43
Canfield hosts soccer tourney, donates equipment
Photo
Soccer teams from all over Ohio came to Canfield to participate in the Canfield Cardinal Classic Soccer Tournament July 31.
Photo
The Lady Cards played three 40-minute games during the Canfield Cardinal Classic Soccer Tournament July 31.
By ABBY SLANKER
Soccer players and enthusiasts flowed into Canfield for the Canfield Cardinal Classic Soccer Tournament. Forty-four boys and girls high school teams from all over Ohio convened on the Canfield High School soccer fields to participate in the tournament.
Each team played three 40-minute games with no elimination. The main goal of the tournament was to give the coaches a chance to view the players and to prepare for the fall season.
Phil Simone, Canfield High School boys and girls soccer team coach, has been working for the last three to four years to get the tournament going. Last year was the first year of the tournament with 22 teams participating with the amount of teams doubling this year.
“Our teams have been to lots of tournaments in the Youngstown area and I figured why can’t we have a tournament in Canfield. We have gotten a great response and to see this type of atmosphere locally in Canfield is just awesome,” said Simone.
Tina and Scott Gorley, members of the Canfield Soccer Booster Club, decided it was time to step in and volunteered to organize the tournament, with Scott taking the role of tournament chairperson.
“The parents are a huge part of the tournament and it would not be possible to hold the tournament without the parent volunteers. This tournament is very parent-driven, with parents volunteering in every aspect from the concession stand to taking photos to helping set up the tournament the day before,” said Tina Gorley.
A Canfield High School soccer team alumni game, organized by Shara Simone, was held at the end of the day to close out the tournament.
“We have 36 registered players with one alumnus coming from California and the oldest alumnus is from the class of 1985,” said Simone. She also added, “This tournament is something we have been trying to do for about four years and when the Gorleys stepped up, it became a reality.”
The tournament also had community support and corporate sponsors, including: Advanced Women’s Care, First Place Bank, Valley Home Health, Youngstown Propane, Travco Behavioral Health, Perfecta Products, V & V Appliances, Fusillo Flooring, Mill Creek Oral, Bodine & Perry, Salsitas Mexican Restaurant, McCamon Hunt Insurance, Hill, Barth & King, Lane Funeral Home, Jillian’s, Edible Arrangements, Charles Yourstowsky, D.D.S., Silvas Lebanese Deli, Stone Bridge Tavern, Shirt Wizard, Subway, Broad Street Diner, Ange Nettas, Safe House Residential, Booker Barr, M.D., Dr. Bagezda, Team Office, Tu-Dor and KRK Associates. The Canfield Rescue Squad was also on hand all day in case of an emergency.
At the tournament, the Canfield High School Soccer Boosters were also collecting new and gently used soccer equipment, in cooperation with Passback Program, to be sent to Chile earthquake victims.
Bins were set up for anyone to donate equipment such as jerseys, shorts, shin guards, socks, cleats, balls, bags, warm-ups and water bottles. Monetary donations were also accepted, which go directly to the Passback Program.
Vacuform will drive the equipment to North Carolina, free of charge, where it will be packed up and the Passback Program will pay for it to be shipped to Chile. The program will also take care of the distribution when the items arrive in Chile.
The Canfield High School Soccer Booster Club’s donation is the first collection of soccer items to be sent to Chile.