Game to unite enemies at WWI Museum and Memorial

By Caroline Sweeney and Maggie Holmes
via the KCTV5 television web site

KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -- A tradition over a hundred years in the making. From 1914 to 2018.

Dr. Matthew Naylor (center) WW1CC Commissioner and CEO of the National WWI Museum and Memorial, presents the winning trophy for the 2018 WWI Christmas Truce soccer matchup.Local soccer fans came together Wednesday, December 26 to honor the day British and German enemies put aside their differences in favor of some friendly competition.

In the foggy shadow of the World War 1 Memorial and Museum, teams braved the rain, the mud and the post-Christmas wind to play the other kind of football.

“We’re celebrating Truce Day, playing soccer,” said Soraiya Coffman, played in tournament.

KCTV5 caught up with Coffman minutes after her team finished a game.

“It’s cold and it’s wet and we’re having a really good time,” expressed Coffman.

“One of the things about soccer players is they’ll come out in any weather,” explained Matthew Naylor, World War 1 Memorial and Museum.

Teams from across the city played on the memorial’s south east lawn.

The three on three tournament memorializes a spontaneous truce during World War 1 when soldiers stopped being enemies and instead, celebrated the holiday with gifts and sports.

Read the entire article on the KCTV5 web site here:

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