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2013 Bay Area Croatian Heritage Festival

June 28, 2013

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NK Croatia San Jose will be hosting the inaugural Bay Area Croatian Heritage Festival the weekend of August 30th, 2013 at 901 Lincoln Ave, San Jose, California 95126. Festivities include:

 

 

FRIDAY: August 30th, 2013 9:00 pm to 1:30 am: Pub Night at Assumption of Mary Catholic Church. Live DJ will be on hand to kick off the weekend festivities with drinks being made available for purchase

 

 

SATURDAY: August 31st 8:00 am to 10:00 pm: 2nd Annual Labor Day Small Goals Tournament will be played at Croatian Catholic Mission Assumption of Mary. One turf field and one grass field. Matches will consist of 6 v. 6. There will be a competitive group and a recreational group. If you are interested in fielding a team or would like to come and watch, please e-mail us at nkcroatiasanjose@yahoo.com. Food and drinks will be sold during the tournament. Live music will be played after the games finish.

 

 

SUNDAY: September 1st 11:00 am to 10:00 pm: MASS is at 11:00 A.M. After Mass, traditional Croatian food will be on sale along with non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks. Traditional Croatian Kolo will be performed. Bocce ball tournament will be held. Other activities have been put in place for children. Live band from Edmonton, Canada MODRO NEBO will be playing and hometown GRUPA TNT. This is an opportunity you should not miss!

 

 

Join the official 2013 Bay Area Croatian Heritage Festival Facebook page.

 

 

Please email dukicdanijel@yahoo.com with any additional questions you may have about the weekend. 

 

 

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Ante Kvartuč
Posted By: Ante Kvartuč 54 comments





  5. Ziva Istina says:

    doubtful you get any easter coasters or croats from the midwest for this as the annual N. American tournament takes place the same weekend. Although, you guys may have more hrvati playing in your tourney.



  7. TheGoldenChild says:

    Pumped to see this coming back, and big shout out to Dukic for putting it all together. He is slowly becoming of the guys trying to save the diaspora in California, so I gotta support it. I’ll be there with a team and hopefully taking some hardware home.



  8. Dukic says:

    I’m thinking for next years east coast tourney we make an all star west coast Croats squad. I’m hoping to have NK Croatia San Jose to be part of the savez by then and looking into fundraising so we can pay for our trip. We would be the only all Croat squad there.



  11. Ziva Istina says:

    @Dukic…….I compliment you on this, but don’t do it. It’s not worth it financially or the headache. The last time San Jose played (I think they were invited as guests) they had a decent team from what I remember, but all the other squads featured croatian players as well. The top teams no longer feature majority hrvati on the roster. Some teams/cities only have a few token croatian players on their rosters and in many cases put together a stacked travelling team for the weekend that in no shape or form resembles what they look like in league play.

    I’m sure there are people on this website who are more in tune with the East Coast tounrey and the teams, but what I have scene at previous tournaments indicates that no team featuring croatian players can win it. What is even worse, some of the teams have used bosniak and serb players.



  12. Ante B. says:

    I echo GoldenChild’s sentiments about Dukic. He’s definitely walking the walk on getting things off the ground and actually taking the initiative to do something unlike the majority of us who just sit, bitch and complain. The force is strong with him and his Dinamo songs on his iPod. Svaka cast Dukicu!



  13. Dukic says:

    Thanks guys! It is a headache sometimes but in the end it is worth it.

    As for West Coast All-Star Team I heard its not worth it but I believe we need to start looking outside our own communities. If you bring an all Croat team then you are proving a point. With LA, San Pedro, San Jose, Seattle, Phoenix, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton we can have a solid squad and when the trip is free then the best players will want to come. I am looking to make NK Croatia San Jose non profit organization right now so we can start doing fundraisers and donations. Already talked to the Savez to see what it takes to get in and I think it is worth it.

    Plus that Croatian Sports logo would be a nice advertisement on our kits.



  14. Dukic says:

    FYI guys Jole is coming to San Jose for NYE 99 percent sure. It would be awesome if we could get as much young Croats to the party as we can.



  15. Ziva Istina says:

    I just dont get the point of sending a “west coast all star” team. That is what is currently taking place with many of the east coast teams. The teams in the tournament no longer resemble the regular weekend leagues team, instead players are brought in from all over the place (even Hrvatska) for the tournament. It’s the reason most of the american based croatian clubs no longer have fans that travel to the tournament. Their argument is why should I go travel to Toronto (or wherever the tournament is located) to watch guys i don’t know and who are not croatian at a croatian tourney.

    Same thing here, unless you are bringing San Jose-based hrvati, its not worth flying in people not from the area you represent.



  16. Ziva Istina says:

    BTW….Jole in concert is a good time. He is willing to sing any song, unlike the egomaniacs like Oliver and Thompson.



  17. Klokan says:

    Bebek playing at Hitch bar in zadar tonight. Spewing that I can’t go :( oh well, just going to have to wait for Thompson at Cavoglave I suppose.



  18. Iggy Iggy says:

    u idiots ruined the sequence in this thread, where was C ? looks like it was your fault dukic !



  19. Denis Svirčić Denis Svirčić says:

    Dukic,

    I applaud you as well for doing this and best of luck. You should definitely work with us in the future.

    As far as the Jole concert, I’m sure that you would like all of the Hrvati from west coast to come to San Jose, however, you might do better arranging a 3-4 concert tour of the west coast. This way, you split the cost three to four ways.

    Shoot me an email when you get a chance.
    .



  20. Ante B. says:

    Svircic I agree but then the problem is you’d be risking no show ups with more shows themselves. I think one “mega” (read: 350) concert is better.



  24. Cico # 50,000 says:

    Great Work Dukic ! What else did U expect coming from a Hajduk Brother ? Nothing but Class !! CUP JE NAŠ !! Bog, Hrvati , Hajduk , i HNS !!!



  26. TheGoldenChild says:

    @ziva

    I haven’t been to an east coast tourney yet, but it would be nice to get our boys out there and take the trophy. Changing of the guard type of thing. Not only will winning that trophy be an awesome experience, but it will show that we can bring together an all hrvati squad can be brought together to win again. The last 8 years I traveled with the LA squad, and half of the team were Hrvati while the other half were mixed. They did this because San Pedro started recruiting outside of the community, and that was the only way to really beat them.

    When i was much younger, I remember the squads having maybe 2 or 3 “other” players. Those tournaments were wayyyy better.



  27. Ziva Istina says:

    Yeah, but brining in an outside “all star” type of squad is not right either……Even if they are hrvati. That is what some of the clubs in the east do know. Trust me, if you want to win it you will not have a majority of hrvati on the roster, no chance they can win it. Plus, putting a roster of players spread across 1,000 miles is pure BS. Nothing accomplished except for someone’s ego in winning the title. That is the reason attendance is way down at these things.

    Either way, to be part of the savez requires a decent financial commitment and yearly dues.



  29. Dukic says:

    I know how the Savez works and I am willing to commit. The reason there are so many ringers is cause not everybody is as that good. I know San Jose maybe has 5 good players also with LA.



  30. Ziva Istina says:

    Again, that is not the point of the tourney to bring an “all star” roster of players from a 1,000 mile radius. Defeats the purpose.

    Actually the quality of the tourney is good with all the ringers that are playing now. Problem is that nobody cares anymore as there are hardly any hrvati left on the teams that have a chance to win.

    If one club wants to join and bring in a team of players from that city who play on that team year round, that is cool. Anything else is a bunch of cigani banding together to play. Shit, I could do the same and fly in guys from Cro and hercegovina to play and name them NK Buckhead Croatia.



  31. Ante Kvartuč Ante Kvartuč says:

    Ziva,

    What about a CroSports.com team?

    Technically, we’re all coming from the same place.

    Thoughts?



  33. Ziva Istina says:

    Dumb in my view…….it should be an established, existing club committed to playing year in and year out. Not a collection of guys for a road trip…..



  36. Ante Kvartuč Ante Kvartuč says:

    Ziva,

    Is Prva Generacija not established for you?

    5 years running last time I checked.

    That’s longer than the Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps.

    Your move…



  39. Ziva Istina says:

    so, develop a club where you have a junior system and one day you will have players. Putting a bunch of players together from various cities does nothing to build a fan base, to build a club. That is a cigan way of putting a team together for a tournament. I can see it being done for one year, but what is the point if there is no club?

    One thing I have noticed with the hrvati on the left coast is the lack of any type of soccer club. I have friends who send their kids to random American or Spanish clubs because the hrvati have nothing on the left coast, with the exception of one club in western Canada. What is wrong with you guys on left coast???? Too much weed in your daily diets.

    At least in the East and Midwest, the hrvati in various cities have true soccer clubs with junior programs.



  40. Denis Svirčić Denis Svirčić says:

    A team CSR would be sweet.

    Dukic I wish you luck, but there is no such thing as “croatian mega concert” on the west coast. I just dont see people flying in to see a croatian concert. You might get a few people from LA and a few people from Seattle that would be it. Only Canadian Croatians are hardcore like that.

    Setting up a mini tour of 3 cities is the way to go, uniting croatians along the way and satisfying the singer/band as well. Win-win for everyone.

    Again, best of luck. I will most likely be up there if I can get time away from work, but dont expect 200 people from LA.



  42. Anonymous says:

    Ziva you are an idiot. I was a member of the LA team a few years back when we won one of the last big organized tourneys down in San Pedro. And it is 100% impossible to field 11 Croats who were even the same age, or part of the same generation. We had 5 Croats on our team, 3 of whom were brothers. Things are not like they used to be, Croatians don’t only play soccer like they did in the 90’s and before. A lot of the LA guys are into other sports now, and we cannot even put together enough guys to enter a 6v6 tourney unless we combine with San Pedro or Adriatic.

    Even if you start an academy you will have 3 or 4 players who would even fall into the same age bracket. Not enough.

    I hate SJ but I’d play for them if we had a quality team. :)



  43. Ziva Istina says:

    Well, go take a look at the croatian clubs in canada and in the midwest; I wont even mention Australia (well, I just did). Some of them have juniors programs with – wait for this – croatian kids (imagine that!!). If there is a will, there is a way to get it done. Why can croatian clubs out in Canada and a few in the US (Milwaukee and Cleveland) field junior teams in all of the age groups.

    Maybe the hrvati on the left coast are lazy and unwilling to put in the work to have a true croatian soccer club. Which would make sense based on what I have heard.

    I’m lucky that I traveled all over the place for work and have gotten to see a large part of the world. Visited numerous croatian communities throughout N. America. Some are very organized and some are not. But, to say you cant field a team with a majority of hrvati is a sign of being lazy. If the hrvati of (pick any town) wanted to build something for the next generation, they would. Plenty of good examples to pick from.



  44. Dukić says:

    Our team would be solid no doubt.

    Ziva I agree. Its a long term project I am willing to part take in no doubt. I am hopefully we will have something next 5 years.



  45. Colin O'Haravić Colin O'Haravić says:

    If anyone wants to front the money, I’d be happy to fly out west and help out one of the teams. :D I’m a goalkeeper. I’ll set up a charity fund you can donate to and bring me out to San Jose. Team CSR is on its way!



  46. Ziva Istina says:

    no chance you guys could compete for a title if you put together a cigan type of team. Focus your respurces on starting a club with a juniors program instead of feeding egos to create a drinking team.



  47. Dukic says:

    All I know us American footballers are way better then the Canucks. We would have a chance no doubt. San Jose brought a scrub team a while back and think got 4th place.



  51. MatesicMethod says:

    @ Count Dukic

    May the force be with you!

    Always inspired when a Hrvat steps his game up to create something positive for the community.

    All the best.



  52. Garden State Croatia FC says:

    :)….reading about this and had to put our 2cents in. First of all good job Dukic, even though we don’t know you personally. We agree only registered players should play in tournaments and teams do bring ringers. However, it is close to impossible to have all Croatian team (unless it is all start representing more then one team).
    Thats the fact for several reasons:
    1) There are more then 1 Croatian team in certain regions. There is not enough Croats who play to fill those teams.
    2) if team wants to stay competitive then good players play, and bad don’t regardless where they are from
    3)there is NO ROOM for politics in sports
    4)it is more important the flag and colors the player plays for then where the player is.



  53. kresimir says:

    where can i learn about east coast croatian events? cause there aren’t any croatians in baltimore except me.



  54. CroJoe EdmontonCroatiaSC says:

    Ziva…. 1st and foremost how can one call a band of Croats uniting a Cigan Team, Cigan and Croat don’t go together. 2nd, Most Croatian teams in Canada are are dying out as well. Vancouver isn’t what it once was and are having a hard time finding Croats to field a full squad. Prince George Croatia Died out. Lethbridge Croatia due to lack of Croats had to change their name. Calgary Croatia is at the brink of extinction. Winnipeg can’t field an all Croat Team. Edmonton Croatia is still playing competitively with about half the team being Croats but with some Croats playing for lower tier Croat teams within the same club. Croatian Communities are dying out. Our pool of players just continues to get smaller and smaller with every generation. It was easier to field all Croat teams before because the influx of Croats into N. America was huge after WW2 but that isn’t the case no more and we have to find ways to work around that. We used to hold a Western Croatian Canadian Soccer Tournament every year held in various cities but with the lack of teams and lack of Croats that recently died out in 2005 after being held annually since 1982. This diminishing number of Croats also has an affect on attempts to create development systems. The last development system I saw in western Canada was in Edmonton and that team is currently the major team representing the community there. There were attempts to try the same thing years after but the numbers just weren’t there. I feel that Dukic’s idea is a great idea and to unite the best Croats from the west would be a great way to advertise to developing Croats to become active in their communities. And as you said many of the teams in the East are already stacking their teams to win the tournament with non Croat players so what could be so wrong to stack a team with all Croats and win. It would provide a spark to the other communities to consider finding more Croats which would make the tournament more enjoyable because there is nothing better than when many Croats get together for a Festa. Also, I follow Australian Croatian soccer Clubs as well which include Melbourne Knights and Sydney United to name a few and they don’t even field all Croat teams because they just can’t. The resource just isn’t there.

    On a Side note… Dukic, I know a few of us in Edmonton would be quite interested in joining your team if you go ahead with your idea. Unfortunately the team we field for the small goals tournament won’t reflect the true talent our squad has as most of the guys who are making the trip play on the lower division side with a couple of exceptions.

    Brat uz Brata, Hrvat uz Hrvata!

    Ziva, ima samo dva vrsta cigana u svijetu…to su Romi i Srbi. Komunjare su nesto posebno i oni su u Klasu Otrova i treba ih se rijesiti sto prije.

    Bog i Hrvati!





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