The 2014 Mini World Cup was, in a word, spectacular.
That's how event chair Robyn Smart described the youth soccer festival, held May 10-11 at Valley View and Isfeld fields. The Comox Valley United Soccer Club hosted the largest MWC ever, with 105 teams (approximately 1,250 players and coaches) and hundreds of visitors in town for the weekend.
Smart said having 442 Squadron SAR techs skydive in on Saturday morning with the game balls to kick off the event was definitely one of the highlights, and "the parade of nations at noon Saturday was awesome."
The organizing committee arranged entertainment and food concessions at the fields, and a Saturday night mini-concert at Simms Park proved popular. "The out-of-town folks had nothing but great things to say about the Comox Valley," Smart said.
"We got lots of feedback on how many sponsors had participated, how great the event was running and how organized it was. And we couldn't have asked for better weather. I don't know who we have to thank for that."
Smart said upwards of 100 volunteers did yeomen's work both days. "We have some amazing people to thank, for sure."