Soccer teams from as far away as Terrace and Fort St. John will gather in the city this weekend, April 20-22, for the sixth annual Quesnel Indoor Goldpan Tournament.
This year, the tournament will be bigger than in previous years, says Gilbert Schotel, president of Quesnel Youth Soccer Association.
“We’re expecting about 30 teams, which translates to 60 games.”
Matches will take place at the Quesnel Indoor Sports Centre on Anderson Drive.
Boys’ and girls’ rep teams with players aged 11 to 18 will be competing.
Schotel says the indoor tournament will kick off the summer season.
“There’s a good level of skill on display,” he says.
“It’s a fast-paced game because of the small field format.”
While he admits that the event can be very competitive, Schotel says that the focus is still on fun.
“We all realize this isn’t the World Cup, so we always have a good time.”
Also taking place this weekend will be the zone tryouts for the B.C. Summer Games.
The province is split into eight zones and the trials for Cariboo North East will be held in Quesnel.
Jim Nicholas is the zone representative.
“It stretches from 100 Mile House up to the northern B.C. border,” he says.
“We’ve got kids coming from 100 Mile House, Prince George and Fort St. John.”
To be eligible, the boys and girls have to be born in either 2003 or 2004, but anybody who is registered with B.C. Youth Soccer Association is eligible to play.
“You don’t have to have been scouted or screened to try out,” Nicholas points out.
The Summer Games will be held in Cowichan on Vancouver Island, July 19-22.