May 2014 – Vancouver Street Soccer League

Every year, the ‘Namgis First Nation hosts a soccer tournament during the June Father’s Day weekend. The tournament takes place on the beautiful, rugged island of Alert Bay, which is about a 16-hour drive and boat ride from Vancouver.

The Vancouver Street Soccer League has been invited and attended the tournament twice. It has proven to be a profound and life-changing for many of our league’s members. Don’t believe us? Watch this great short video about our last June Sports trip!

This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of June Sports, reflecting a long tradition of culture and sportsmanship that brings the wider soccer community together at Alert Bay. The VSSL has once again been honored with an invitation to play in the tournament. The League plans to send players and supporters to the event so that they can experience the sense of community and connection that truly defines June Sports. But we’ll need your help to get there.

In order to pay for food, transportation, registration fees and the ferry ride there and back we need to raise $7,000. The VSSL has just made donating easier than ever with our new June Sports donation button. You can support our team either with a one-time donations, or even better, for monthly donations. Please help us get our team to Alert Bay. We won’t be able to do it without you!

Real-time VSSL Donation Thermometer

Thanks to our amazing community of supporters, we’ve raised:

$4,500

Please donate now and help us get to $7,000!

Get ready for a street soccer tournament of epic proportion! Over the course of May 28th-May 31st, the long awaited Canada Street Soccer Cup will be held at Kinsmen Field in North Vancouver, BC. While street soccer teams frequently come together for local, regional, and provincial tournaments, this is the first national tournament where teams from across Canada will be represented. Get ready for lots of fun, friendship and fair play!

The national tournament is the result of two years of hard work from the local members of the Vancouver Street Soccer League (VSSL), especially the North Vancouver Shields and their manager and coach Charles MacGregor, who spearheaded the whole event. Local teams and grassroots efforts are what power the street soccer movement and the Canada Cup is testament to the hard work of local champions and the work, dedication and commitment of the players.

It is also the result of the support from the national body, Street Soccer Canada. It will be sponsoring many of the teams coming from the East and has played a key role in the mentoring of many of the local street soccer organizations from across Canada. Since 2004, and alongside local organizations, Street Soccer Canada has also helped sponsor players going to the Homeless World Cup. Every year in the build up to the Homeless World Cup (Santiago, Chile this year – October) street soccer teams have come together to participate in regional tournaments to pick players to represent Team Canada. Since the first Team Canada was formed in Winnipeg 8 years ago, the Canadian national selection process has expanded to eastern and western regional championships with more and more teams involved and more and cities coming on board to participate. North Vancouver is very proud to be hosting to first ever “truly national” Canada Cup.Local organizers and Street Soccer Canada will be using this tournament as an opportunity to scout players for selection on the 2014 Canadian Street Soccer National Team which will participate at the 2014 Homeless World Cup in Chile.

To all those who are playing, the volunteers who are assisting and those who have made this happen we owe many thanks. This will be a fantastic national tournament! The movement is growing and you’d be best to join in now to keep the ball rolling.

Sincerely,

2014 Canada Street Soccer Cup Organizing Committee

Month: May 2014

June Sports 2014 – Help Needed!

Real-time VSSL Donation Thermometer

$4,500

Canada Cup Tournament: May 28-31