The summer is busy time for those that follow and are involved in Canadian soccer. Between local soccer matches, professional team events and Canadian National Team fixtures, this summer is a hectic one for Canadian soccer aficionados. Well, those footie lovers that are in and near Toronto can now add another major soccer event to their calendars.
The launch of the Festival of Football was recently announced and it has been billed as the largest grassroots soccer fundraising event in Canada. The event will take place at Eglinton Flats in Toronto on Saturday, August 18, 2012.
The Festival of Football is an elite event that will not only celebrate everything about The Beautiful Game – culture, community and competition - but also something that will leave a positive legacy for our community. Proceeds will help fund the expansion of West Park Healthcare Centre, a 107-year old facility that’s a gem in the health care industry.
More so than just being a fun sporting event, Festival of Football is a call to action and a stated challenge for the soccer community to show it can also fundraise with the best and make a lasting difference. In the process, the soccer community will help advance the profile of soccer in Canada to a new level and elevate the sport to its rightful place alongside other sports that make a real difference by improving the lives of people in our community.
Over 100 teams are expected to participate via a six-on-six format. The fee for each player is $45.00, and each participating team will be challenged to raise as much as possible for the cause, with $8000 per team being the ultimately goal. Teams can have between 8 and 14 players on a 14-player team. The Festival of Football website and call centre is in place to provide tips and support to help participants achieve their fundraising goal. It should also be noted that the tournament is open to all skill levels and has been set up such that participants will be grouped into different divisions based on skill level, age, gender and even industry.
In addition to the games, there will be food, drinks and interactive exhibits on site to make for a full day celebration of the sport. Musical entertainment and celebrity and VIP appearances will be announced in the days leading up to the event. Participants and attendees can also expect multi-cultural cuisine, prizes and a whole lot more.
While soccer is the vehicle and main entry point for the initiative, the Festival of Football is very much a community event that is meant to be inclusive and fun for all. Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame member and Sportsnet soccer analyst Craig Forrest is already involved as a Festival of Football ambassador, as are City Councillor Frances Nunziata, Peter Sloly, Deputy Chief, Toronto Police Services and Wayne Butler, President of the Toronto Soccer Association.
To learn more about the Festival of Football or register a team for the tournament, visit festivaloffootball.ca.You can also learn more via the Festival's social media platforms:
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/#!/FestofFootball
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/festivaloffootball
YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/user/FestivalofFootball
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