If you were anywhere downtown last weekend you probably bumped into a visiting soccer player (or 400) — and their siblings, parents, grandparents, and their dogs! Yes, sport tourism was at its peak in our area when Nelson Youth Soccer hosted the Provincial B Cup girls soccer tournament.
Besides being taken by the soccer fields’ spectacular lakeside location, many teams expressed their delight about our friendly little town and how incredibly welcoming it is. Even by the second day when their angst about the wildfire and smoke was replaced by lightning and force gale winds, they were still so appreciative of our Nelson hospitality and service.
Playing on the heels of that tournament is the upcoming ultimate frisbee event at the end of this month. So, watch out for flying discs July 25 and 26 as Nelson is set to host Disc Break, the third annual ultimate frisbee tournament at Lakeside fields.
As word continues to reach other sports and sectors about the beauty of the fields on the lake and the warm reception from the Nelson community, our reputation as a tournament destination grows.
This year Disc Break has swelled to 16 teams (about 200 players) drawing talent from Spokane, Seattle, Bozeman, Missoula, Edmonton, Calgary and all over BC.
The competition will be fierce as the Nelson team battles to win its own tournament, something Nelson Homegrown has yet to do.
Get down to Lakeside Saturday and Sunday to cheer on the home team in green and see what spirit of the game is all about. As always, pick up ultimate frisbee happens Wednesdays and Sundays at Lakeside. Check out nelsonultimate.ca for more info.
So Nelsonites, thank you for welcoming players and participants from all over the province and our southern neighbours. Regardless of our visitors being sport, art or nature enthusiasts it’s always a pleasure to share our gifts with them while (humbly) boasting a little to boot.
Kim Palfenier is the executive director of the Nelson Regional Sports Council. Her column returns in September.