On Saturday morning at the Winters Park in Garland, about 1,000 people came together to celebrate the sixth annual D-FW Asian American Soccer Tournament.
The warm but breezy day started with a colorful lion dance where people dressed as blue, purple and pink lions performed on stage to energetic drum beats as the audience cheered them on.
Firecrackers popped as the dancers made their way to the stage for the opening ceremony.

Organizers, elected officials and community members from North Texas delivered remarks and shared works of encouragement to kick-start the tournament. VN United, also known as Viet Nam United, a nonprofit football club in Garland, organized the tournament.
“Garland is absolutely a soccer city,” said former Garland Mayor Scott LeMay in his opening remarks. He was joined by Carrollton Mayor Steve Babick and Sachse Mayor Jeff Bickerstaff at the ceremony.
LeMay, who has come to the tournament since its inception, said a lot of people, including the teams and spectators, come to Garland for the event, which acts as an economic boost for the city.
“It’s not just bridging the Asian American community in Garland together, it’s bringing it together from the entire United States,” he said. LeMay said teams from across the country come here once a year, and it shows how strong the community is.
Jennifer Nguyen, one of the advisers of VN United who also serves as chair emeritus at the DFW Asian American Citizens Council, said soccer is one of the most popular sports in Asian countries. She wanted to help organize an event that is meaningful and enjoyable to the entire Asian American community in North Texas.

“We would like for them to be proud of where they come from,” she said. “If they have a peaceful fair competition on the weekend without any personal gain, then we can show the world, we mean business, we’re good people, and we’re here at your service.”
Nguyen, who moved to Garland from Arizona in 1985, is also a member of the city’s Community Multicultural Commission. Nguyen and her husband, Thomas Nguyen, are the founding members of the Vietnamese Community Center in Garland.
Jimmy Tran, former president of the VN United and an executive board member, said around 730 players from 29 teams from eight states took part in the tournament on Saturday. He said the teams represent six Asian countries, including Vietnam, Korea, Japan, China, Nepal and Myanmar.
Tran said he moved to the United States from Vietnam when he was 19 years old as a refugee. What was once a second home has now become a real home.
“I lived here more than in Vietnam,” Tran said. For him, this event is a way to give back to the community.
Michael Tran, 63, who lives in Lewisville, said he has been a member of VN United for about five years and plays in the over-50 team. He said some of the members of his team have been playing together for over 30 years.
“It’s a family,” he said.
Atlético Dallas is slated to open a new training facility in Garland, which will be an eight-field complex. LeMay said the city has been working on getting the franchise to Garland for years.
Matt Valentine, chairman and founder of Atlético Dallas, said VN United welcomed them with open arms. Atlético Dallas was a sponsor for this event.
“They love soccer as much as we do and they exemplify what it means to be a leader in the community,” Valentine said. “We love community soccer.”

The matches began around 9 a.m. following a kickball event and were set to last through 7:30 p.m. This year’s event had 56 sponsors, which included a combination of local, regional and national businesses.
The second day of the event on Sunday will feature an exhibition match between the Garland Police Department and the Garland Fire Department.