Soccer alumni give back to community
Club hosts scholarship tournament
May 12, 2015
Park alumni and SPAM soccer club member Michael Anderson remembers playing the game he loves with friends when he was growing up. Now that he’s older, he continues playing soccer with former peers, but is focused on helping others around him.
“It’s about giving back to the community,” Anderson said.
SPAM is a team consisting of Park alumni and supports the city of St. Louis Park by hosting the SPAM F.C. Street Soccer-Scholarship Tournament.
In the tournament’s first year, it had a great turnout, according to SPAM member Toni Lozancic, with eight to 10 teams signed up to play. Lozancic said around 100 people in total either played on a team or enjoyed the event and festivities as a spectator.
Not only does the tournament encourage getting out and playing soccer with friends, it provides a small scholarship to one competitor, according to SPAM member Van Hong. He said competitors submit essays about their relationship with the game and the SPAM team chooses a winner.
“We want to know how the game of soccer has affected their lives,” Hong said.
The scholarship money is gathered by team entries, fundraising and other generous donations, according to Hong.
Lozancic said he enjoys reading the essays because they show competitors’ love of soccer.
“It’s all about the passion of the game,” Lozancic said.
This year’s tournament takes place 11 a.m.-4 p.m. June 13 at Nelson Park Hockey Rink.
For more info about the event, visit the SPAM F.C. Street Soccer-Scholarship Tournament’s Facebook page.
