SCARBOROUGH, ON – The Ajax Strikers will be out in force to begin a new championship game-winning streak at this year’s Kick 4 The Cure Women’s Indoor Soccer Tournament in support of breast cancer research, the fifth such edition of this Scarborough event held on one weekend every April since 2006.
However, the defending champion Toronto Rangers, from the city’s west end, will have something to say about that. Until the 2009 edition, no other team besides the Strikers had won the championship. 2009 was also the first year the Strikers had not been awarded one of the four coveted playoff spots, so the squad will be looking to get back to their 2008 form.
Ultimately, the big winner every year is the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation’s Ontario Chapter. Through four tournaments, the ‘Kick 4 The Cure’ has raised $62,000 for breast cancer research which is annually turned over to the CBCF’s Ontario Chapter.
Besides team entry fees, each player is also asked to bring in a minimum of $25 in sponsorship. However, many of the players generously exceed this amount in donations.
Every participant will receive a gift courtesy of Wilson Trophy Inc. of Mississauga and there will also be prizes awarded to top individual fundraisers.
Tournament champions and runners-up also receive prizes from Umbro Canada as well as uniquely-shaped Kick 4 The Cure medallions.
In addition to Umbro and Wilson Trophy, the tournament’s other esteemed sponsors include the Scarborough Referees Association (whose referees work all of the tournament matches at no cost), Winners, The Scarborough Soccer Centre, Kitchen Aid and Adidas.
Besides the Strikers and Toronto Rangers, this year’s tournament will also feature:
- Glengarrians of Kingston (semi-finalists in 2009)
- Scarborough United Strikers (finalists in all four previous Kick 4 The Cure tournaments!)
- 6 additional squads from the Greater Toronto Area
This year’s tournament takes place on Sunday, April 18 at the Scarborough Soccer Centre, 45 Fairfax Crescent, Scarborough (one set of traffic lights north of St. Clair Avenue East and Warden Avenue in south-western Scarborough).
For additional information and a complete schedule of events, visit: www.kick4thecure.ca