GALLERY: Coppa soccer tourney aims to kick hunger away

The energy is palpable at Strathclair Sports Complex this weekend as hundreds of soccer enthusiasts from the Sault and across the province have come together for the second annual Coppa Giovanni Charity Soccer Tournament.

Regarded as the largest amateur adult soccer charity tournament in northern Ontario, Coppa features five divisions this year and includes both men’s and women’s teams.

But the event isn’t just limited to soccer as there are a number of vendors, children’s activities, and food and refreshments available on-site.

Tournament organizer Tom Katagis told SooToday he’s hoping to raise $5,000 for the Soup Kitchen this year — twice as much as they raised last year.

“I’ll be honest, soccer has kind of died down, so we just want to get more people involved and utilize the sports complex,” he said. “It’s a fantastic field, and we don’t use it enough in town.”

The tournament is one of several events that are part of this year’s Giovanni's Italian Festival.

While this is just Coppa’s second year in action, Katagis has been thrilled with how quickly the community has responded to the festivities.

“The support has been great,” he said. “We used to have a really big Marconi tournament 20 years ago, and we’d get teams from all over. There’s a desire to have tournaments — competitive, but at the same time to have some fun.”

The Coppa Giovanni Charity Soccer Tournament wraps up tomorrow afternoon.

More than $10,000 worth of prizes are available to outstanding players and teams.