Leandro Cherry Festival & Parade

San Leandro Cherry Festival & Parade

Celebrate 117 years of the San Leandro Cherry Festival on June 6th! Start your day at 10 AM at the San Leandro Cherry Parade...

Wells Middle School

Indivisible Tri Valley is joining forces with local organizations to produce the Tri Valley Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Town Hall, one of dozens that will occur statewide this year. &nbsp;The event is free to participants.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Act would hold major fossil fuel companies accountable for their share of climate damages to our state, and reinvest that money in community resilience, clean energy, the essential workers responding to climate disasters, and much more.&nbsp; As an Indivisible Youth leader Freyjaa Kirti, senior at Granada High School, stated, “You break it, you fix it”.&nbsp; &nbsp; <a href="https://actionnetwork.org/events/tri-valley-polluters-pay-townhall" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Register Here</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://actionnetwork.org/events/tri-valley-polluters-pay-townhall" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://actionnetwork.org/events/tri-valley-polluters-pay-townhall</a>

What to Expect:
<ul><li>Powerful Stories: Hear from diverse local speakers on the frontlines of health, planning, youth activism, biodiversity and more</li><li>Energetic Education: Learn exactly how a "Polluters Pay" policy works with keynote speaker Dr. Clair Brown, professor of Economics at U.C. Berkeley&nbsp;</li><li>Interactive Action: Expect speaker spotlights, engaging activities for all ages, and facilitated discussion tables&nbsp;</li><li>Community Growth: Connect with other members of your community who are serious about accountability for climate disasters, climate action, and winning the transformative investments we all need.</li></ul>

This is a family-friendly event.&nbsp;
From devastating fires and floods to extreme heat and more intense storms, climate change is here, and the costs are only rising for Californians statewide. The world's biggest fossil fuel polluters are overwhelmingly responsible for this intensifying climate devastation, but right now, it’s taxpayers and families struggling to rebuild who are footing the bill.&nbsp; Explore the civic strategies needed to flip the script.&nbsp; Register to join the email list for future gatherings and resources.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Local Event: Tri Valley Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Town Hall

Tri Valley Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Town...

Indivisible Tri Valley is joining forces with local organizations to produce the Tri Valley Polluters Pay Climate Superfund...

Tri Valley Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Town Hall

Wood Family Vineyards

Over +400 wines were submitted to this year's California Signature Wine Awards Competition, and our 2023 GSM Red Blend won BEST RED BLEND! We also won 3 Gold medals in addition to the Best Red Blend Award - one of which being the NEW 2025 "Pink Pearl" Rosé of Grenache! And if that wasn't enough... the 2023 GSM won BEST RED at Livermore Valley Uncorked as well!
To celebrate this momentous occasion, we'll be releasing the NEW 2025 "Pink Pearl" Rosé of Grenache and hosting a cheese and wine pairing party, with The Cheese Parlor. Enjoy a flight of 6 wines and 4 gourmet cheese pairings.
The event takes place Thursday, June 11th from 5:00 to 7:30 PM. Tickets are $10 for Club Members and $30 for non-club with a $10 bottle credit towards each bottle purchased up to the price of entry.

Local Event: Wood Family Vineyards' Best of Show and Rosé Release - A Cheese Pairing Party

Wood Family Vineyards' Best of Show and Rosé...

Over +400 wines were submitted to this year's California Signature Wine Awards Competition, and our 2023 GSM Red Blend won BEST...

Wood Family Vineyards' Best of Show and Rosé Release - A Cheese Pairing Party

<blockquote>Kickoff the holiday weekend in style. Take in the beauty of the vineyards at sunset with a breathtaking wine and food pairing experience at the Wood Family estate. Rhonda Wood and Harrison Wood will guide guests through a flight of six wines, including the the entire line of Culmination wines. A four-course menu will be prepped by Chef Jesus Martinez from Zephyr Grill to highlight the unique character of the wine it accompanies, offering guests an immersive tasting experience unlike any other. Below is the menu for the evening. Sunset Pairings: 2024 "Hot Lips" Blanc de Blancs FIRST COURSE - 2024 SAUVIGNON BLANC Paired with Crab &amp; Cauliflower Croquet Romaine lettuce, garlic confit puree, Meyer lemon limoneta, grana padano, &amp; E.V.O.O. &nbsp; SECOND COURSE - 2022 CABERNET FRANC Paired with Gorgonzola Tortellini Pillows of Pasta filled with Gorgonzola Cheese, Confit Red Grapes, with Gorgonzola Walnut Sauce. &nbsp; THIRD COURSE - 2022 CABERNET SAUVIGNON Paired with Filet Mignon Cacao and Coffee Crust filet. Served with grilled garden vegetables, &amp; crispy potato puree with a three Chili sauce. &nbsp; FOURTH COURSE&nbsp; - 2022 PROPRIETARY RED Paired with Undergrowth Chocolate Brownie With fresh berries, served with vanilla bean ice cream &amp; lavender raspberry sauce. Plus an exquisite Library wine. Whether you're a longtime wine enthusiast or simply love a great sunset with a glass in hand, this evening is crafted just for you. &nbsp; Reservations are $75 for Wine Club Members and $90 for non-club guests. &nbsp;A $10 credit will be applied toward every bottle purchased from the tasting menu, up to the full value of the event ticket. &nbsp; Spots are limited, so don’t miss your chance to be part of this magical evening.</blockquote>

Local Event: Wood Family Vineyards Culmination Vineyard Sunset Pairing Experience

Wood Family Vineyards Culmination Vineyard...

Kickoff the holiday weekend in style. Take in the beauty of the vineyards at sunset with a breathtaking wine and food pairing...

Wood Family Vineyards Culmination Vineyard Sunset Pairing Experience

Join the St. Baldrick’s Foundation’s Brave the Shave – Summer Kickoff on Sunday, June 28, 2026, from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM at Emerald Glen Park in Dublin, CA.
This family-friendly community event brings people together to help conquer childhood cancer by raising money for lifesaving research through the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, the world’s largest charity funder of childhood cancer research grants.
Participants can shave their head in solidarity with children battling cancer, donate hair to help create wigs for kids who have lost their hair during treatment, volunteer, fundraise, or simply come out to support the cause.
Every 2 minutes a child is diagnosed with cancer worldwide, and 1 in 5 children diagnosed will not survive. Brave the Shave gives the community an opportunity to make a bold and visible statement of support while helping fund research that gives children better treatments and better outcomes.
The event will feature: • Head-shaving stations • Hair donation opportunities • Family-friendly activities • Community fundraising • Before-and-after photo opportunities • Special appearances and photo opportunities with Vader’s 501st Stormtrooper Legion
Whether you choose to shave your head, donate hair, volunteer, sponsor, or cheer on participants, your support helps make a difference in the fight against childhood cancer.

Learn more, donate, or sign up at: <a href="https://www.stbaldricks.org/events/summerkickoff" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">www.stbaldricks.org/events/summerkickoff</a>

Local Event: St. Baldrick's Foundation Brave the Shave - Summer Kickoff

St. Baldrick's Foundation Brave the Shave -...

Join the St. Baldrick’s Foundation’s Brave the Shave – Summer Kickoff on Sunday, June 28, 2026, from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM at...

Nearby Communities

State Edition

National Edition

Joseph Porathur, Neighbor

Posting Activity

🏆 Team Dublin Champions United wins District 2 Spring 2026 Tournament 🏆

JUN

1

5:00 AM

Dublin, CA

A Taste of Danville

San Leandro Cherry Festival & Parade

Tri Valley Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Town Hall

Wood Family Vineyards' Best of Show and Rosé Release - A Cheese Pairing Party

Wood Family Vineyards Culmination Vineyard Sunset Pairing Experience

St. Baldrick's Foundation Brave the Shave - Summer Kickoff