About
The New Smyrna Beach Shuffleboard Invitational began in 2010 with only two teams: Team Med and Team Irish. After Team Irish (Karolyn Iacono and Bill Cohane) beat Team Med (George Iacono and Steve Chunias) in a warmup match, an official best two out of three tournament was to be held between the two teams. On the morning of the tournament, Team Med began their now famous pre-game ritual of going to Merck's bar. While at Merck's, the two men noticed an old softball trophy and asked if they could have it. Upon being given ownership and after a quick trip to a trophy store, the once softball trophy had become the shuffleboard championship trophy that is the ultimate prize of the tournament today. Team Med made its biggest contribution to the tournament when they appointed George Chunias as tournament head. George ran that tournament and incorporated new factors such as uniforms and six new teams in 2011. There will be a tournament held every April in New Smyrna Beach, where eight teams will battle it out for the ultimate title: The champions of the New Smyrna Beach Shuffleboard Invitational.