It’s a scene we’ve all seen: “GOOOAAAAL!” shouts the TV announcer as
the soccer player scores, rips off his or her shirt and runs around the
field.
While the Kick It 3v3 National Soccer Tour may not include TV
announcers and overly excited shirtless athletes, there will be plenty
of excitement to be had when the tour comes to Tucson this weekend.
Event director Hugo Hellberg says the tour makes about 60 stops each
year. “We run about 45 to 50 local tournaments where the top teams
qualify (for) our regional tournaments, and we have about 10 regional
tournaments every year,” he explains in an e-mail.
Here’s how the tournament works: Each soccer team can have up to six
players: three on the field, and three substitutes. There are no
goalies. Games consist of two 12-minute halves; if a team reaches 12
goals, the game is over. Teams are placed in divisions based on
players’ experience. This form of soccer is growing rapidly in
popularity among players and fans alike due to its faster, more
energetic pace.
The Kick It 3v3 event—now in its 19th year—allows
players of all ages and abilities to participate in competitive games
while offering interactive activities for spectators. Teams will be
competing for a chance to move on to the Kick It Regionals and,
ultimately, the Kick It 3v3 World Championships, which are slated take
place at the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla., next
January.
While the registration deadline for the tournament itself has come
and gone, spectators will have plenty to do, Hellberg says.
“Our sponsors will run interactive games with great giveaways,” he
explains. “There will also be lots of different vendors that will serve
food, beverages, shaved ice, etc. Music will be played throughout the
entire weekend.”
The event will also include a stop by the National Soccer Skills
Tour (www.soccerskillstour.com). At 11
a.m., Saturday, May 16, soccer players can test their skills against
other players across the country; online registration is $20, and
walk-up registration is $30. Check out the Web site for more
information.
The Kick It 3v3 National Soccer Tour will attract a half-million
players and spectators overall this year, according to organizer BEST
(www.experiencebest.com),
a sports and entertainment company which also organizes Hoop It Up (a
three-on-three basketball tournament tour) and Let It Fly (a
four-on-four flag football tournament tour).
Hellberg promises that the tour’s Tucson stop will be “a great
weekend of three-on-three soccer, lots of interactive games, music and
vendors. It’s a family oriented event with a festival atmosphere.”
This article appears in May 14-20, 2009.