Cloudy skies and non-stop rain were no excuse for those participating in the 37th Lakeshore Soccerfest tournament.
The annual tournament is a house league, recreational tournament that focuses on participation and inclusion.
“Just come out and participate that’s the most important goal,” Nick Pantemis, Lakeshore Soccer President, said.
Organizers work year-round in preparation of the event, which hosts dozens of teams.
“We start back in January, recruiting teams and inviting teams that came previously and reaching out to new teams,” Kelly-Anne Soutter, Lakeshore Soccer director general, said.
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Organizers for Soccerfest say games are played at 11 different fields with around 2,500 participants.
“It’s one of the largest recreational tournaments in the province of Quebec,” Kelly-Anne Soutter, Lakeshore Soccer director general, said.
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Soccerfest offers a wide range of age categories with the oldest one relegated to the 99 year-olds.
This gives plenty of opportunity for people to play some soccer.
“It’s just something towards the end of the season, something to wait for, for all of the players, something to try and win. At the end of the day it’s still soccer,” Daniel Deveney, Lakeshore Soccer technical coordinator, said.
The players in the tournament also agree that Soccerfest helps raise their game.
“When you play in tournaments and all that, it’s pretty fun,” Mayur Patel, Soccerfest participant, said.
“You get to meet older players, they’re pretty good so it challenges you to play even better.”