New Haven Independent

Virgen de Cisne, the Ecuadorian community organization of Fair Haven, began its third soccer season with a comprehensive ceremony at Criscuolo Park Saturday at the corner of Chapel and James Streets. Accompanied by an Ecuadorian marching song, the league’s teams proceeded one by one onto the field where they stood, sometimes shivering in the chilly wind, during the nearly two-hour long ceremony.

In addition to a series of speeches, the ceremony included the American and Ecuadorian national anthems, a benediction by Father James Manship (freshly returned from a month in Ecuador), and the presentations of an official plaque to Mayor John DeStefano and an official citation from the Board of Aldermen to Virgen de Cisne coordinator Carmen Zambrano.

Speeches were delivered by, among others, Fair Haven Alderwoman Migdalia Castro, Ecuadorian Minister of Sports Raul Carrion, and Ecuadorian consul general of New York Jorge Lopez. Lopez and Carrion were among a contingent of Ecuadorian officials that arrived from New York by means of a long white limo.

Press play to view a slideshow of the event and hear the Ecuadorian national anthem.

The highlights of the ceremony came at the end: a presentation of two traditional Ecuadorian dances by a local danza folklorico group, Generacion Latina, and the official selection of the league’s Senorita Deportes from among each team’s madrinas. Literally translated as “godmother,” a madrina is a sort of team beauty queen. At the ceremony, each team was led onto the field by its own madrina.

After the speeches and official recognitions and before the whirling dances of Generacion Latin, the madrinas lined up to be judged. From the ten madrinas, three were named Senorita Confraternidad (Miss Companionship), Senorita Amistad (Miss Friendship), and — the highest honor — Senorita Deportes (Miss Sports).

Following the dancing, there was a meal of traditional Ecuadorian food, including rice, lentils, and pork.

Luis Jimenez, one of the league’s main organizers, said after the ceremony that he was motivated to work for the league by a desire to provide a positive way for people to spend their time.

This is the third and biggest season for the Virgen de Cisne soccer league, with two more teams than last year. A large number of the players are from Ecuador, but the league also includes footballers from Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, and Brazil. One team, named Tlaxcala, is composed entirely of Mexicans from the town of Tlaxcala, which is well-represented in Fair Haven. The league’s games will be played on Sundays throughout the spring and summer on the soccer field at Criscuolo Park.