This weekend, Kingston is host to one of the biggest soccer tournaments of the year, the girls Gaels Cup.
1,400 athletes from all over Ontario across six age groups came to compete at soccer pitches across the city.
After a week of extreme heat, the weather cooled off just in time for the tournament.
“There’s a nice breeze,” says Olivia Moniz, a player on the U15 Junior Gaels. “It’s cool so we’re not sweating, but we’re still a little warm. But it’s a nice breeze.”
There are six teams from Kingston competing in the tournament, including the U15 Junior Gaels.
They kicked off their first game with a tough loss to Ancaster, but the U15s are looking at the positives of playing in the Gaels Cup.
“The games are fun, but I think tournaments are all about team bonding and being able to have a potluck together — having a barbecue, just sitting around,” says Kiera Wilson, another player on the U15 Gaels. “The Gaels Cup, you feel really at home here. I know all the names of these fields, and it just feels really great to be able to represent my club here.”
For many of the girls, they also play soccer for their high school teams.
The U15 girls are going into Grade 10 next year, with their first year of high school competition under their belt. Playing competitively in the summer keeps them sharp for when school soccer starts up again.
“It keeps me in shape because in practice, we probably play four times a week,” says Moniz. “I keep my momentum, I keep my physicality still in. Sometimes, when you stop playing a sport, you lose the momentum, but with soccer in the summer you can keep it on all year long.”
So while everyone is playing to win and leaving it all out on the pitch, having fun on and off the field is what it’s all about.