Campbell River had its own version of the World Cup this month.
The Campbell River Youth Association (CRYSA) hosted the UISA (Upper Island Soccer Association) Mini World Cup from April 12 to 13.
“It was striking and emotional to see the teams cheering as they made their way around the Cermaq Turf during the parade,” said Leah Hill, vice president of CRYSA. “When I looked up at the apartment buildings next to the field, I saw many residents on their balconies, enjoying this wonderful community event.”
It was the first time the city had hosted the event since 2017. The Mini World Cup brings youth soccer teams from across the North Island to compete in the tournament. Each team is then assigned a different country to represent. Teams included those from Salt Spring Island, Ladysmith, Nanaimo, Oceanside, Port Alberni, Powell River, the Comox Valley, and more.
The teams were assigned respective countries through a live draw on Facebook in March. Teams incorporated the assigned country into their identity through uniforms and parade attire.
Will Henderson and the Ripple Rock Drummers led the tournament's Parade of Nations before the tournament kicked off. Games were played at Robron Athletic Park, Pinecrest Park, Pinecrest School and Willow Point Park.
“The city and school district did an amazing job getting the fields ready. How it all played out definitely made me feel proud to be a part of this beautiful community. This year, everything fell into place and worked out exactly as planned," said Mark Bell, CRYSA's technical director.
Ladysmith will host the UISA Mini World Cup next year.
