BRISTOL — For one day at least, there was peace in one tiny corner of Iraq. Soldiers traded their fatigues, weapons and flak jackets for soccer uniforms. Shia and Sunni Muslims came together as friends. And children, many of whom have little to be thankful for, enjoyed a day of fun and play. Through it all, Bristol’s Jimmy Pepoon, 26, smiled.

On Friday, Dec. 26, after nearly a year of planning, the United States Army held a regional soccer tournament in a stadium in the town of Taji, an arid village just north of Baghdad, and invited some 60 players from across the region to play in a four-round tournament against each other and a team made up of American GIs. The Iraqis and soldiers wore uniforms donated by folks back in Bristol and beyond, wearing donated cleats, shin guards and other gear to kick donated balls. When it was over, the winners received donated trophies and each of the hundreds of Iraqis who watched from the stands went home with donated sporting goods and other freebies.

The tournament, the first of its kind and size since the U.S. entered Iraq in 2003, was the brainchild of 2000 Mt. Hope High School graduate Jimmy Pepoon, a member of the United States Army’s 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry, Second Stryker Brigade, 25th Infantry. Since being deployed to Iraq in December 2007, he spent much of his free time on the phone and computer with family and friends back home in Bristol, soliciting donations of everyday items such as clothing and school supplies, as well as soccer uniforms, equipment and other supplies for not only the tournament but for the youth of Iraq.

The effort encompassed much more than the tournament itself, and involved a host of Bristol fund-raisers, volunteer efforts by his mom, Donna St. Angelo, and a huge cast of others from Bristol and beyond. Since it began, hundreds of Iraqi children and adults have been given free equipment, jerseys and other supplies that they otherwise wouldn’t have access to in Iraq, many of them donated by or through Bristol residents.

But the tournament, held the day after Christmas, was clearly one of the most enjoyable parts of the effort for SSG Pepoon, who has loved the game for most of his life. He said it was a huge hit not just because it brought Shias, Sunnis, young and old, and Iraqis and Americans together, but also because it gave everyone a chance to forget the war for a little while and concentrate on having fun.

“It just brought everyone together for a day,” he said during a telephone interview. “It was just, ‘Go out there and have a safe, fun day.’ We had 15 (soldiers) walking around all day with no gear on, just acting like regular people. It was a really good time.”

And it was a long time coming.

Big effort

SSG Pepoon first conceived of the tournament early this year, after noticing on patrol that Iraqis, who love soccer, didn’t have equipment as simple as decent balls, shoes and other gear. He was also struck by the region’s poverty in general; one of the first photos he sent to his mom from Iraq was a young boy wearing a dress because it was the only item of clothing available to him.

“They lack so much,” he said. “I asked my lieutenant if I could go out and play in a town, and he said ‘No, you can’t just do that’” because of security concerns.

“He said, ‘Come up with something.’ I said, ‘You’re asking for something bigger than you could handle.’”

He wasn’t kidding.

Running with the idea, SSG Pepoon contacted friends and family back home about soliciting donations of everyday items such as clothes and school supplies and balls, sports supplies and other materials that were in short supply in Iraq. It didn’t take long for the donations to pour in. Over the coming months, his mother and others back home in Bristol put on a host of fund-raisers to purchase supplies, as well as to foot the considerable postage expenses involved in shipping donations over to Iraq.

By October, the effort had hit its stride, as dozens of businesses, schools, youth soccer associations and individuals across the state all lent a hand. SSG Pepoon even contacted the New England Revolution and other pro soccer teams, as well as soccer equipment manufacturers, and got commitments of jerseys, balls and more.

“Everyone bought into it, really,” he said.

That included his superiors in Iraq. Initially, they were concerned about the possibility of violence and were hesitant to get behind a large gathering at an open-air soccer stadium — particularly one that involved soldiers shedding their body armor for a day. But his platoon leader, Capt. Joseph Dumas, was instrumental in making sure security concerns were addressed.

“He helped set it up,” he said. “I couldn’t have done it without him. I can handle setting up a soccer tournament, but he handled the security portion; all the things to help keep us safe.”

The tournament

It certainly wasn’t hard finding players for the tournament. SSG Pepoon patrols three main towns in Iraq’s Taji area: Rakia, Hamamiat and Taji, and each town brought its own team to the table.

Friday’s tournament was broken into four rounds: Two open matches, a loser’s bracket match and a winner’s bracket final. Playing 24-minute halves with no sudden death — shootouts determined the winner in the case of a tie after regulation — the Taji club beat Hamamiat in the first round, and Rakia edged out the U.S. troops in a close, 1-0 game. The U.S. team lost its consolation match to Hamamiat, 3-0, before Taji played Rakia in the championship match, beating the team after a 9-8 shootout.

Hundreds of Iraqis — including the country’s former national coach and soccer hero, Amo Baba — watched the game from the stands, and the players on the field all wore donated jerseys, save Taji Club, which had its own. The U.S. team wore New England Revolution jerseys, while the other two teams wore Wheeler School or Portsmouth High School jerseys. International referees were flown in to officiate.

After the win, members of the Taji Club, a team made up primarily of Sunni Muslims, were presented with medals from Shia Muslims, and celebrated over a three-foot trophy donated by JayEl Trophies on Thames Street.

“It was really big, really nice,” said SSG Pepoon. “They loved it, they hoisted it above their heads and paraded it around. The crowd was mixed (along religious lines) but they all got along in a safe environment. It was good to see.”

They weren’t the only winners.

“Everyone who came received something for coming. Each kid that came in got a (donated) trophy, a medal, shirts and things like that. We only handed out about half the equipment.”

In fact, SSG Pepoon said the event was such a huge hit that the military hopes to hold another, similar event this coming year. At the very least, SSG Pepoon said another event is in the works as about half of the gear still needs to be given out to the locals.

“They don’t have the necessities or the funds we have in America,” he said. “Now they see how (a soccer tournament) is done, so who knows? Maybe we can have another.”

SSG Pepoon, aspiring sports promoter, is due to arrive home from Iraq in February or March.

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What was donated?

Bristol resident Donna St. Angelo, mother of SSG Jimmy Pepoon, sends the following report on what the volunteer fund-raising effort has yielded so far:“To date we have mailed out 132 boxes, weighing just almost 3,000 pounds, and costing approximately $2,300. Luckily I was able to have a macaroni dinner fundraiser for the fall collection with the help of the Bristol Elks Lodge, the Bristol Fourth of July Committee, some local businesses and my family and friends, so the personal cost was minimal compared to the spring collection. The boxes mailed included approximately 500 cleats/sneakers, 2,000 T-shirts/jerseys, 320 shorts, 165 shin guards, 470 soccer balls, 535 pair of socks, six referee uniforms and equipment (flags, stop watches, whistles, red/yellow cards), 35 goalie shirts/pants, 30 pairs of goalie gloves, 55 warm-ups, 55 gym/ball bags, 80 pinnies, 80 water bottles, soccer toys, trophies, patches, pins, medals, cones, Pug goals, nets, etc. I was totally amazed at the items that were donated for the children in Iraq!”

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Many donated to the cause

The following is a list, in no particular order, of those who have donated time, money or supplies:

• James and Muriel St. Angelo

• East Bay Community Development Corp.

• Bristol County Elks Lodge #1860. Special thanks to Patricia Baccus, Okie Falcoa and all the Elk volunteers

• Students from Mrs. Deborah Leonard’s class at Mt. Hope High School, and students Andrew Karnehn and Hanson Swaniker

• Students from Mt. Hope High School including Louis Barry, Albenzio DiMezza, Richard Marshall, David Pacheco, Matt Volpicelli, Casey Welch and Justin Plamondon

• Oscar DeLemos and The SuperLiga

• The following Rhode Island youth soccer leagues: Bristol Youth Soccer Association, Burrillville/Glocester Youth Soccer Association, Chariho Youth Soccer Association, East Greenwich Soccer Association, Exeter-West Greenwich Youth Soccer Association, Lincoln Youth Soccer Association and their “Soccer for Hope” project, Narragansett Soccer, North Smithfield Youth Soccer Association, Portsmouth Youth Soccer Association, South County Youth Soccer Club, Warren Soccer Club, Warwick Soccer Association, West Warwick Soccer Association, W.Y.S.A. Woonsocket Soccer

• The following Rhode Island schools: Mt. Hope High School (also Beth Penkala, athletic director), Portsmouth High School, St. George’s School, St. Philomena’s School, Wheeler School,University of Rhode Island.

• Others: U.S. Soccer Foundation Passback Program, Eurosport (Steve Fear), Randolph Youth Soccer, New England Revolution (Nick Kropelin and Brian Banfill), FC Dallas, MLSNET, Jamiel’s Shoe World, Portsmouth Invitational Soccer Tournament, Sandra and John Tolley

• The Gob Shop

• JayEl Trophies

• Silktone

• U.S. Postal Service in Bristol

• Dana Rigo, W.B. Mason sales representative

• Gil’s Television and Appliances

• Stop and Shop Supermarkets.

• Sam’s Club

• Bristol Veteran’s Council

• Post #104, Warren

• Tap Printing

• Leo’s Restaurant

• Mello’s Fruitland

• Batista’s Bakery

• Goglia’s Market

• Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church

• Bristol Phoenix

• Bristol Fourth of July Committee members

• Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Cordeiro

• Lima Funeral Home

• Mary and Joe Lero

• Douglas Gablinske

• Lisa and Al Albert

• Joan St. Angelo and Dorothy Barry

• Dorothy Viera

• Diane Verdolotti

• Michelle and Steve Cabana.

• Sandy Daniels.

• Beverly Travers

• Fred DaSilveira

• Dennis Gaulin

• Robb Garafalo and WPRI/FOX

• Josh Krueger and The Newport Daily News

• Bristol Warren Regional School District students, parents and staff

• Oliver Administration Building

• Colt Andrews School

• Guiteras School

• Hugh Cole School

• Kickemuit Middle School

• Mt. Hope High School

• Rockwell School

• COZ Before/After School Program

• Ms. Deborah Leonard and her class

• Ms. Anne Ricci and the Mt. Hope High School DECA students

• Rockwell School’s Peer Helping Network

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Jimmy Pepoon makes his pitch

Note: The following letter was sent from Bristol native Jimmy Pepoon to his superiors, asking for permission to organize a large scale soccer tournament:

My name is SSG Jimmy Pepoon and I am currently the Senior Scout for 1st Platoon, Ace High Troop attached to Comanche Troop. I have been playing soccer since I was 6 years old. I am currently 26 years old. So I have played soccer for about 20 years and for some pretty good teams, such as the Olympic Development Team for Rhode Island and the All-Marine Team while in the Marine Corps. This is my first deployment to Iraq and so it was my first real look at how much the people here love soccer. If the country were not at war, it would be the perfect place for me. After about a month into deployment I came up with an idea to hold one of the biggest soccer events that coalition forces has ever been involved with. I presented the idea to 1LT Rieser right away and he was in favor. Now I am from a state where soccer is bigger than football. My mom and I have been very active in the state since I was little. I have played all over New England and have coached and refereed in Rhode Island. So along the way I have made contacts here and there. I began sending out letters immediately to local companies and gave some to my mom to present to the youth soccer leagues asking for any donations of used or new soccer equipment or clothing. Pretty much anything soccer related. The response I got was unbelievable. Already I have received over 1,300 pounds of soccer equipment just from the state of Rhode Island. The best part is I am expecting even more come the Fall Season of soccer. We have received items from youth leagues, high schools and universities. I have also contacted Eurosport which is probably the largest soccer distributer in the world, and my mom put my letter requesting a donation on the U.S. Soccer Foundation Passback website hoping to obtain some donations. We were contacted immediately from a few which my mother is handling for me. My mom has really been doing all the leg work meeting with the youth leagues and really being the liaison for me back home. She has been doing an unbelievable job!! Also, while I was on leave, I met with a man named Nick Kropelin, who is the Assistant to the General Manager for the local Major League Soccer (MLS) team called the New England Revolution. He was very enthusiastic about my idea and offered me some assistance and advice about the tournament and also provided me with some contacts for other MLS teams. My goal is to have about 2,500 – 3,000 pounds of soccer equipment, clothing and footwear to give out to the children in the Taji Area of Operations (AO).

The reason I contacted the MLS was to see if I could get four professional U.S. teams to donate full soccer uniforms to the four teams playing in the tournament. My platoon will most definitely be wearing the uniform of the New England Revolution because they are my home team and their colors are Red, White and Blue.

As for the refurbishment project, it is kind of like a double edged sword. First, we would be rebuilding the field that we know the people love and would hopefully take care of. By rebuilding the field we are creating a stadium which can be suited to control a large crowd and also help to guarantee security. It would also hopefully create some jobs for many Iraqis. Now at the same time we will be doing something that people here love and will hopefully react to in a positive way. Nothing of this size has ever been done by Coalition Forces and what’s sad is it is very simple. I hope this event will change the attitude of the LNs in the Taji AO as well as to make it a safer and more secure area for years to come.

I have briefly asked local leaders their opinion on the idea, and they have shown great interest in it and offered their help in any way. I am looking at doing the tournament sometime in October or November and would like my platoon, 1st Platoon “CYNICS”, Rikia, Sabiat and Ark Abas to be the teams participating. These are the three main villages in which my platoon has patrolled, and we have developed a great relationship with their local leadership. It would be an event that is not publicized to help eliminate any kind of planned threat. It would also be a joint mission between U.S., IA, and the IP’s to secure the stadium. I am hoping it would only take one day but after some reverse planning it may take two; either way will be very successful.

What my platoon has been doing in the meantime has been working to create a scope of work for a refurbishing project for the stadium. This project once complete would increase security and at the same time make it a more attractive field. We have put in multiple contracts and 1LT Rieser has sat at the Nehia Meetings to gain their approval. As of right now, we are on track to what I believe will be one of the most successful events in Iraq this year. I also have a contact at CNN who I met here in Iraq when we were escorting his team. I briefly mentioned my idea to him, and he thought it was outstanding. If it gets approved, I will let him know and I am pretty confident that CNN will cover the story. I have also talked it over with PSYOPS and they are in favor. Once again, I just need to let them know when it is. They will be most useful there especially with their ability to use their bullhorn to control the crowd and to give a play by play of the game.

The purpose of all my letters to get soccer donations is so the people that attend the game can all receive something for being there. If you have ever been to an MLS game, what they do is have all the kids come out in the beginning and play little soccer carnival-type games to win prizes. It would all be controlled by my platoon and all the prizes would be in a room at the bottom of the stadium. The kids earn a piece of paper which they take to the room and hand to the personnel running it. That way no equipment is on the field and does not start frenzy. We would also give out balls and equipment at half time and at the end of games. This is the reason I would prefer to have a two day tournament. Just to be sure that all the people back home did not waste their donations on a rushed event.

This is my vision and what I am striving to achieve. Any other ideas or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

V/R SSG Jimmy Pepoon

1st PLT A TRP 2-14 CAV

Senior Scout