The event featured 60 teams and promotes sportsmanship, inclusion, and addiction prevention, with every participant receiving a medal regardless of the final score.

The Playas de Rosarito Rotary Club held another edition of its traditional Youth Soccer Tournament over the weekend, bringing together nearly 700 boys and girls competing on 60 teams across both divisions.

Once again, parents played an important role in the event. From early Saturday morning, October 24, families were already gathering to cheer on their children and set up their coolers as the tournament got underway.

Matches took place at the IMDER, Andrés Luna, Tensho, and Héctor Herrera fields.

Over the years, the tournament has continued to grow and has established itself as the largest of its kind in the region. It began with just 15 teams and now brings together 60.

“It is two intense days, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., taking care of 700 children. It is exhausting, but when you see a child raise their medal, it makes everything worthwhile,” one of the organizers said.

The logistics behind the tournament are extensive, requiring the organizers to secure fields, soccer balls, trophies, medals, drinking water, fruit, tents, sound equipment, referees, paramedics, and physical therapists. All of this is made possible through resources raised by the Rotary Club itself.

Every Child Takes Home a Medal

One of the tournament’s fundamental rules is that every participant receives a medal, regardless of whether their team finishes in first or last place. Every boy and girl who steps onto the field, runs, and gives their best effort receives a medal to take home.

Throughout the weekend, the organizers also provide several forms of support:

• Hydration: Water dispensers and electrolyte drinks are available for all teams.
• Physical therapy: Volunteer physical therapists are on hand to treat sprains, falls, and muscle strain. Children’s safety is the top priority.
• Food and snacks: Fruit, sandwiches, and refreshments help keep young players energized throughout the day.
• Trophies and soccer balls: Awards are presented not only to the champions but also to the first-, second-, and third-place teams, top scorer, best goalkeeper, and fair play recognition recipients. New soccer balls are also distributed so teams can continue practicing in their own neighborhoods.

“Many of these children don’t have a new soccer ball. When you give them one from the tournament, they hug it as if it were made of gold. That’s what motivates us,” a Rotary Club member said.

Promoting Values and Preventing Addiction Through Sports

Beyond the competition, the tournament’s greatest achievement is the message the Playas de Rosarito Rotary Club has promoted since its inception: preventing addiction and encouraging positive values through soccer.

At a time when cell phones, street life, and negative influences can compete with family life for children’s attention, sports can serve as a positive alternative.

During each match, referees and team captains reinforce the tournament’s fundamental rules: play fairly, avoid insults, respect the referee even when a decision may be wrong, help an opponent who falls, and greet one another at the end of the game, win or lose.

Parents are also expected to set a positive example from the sidelines, cheering without shouting aggressively or engaging in violence.

“We want children to learn that in life you sometimes win and sometimes lose, that you have to work as a team, be disciplined, and respect the rules. If a child understands that on the field, they will understand it at school and at home, too. Soccer is our tool to keep them away from drugs, alcohol, and apathy. We want them to choose the field, not the street,” was the central message delivered during the opening ceremony.

Growing Participation and Inclusion

Another important achievement of the tournament is its commitment to inclusion, with boys and girls participating on the same fields.

Girls’ participation has grown with each edition. The tournament now includes mixed and girls’ divisions that compete with the same intensity as the boys’ teams.

For many girls, this is the only organized tournament available to them during the year, giving them an opportunity to compete and receive recognition through medals and trophies.

The Rotary Club has already announced that the next edition will take place in April 2027. Its goal is to surpass 60 teams and reach 800 children.

To make that possible, the club is inviting sponsors, coaches, and families to get involved as volunteers.

As the Rotarians’ message reminds the community: “A soccer ball can change a weekend, but the values a tournament leaves behind can change a life.”