A youth soccer tournament pitting the Maple Ridge RCMP and community first responders against high school soccer teams wrapped up on Wednesday, with a win for the all involved.
This was the inaugural year for the United Youth Soccer Classic tournament, the brainchild of the Maple Ridge RCMP’s Family and Youth Resource Team, to coincide with the FIFA World Cup and to build relationships in the community.
Insp. Martin Guay with the RCMP said the importance of the tournament was to make police officers and first responders more approachable to the younger population.
The tournament has been ongoing for the past several weeks, with Maple Ridge RCMP and occasionally other emergency service partners competed in soccer matches against the students at all five secondary schools in Maple Ridge.
RCMP said there were large turnouts at all of the matches. And, in total, more than 100 students participated the tournament and hundreds more gathered as spectators, cheering on their schools.
The final match at Westview was a nail biter with the RCMP edging out the student team in a shoot out.
Westview students Madison Sarkozi, Grade 10, and Sudenaz Kilic, Grade 11, said it was a great way to get to know the RCMP and local first responders.
“I think it is a very important part of our community,” said Kilic, about making connections, noting that some students hold onto the stereotype that police officers are strict and mean.
“But when we build these connections then we realize they are not like that,” she said.
“It’s a very fun and different experience,” said Kilic of the event.
Grade 12 student Yasha Dabirifar, who has been a part of the Westview Soccer Academy since he was in Grade 8, said he was surprised of the skill level of the RCMP team.
And, he found it inspirational that sports can be incorporated into your life no matter your career path or age.
He signed up right away to play in this game because, he said, he knew it would be a fun game.
Dennis Schmidt, founder and director of the Soccer Academy at Westview, said he is grateful that he was approached by the RCMP to host the game.
“The key thing for me was community,” he said.
There is a lot of interest in the Soccer Academy at Westview, said Schmidt, and currently students in the academy come from seven different countries from around the world.
This game, he said, was the cherry on top of the year
City of Maple Ridge Mayor Dan Ruimy said he loved the event.
“Any time you get this kind of interaction going on and part of the liaison program – it demonstrates leadership skills, it demonstrates being able to work together in a team environment, it generates healthy activity, and that’s what we want all of our kids to do,” said the mayor.
Westview Secondary School principal Cathryn Blanco said the game was a fun and memorable way to wrap up the school year.
Everyone involved enjoyed a great afternoon of friendly competition, connection, and community spirit, she said.
“When students, first responders, and community members come together in this way, it helps strengthen the connections that contribute to safe, healthy, and thriving communities,” added the principal
Insp. Guay is hoping to be able to hold another tournament next year.