VANCOUVER, BC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC are pleased to announce that the club will once again be participating in Vancouver Island’s Coast Salish second annual “Hope and Health” Soccer Extravaganza. This year’s event will take place August 13 and 14 in Ladysmith, BC.
This second year builds on the lessons learned and expands the reach to children in care target populations through a partnership with Kw’umut Lelum Child and Family Services and Lalum’utul' Smun’eem Child and Family Services, representing 10 nations.
“We’re very excited to be partnering again with the Coast Salish community to take part in this amazing event,” said Whitecaps FC head coach Martin Rennie. “Last year’s event was fantastic. When you give back to the community and you see how much it means to people, you want to do it again, so I’m really excited and pleased that we will be returning this year.”
This year’s event will kick off with an opening ceremony “Evening of Champions” on Tuesday, August 13, which will be MC’d by Whitecaps FC legend Carl Valentine. The evening will feature inspirational keynote speeches from Whitecaps FC head coach Martin Rennie, defenders Jay DeMerit and Andy O’Brien, and Olympic ski cross gold medalist Ashleigh McIvor.
On Wednesday, August 14, the ‘Caps will hold a day filled with soccer skills, drills, and games, as well as coaching and goalkeeper clinics. The morning will see appearances by Whitecaps FC midfielders Gershon Koffie and Russell Teibert, as well as mascot Spike, while the afternoon brings ‘Caps goalkeeper Brad Knighton, defender Jordan Harvey, midfielders Matt Watson and Nigel Reo-Coker, as well as strikers Darren Mattocks and Camilo Sanvezzo.
“Hope and Health is about creating opportunities for the children and youth, but also for the families of Coast Salish communities that this event represents,” said William Yoachim, executive director of Kw’umut Lelum Child and Family Services. “We’re very honoured to have this relationship with Whitecaps FC.”
The 2012 inaugural event was hugely successful, engaging close to 300 children and youth and inspiring multi nations and everyone involved. For video footage of last year’s event, check out: http://youtu.be/xM_5H6diMe4.
To register for Martin Rennie's Coaching Clinic or Brad Knighton's Keeper Clinic, or for more details on the event, please call Chantel at 250.591.0933.
