The 2012 Athabasca Annual Soccer Tournament was held on the weekend, and it was a big success according to the organizers.
“We had everything on our side: sunshine, medals and so much fun,” exclaimed one organizer, Lorrill Waschuk.
Forty-four teams took part in the event with a whopping 475 kids flooding local fields to play the beautiful game. That’s not including the parents, referees, coaches and spectators that were at the event as well.
Athabasca contributed 23 teams to the event with 21 coming from out of town.
This year there was a mixed division separate from the boys division, in which Athabasca’s U12 girls competed.
The U6 division saw 13 teams compete with nine of them from Athabasca. They were joined by two teams from Boyle and one each from Gibbons and Wabasca.
Eleven teams took part in the U8 division, seven of them local. Boyle, Legal, Wabasca and Thorhild also contributed teams.
In the U10 division, four Athabasca teams found themselves outnumbered by visiting teams from Boyle, Riviere Qui Barre, Legal, Redwater, Thorhild, Wabasca and Slave Lake.
Three Athabasca teams competed against Westlock in the U12 division.
The U12 mixed division was comprised of five teams (Athabasca, Boyle, Legal, Wabasca and Smoky Lake).
Every single player at the event was awarded a participation medal.
Not all of the divisions were ranked, but those that were received team medals.
In the U10 division, Athabasca accounted for both the gold and silver medal with Redwater claiming the bronze.
In U12 mixed, Legal won gold with Smoky Lake earning silver and Wabasca grabbing bronze.
In the U12 boys division, Athabasca again had gold and silver medal winners while bronze was claimed by Fort Saskatchewan.
“Athabasca left a strong impression on the visitors and for Athabascans, it was a wonderful way to spend a sunny weekend.”
Along with her fellow organizer Shelly Markowski, Waschuk wished to thank all of the parent volunteers who helped to make the event such a success, as well as Whispering Hills Primary School for the use of their facility and fields.
