Businesses aim for supremacy on athletic field

By John Bassetti

The Community Cup finals are Sept. 6.

YOUNGSTOWN — The annual Community Cup — an all-encompassing competition among local businesses — won’t be mistaken for the Olympics for one obvious reason: the size of the budgets.

There might be a slight difference in talent, too, because Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt can’t make it. But take consolation that the most important component isn’t lacking: commitment.

Like Olympians representing their countries, 2008 Community Cup competitors represent their companies.

Although prelims in some events took place Aug. 22-24, the primary date for the 18th annual Cup is Sept. 6 at Wick Recreation Area in Mill Creek Park.

The weekend warriors have 15 events to choose from, including swimming, 10K race and the tug-of-war.

Cup director Jennifer Quinlan of the YMCA said that major sponsors are Humility of Mary Health Partners, Anthem Blue Cross-Blue Shield and National City Bank.

“YMCA is the underwriter,” said Quinlan, who explained that former Cup director Tom Grantonic modeled the Youngstown area event after Akron’s.

Youngstown’s central ‘Y’ is also a sponsor, but its other roles are organization and coordination and utilization of facilities.

Quinlan noted that Humility of Mary and Anthem have been major sponsors all 18 years.

“There was never a break,” Quinlan said of the two businesses’ continuous sponsorship since the Cup’s inaugural appearance in 1990.

Mike Shaffer is the downtown branch director and Grantonic is branch director at the Boardman Y.

To demonstrate its promotion of fitness, the downtown Y gives Cup participants a summer’s worth of membership.

“It is hoped that by establishing a habit of conditioning, participants will continue exercising throughout the rest of the year,” Quinlan said.

In the last two years, Quinlan has managed to secure National City, Huntington Bank, Meridian Services and Butler-Wick.

Teams are arranged in Red, White and Blue divisions, generally according to size.

Red represents the largest companies, White the medium and Blue the smallest.

In trying to balance the competition, the rules committee studies a team’s prior performance.

“Each event has a certain ranking and we look at the average based on all 15 events,” said Quinlan. “It’s a series of math calculations to see where companies fall in their overall numbers.”

Naturally, the larger teams usually do well or win because of depth, but a smaller company such as MS Consultants is a Red division entry.

Although they’re a small company, their numbers are high,” Quinlan said.

MS has also been a Community Cup team since 1990.

“They’re an example of a small team that can overwhelm you,” Quinlan said.

Participants are required to be employees or a spouse of an employee. Retirees are also eligible.

“It’s not as huge as its heyday,” Quinlan said of the Cup, “but it seems to be coming back stronger. We seem to have a couple drop out, but we get one or two more teams every year, especially in the Blue division.”

Last year’s winners were: Home Savings Loan in the Red division, Youngstown City Schools in the White division and Team Mahoning County, a.k.a. Team MC in the Blue division.

bassetti@vindy.com,