Registration is open for the annual Smithers Co-Ed Charity Soccer Tournament happening August 15.
The event started in 2024, donating funds previously to the Bulkley Valley Youth Sports Foundation and the Smithers Fire Department.
“I personally find there’s not many opportunities for co-ed soccer,” said co-founder Tanya Pottinger-Hoesing.
She added the idea to donate funds to charity helped bring out the fun of the tournament rather than competing for money.
The donation in 2025 to the Smithers Fire Department was about $3,500, and inspired from an incident during that tournament.
“One of the participants had a medical emergency on the field,” said Pottinger-Hoesing.
“He has a rare heart problem and ended up having a heart attack on the field and [the fire department] had to provide life saving support.
The donation also inspired the fire department to host a barbeque fundraiser, which brought in an additional $14,000.
Pottinger-Hoesing said the charity selected to receive this year’s donation will be selected by the tournament’s winning team, with a focus on ones based in and around Smithers.
She added registrations close on August 10th, with room still available for more players to participate.
Individuals can register for $35, or teams of up to 10 players for $300, and can be done on the Bulkley Valley Soccer Society’s website.
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