NOTES ON PEOPLE (08/11/02)

NOTES ON PEOPLE

Kasian is inducted into soccer hall of fame

by Dr. Daria Nowakiwska Lissy

PHILADELPHIA - Nicolaus Kasian was inducted on April 27 into the Hall of Fame of the Philadelphia Old Timers Soccer Association in recognition of his outstanding achievements and contributions in the sport of soccer. This honor was followed on May 1 by formal recognition of his 35 years of distinguished service by the Philadelphia Referees Association. These events marked the culmination of a career devoted to soccer.

Mr. Kasian was born in the village of Mykulyntsi near Sniatyn, Ukraine. In his boyhood he was smitten with a love for soccer. After playing soccer through high school, he was enrolled in an athletic training program in Kolomyia in 1942. Following World War II, he played in Germany as the goalkeeper for the sports clubs Orlyk in Berchtesgaden and Berkut in Ulm.

In the spring of 1948,. refugees from the captive nations of the Soviet Union organized the Displaced Persons Olympics in Germany. Soccer teams were fielded by refugees from Ukraine, Poland, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. The Ukrainian Olympic Committee selected Mr. Kasian as goalkeeper position on the Ukrainian team. After a successful preliminary round, Ukraine advanced to the finals and, after defeating Poland and Lithuania by identical scores of 5-1, won the gold medal.

After the DP Olympics Ms. Kasian played for the Sitch Ukrainian soccer club in Regensburg. The club played matches in its league and friendly games against major German teams. Sitch competed in the Bayerische Pokal and advanced to the quarterfinals, where it lost to Ingolstadt.

In the fall of 1949 Mr. Kasian immigrated to the United States, where he played several games for Ukrainian Sports Club of New York before moving to Chicago in 1950. There he joined the newly formed Ukrainian sports club Lions and played for them until his retirement in 1957. During his years with the club, the Lions won the Peter J. Peel Cup in 1956, and several times were the champions of the Chicago Soccer League, champions among Ukrainian teams of North America and the Illinois State champions.

In 1952 Mr. Kasian was named to the Chicago All-Star team and played against FC Stuttgart of Germany. He also was selected for several tournaments - in Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Cleveland, Detroit and Toronto.

In 1958 he married Maria Zubryd and moved to Philadelphia in 1960. Shortly thereafter he passed the soccer referee examination and became a member of the Eastern Pennsylvania Soccer Referees Association. He has been refereeing ever since and has nearly 3,300 games to his credit.

In 1991, under the auspices of the Ukrainian Sports Federation of the U.S.A. and Canada he was selected as a representative of the Ukrainian diaspora to referee soccer games in Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk and Nadvirna in Ukraine.

Mr. Kasian's soccer career is not over. Demonstrating his undying love of soccer, he continues to dispense athletic justice on the playing field as a referee. Throughout his career he has had the unflagging support of his wife, who showed boundless patience and understanding on so many Sundays and holidays. The Kasians have been blessed with a son and daughter, four grandsons and a granddaughter.

Mr. Kasian is a member of Branch 397 of the Ukrainian National Association.

Schumylowyches participate in art show

HAINES FALLS, N.Y. - Taras Schumylowych is exhibiting three tempera paintings, "USCG Light Station, Cape Henry," "USCG Lighthouse, Penfield Reef" and "Leach Lake in Tannersville, N.Y.," at the 55th annual group exhibition sponsored by the Twilight Park Artists.

The exhibition, which features the works of nearly 70 artists, is being held on Saturday, August 10, and Sunday, August 11, in the Twilight Park Clubhouse in Haines Falls, N.Y., where the first such exhibit was held in August 1947. Mr. Schumylowych has exhibited at this show since 1968.

A children's art show also is included in this annual exhibition and will take place in the Clubhouse Tea Room. Three of Mr. Schumylowych's grandchildren, Xenia, Justin and Larissa, are displaying their new paintings. They are impatiently waiting to see them viewed by all who come and admire the works of potential future artists who one day as adults probably will submit their artwork to this traditional and beloved summer event in the Catskill Mountains.

The exhibit is open to the public with a wine reception on Saturday at 5-7 p.m. and continues Sunday at 1-5 p.m. An artist demonstration is planned for Sunday at 3-4 p.m.

The Schumylowyches are members of Ukrainian National Association Branch 86.

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