Palm Beach North Sports - September 2023

12 P A L M B E A C H N O R T H SPORTS | S e p t e m b e r 2 0 2 3 SPORTS SPOTLIGHT Keiser University Students Serve as Interns for the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup By Anthony “A.J.” Albers, Franco Arancibia, Sasha Mervilus, and John Stirp | Photos courtesy of Keiser University Sport Management Students Sasha Mervilus with the Technical Director of St. Kitts & Nevis Lenny Taylor. The Confederation of North, Central America, and Caribbean Association Football, more widely known as “CONCACAF,” is one of FIFA’s six continental confederations and an alliance of the top-level of soccer- playing countries in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. CONCACAF oversees forty-one member associations ranging from Canada in the north to Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana in the south. The CONCACAF Gold Cup is the confederation’s premier event for national teams. Thanks to Lance VanHaitsma— CONCACAF’s Manager of Refereeing and Keiser University Sport Management Advisory Board Member—our students were offered the rare opportunity to intern for this monumental event. “Overall, my experience during the Gold Cup is something I will never forget because it made me realize how much being in that environment makes me the happiest,” says Sasha Mervilus, a student whose goal is to become an international FIFA referee. “This was the start of many experiences for an individual like myself interested in pursuing a career in the sport industry.” Sasha is progressing through the Referee Development Program as she completes her undergraduate degree. The Gold Cup is one of the most prestigious events in the world of soccer, crowing a champion team every two years. For countries in North and Central America, this event is second only to the FIFA World Cup. Its popularity has resulted in the viewership of millions of passionate soccer fans around the world. “Being able to volunteer at the CONCACAF for any soccer fan like me is an incredible opportunity,” says Franco Arancibia, a student in the Sport Management program. “Seeing the players and how they set up before the actual game was something that I’ve always wanted to witness. Setting up for matches like these had much more responsibility than I imagined and that was a great sight to experience. I’m glad I was able to have an experience like this and can’t wait to get even more involved.” As Canada and the United States were selected to host the 2023 Gold Cup, the preliminary rounds took place close to home at the DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, home to David Beckham’s Inter Miami CF and 2022 FIFA World Cup winner Lionel Messi— one of the greatest players in the history of the game. “My time helping out at the Gold Cup was such a unique and fascinating one. Getting to see and being a part of the behind-the-scenes of what