Canada's 'largest adult soccer tournament' ready to roll

The 22nd annual Kamloops Invitational, which bills itself as “the largest adult soccer tournament in Canada,” is scheduled to run from Friday through Monday.

All told, 94 teams, involving somewhere between 1,500 and 2,000 participants, have registered for the tournament, including 41 clubs from Alberta. Teams also are coming from the Yukon and the B.C. communities of Fort St. John, Squamish, Vancouver, Williams Lake and Prince George.

The women’s Competitive Division will include the Kamloops Heat and Stainer U, an all-star team from the local league. The Prince George Subway team is returning to defend its title.

In the men’s Competitive Division, the TRU Alumni is back to defend its title, and will be challenged by the Kamloops Heat, Westvan FC and Norvan.

Harrison Industrial, winner of the Kamloops Men’s Soccer League title, is the defending champ in the men’s Open Division.

The men’s Rec A Division includes Kamloops United, a team whose roster includes the likes of Chad McIntosh, Darren Rezeli, Steve Scott and Andrew Hansen from the KMSL’s Hansport side. Kamloops United also features a group of Riversyde alumni, including TRU men’s coach Sean Wallace. Veteran coach Carlo Beltrano is running the bench for United.

In the men’s Rec B Division, Jensen Law is back to defend its title, while Piva Financial, from the Kamloops Rec League’s 30-plus division, should challenge.

Local Motives, another local team, is hoping to defend its men’s Rec C Division title.

Some of the other local teams in the tournament are Mainstreet, Delta Sun Peaks, ASAP, Fox Shooters, Duffy’s Pub and Subway Spice.

The tournament will be played on fields at McArthur Island, as well as Singh Bowl, NorKam and Cottonwood.

All finals will be played Monday at McArthur Island; here’s a look at where and when:

On the women’s side, the Competitive Division final is at No. 6, 1 p.m.; the Open Division, No. 4, 11 a.m.; the Rec A Division, No. 2, noon; the Rec B Division, No. 3, 1 p.m.; and, Rec C Division, No. 3, 11 a.m.

On the men’s side, the Competitive Division wraps up on No. 5, 1 p.m.; the Open Division, No. 4, 1 p.m.; the Rec A Division, No. 5, 11 a.m.; the Rec B Division, No. 6, 11 a.m.; and the Rec C Division, No. 1, noon.