> Home > In the News > 2009 News and Information > Richmond Hosting Canadian Boys National Soccer Championships July 21-26, 2009
2009 News and Information
Richmond Hosting Canadian Boys National Soccer Championships July 21-26, 2009
16 July 2009The Canadian Soccer Association’s 2009 Boys BMO National All-StarChampionships takes place in Richmond from July 21 to 26, 2009.
Hosted by Richmond Youth Soccer Association and BC Soccer at Minoru Park, Richmond this tournament is Canada’s highest calibre boys’ competition, featuring the future stars of Canada’s Men’s National Team.
Provincial teams at Under 14 and Under 16 from across Canada, the “best of the best,” will compete for the national championship and the attention of Canadian national team selectors. About 450 players, coaches and officials, plus families and spectators, are heading to Richmond.
The Richmond soccer community is keen to show the best of our city to soccer leaders from across Canada. “We see this as just the first ‘nationals,’” said Roger Barnes of Richmond Youth Soccer. “Our 60 event volunteers are committed to hosting a great week of soccer, to give our guests a wonderful experience in Richmond, and to open the door to future national and international soccer events here.”
Richmond has excellent facilities for soccer tournaments, and has hosted numerous BC Provincials in 2007, 2008 and 2009, a game between Richmond City and the Zambian national Under 20 team in 2007, and has already held two futsal (indoor soccer) events in the Olympic Oval. The “Nationals” will use the new Minoru Stadium artificial turf field and other AT and grass fields at Minoru.
Games start on Tuesday morning. BC’s own teams’ first games are at 9:00 a.m. (U14s) and 1:00 p.m. (U16s).
An innovation is that the Richmond schedule features games on Tuesday through Thursday evenings. “National team coaches asked us to build in higher profile ‘showcase games’ to make players familiar with pressure and atmosphere,” says Heidi Lyons, Richmond soccer events organizer. “This also allows local soccer fans to come and watch this high calibre of play during the day or evening.”
Alberta Under 14s play Nova Scotia at 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, and Alberta Under 16s play Saskatchewan at 7:00 p.m.
2009 National Boys Soccer Championship ScheduleSports groups host events primarily to develop the sport they are passionate about, but event hosting is also important business. This tournament is generating 1,200 hotel room nights and $500,000 revenue for Richmond hospitality businesses. Each year, the over 30 tournaments hosted by Richmond’s community sports groups generate 15,000 room nights and over $5 million in visitor spending in the city.
