June 21, 2010 8:24 AM 
The power of the World Cup
- Posted by Coreena Robertson
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While Cameroon gets ready to take on Denmark for their second game of the 2010 World Cup, 1500 kids, are participating to take part in Soccer Jam, a mini World Cup.
Many of these kids have never put their foot on a ball before joining this community festival and celebration of sport. A total of 140 teams from kindergarden to grade 7 are here at Killarney Park in Vancouver. Each is wearing a coloured shirt and represents different countries in three, 20-minute matches.
I arrive and I can hearing the voices of young children cheering and yelling with immediacy and enthusiasm. The ICoke team is here playing the South African 2010 FIFA World Cup music CD, which I must say, is really good. I stood there for a few minutes listening and wishing I was in South Africa.
Then I was hit with a soccer ball..ok....time to keep moving.
The field is massive and there are mini-soccer games going on everywhere. I find organizer Dick Woldring and he explains that only five years ago when the tournament started there were fewer than 20 teams on the field. Now there are more than 100 teams, and there is organized parking like the Pacific National Exhibition...but this partaking here is free!
The pitches are packed and people say there is no doubt the World Cup is having an impact on the excitement of these newbie players. All seem to be aware of the country they are playing for today and the counties they are watching in this year's World Cup.
Woldring says "When they're playing for Argentina, or when they're playing for Portugal or Spain, they get excited. And it happens to coincide perfectly with this year's World cup. They get to look at the teams in the World Cup and say, we're like that too."
Seven-year old Nick is getting his face painted with the Union Jack symbol. He's playing for England today and his father is the team coach. His dad turns to him and says, "Ok Nick on three, God Save the Queen".
Nick apparently loves soccer so much, his dad has to enforce washing his soccer jersey three times a week during the World Cup and he is also is wearing his soccer shin pads to school. Now that's a soccer player!
Across the pitch, I spot seven-year old Martin playing. He has just moved to Vancouver from the United States and his whole family are here watching. His Mother and Father are loyal World Cup fans, separately supporting Argentina and Mexico, but today they are here enthusiastically cheering together as Martin runs his little heart out for Mexico.
His mother, Gabriella enthusiastically encourages Martin from the sidelines and smiles proudly as she tells me that this is his very first game, he's only been practicing for one and a half months. Martin scores a goal and leads the team in the hand-shake ending.
The joy of soccer is alive here at soccer jam 2010!
In addition to a great tournament, the kids all receive World Cup treatment as if they are World Cup stars. Every player takes home a free pair of soccer shorts from sport tech, a meal and a t-shirt.
What perfect timing for this mini-world Cup to coincide with the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The players can go home and watch the replays of today's game, knowing that they to played in their own World Cup,
Join me on twitter, coreena007.
Many of these kids have never put their foot on a ball before joining this community festival and celebration of sport. A total of 140 teams from kindergarden to grade 7 are here at Killarney Park in Vancouver. Each is wearing a coloured shirt and represents different countries in three, 20-minute matches.
I arrive and I can hearing the voices of young children cheering and yelling with immediacy and enthusiasm. The ICoke team is here playing the South African 2010 FIFA World Cup music CD, which I must say, is really good. I stood there for a few minutes listening and wishing I was in South Africa.
Then I was hit with a soccer ball..ok....time to keep moving.
The field is massive and there are mini-soccer games going on everywhere. I find organizer Dick Woldring and he explains that only five years ago when the tournament started there were fewer than 20 teams on the field. Now there are more than 100 teams, and there is organized parking like the Pacific National Exhibition...but this partaking here is free!
The pitches are packed and people say there is no doubt the World Cup is having an impact on the excitement of these newbie players. All seem to be aware of the country they are playing for today and the counties they are watching in this year's World Cup.
Woldring says "When they're playing for Argentina, or when they're playing for Portugal or Spain, they get excited. And it happens to coincide perfectly with this year's World cup. They get to look at the teams in the World Cup and say, we're like that too."
Seven-year old Nick is getting his face painted with the Union Jack symbol. He's playing for England today and his father is the team coach. His dad turns to him and says, "Ok Nick on three, God Save the Queen".
Nick apparently loves soccer so much, his dad has to enforce washing his soccer jersey three times a week during the World Cup and he is also is wearing his soccer shin pads to school. Now that's a soccer player!
Across the pitch, I spot seven-year old Martin playing. He has just moved to Vancouver from the United States and his whole family are here watching. His Mother and Father are loyal World Cup fans, separately supporting Argentina and Mexico, but today they are here enthusiastically cheering together as Martin runs his little heart out for Mexico.
His mother, Gabriella enthusiastically encourages Martin from the sidelines and smiles proudly as she tells me that this is his very first game, he's only been practicing for one and a half months. Martin scores a goal and leads the team in the hand-shake ending.
The joy of soccer is alive here at soccer jam 2010!
In addition to a great tournament, the kids all receive World Cup treatment as if they are World Cup stars. Every player takes home a free pair of soccer shorts from sport tech, a meal and a t-shirt.
What perfect timing for this mini-world Cup to coincide with the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The players can go home and watch the replays of today's game, knowing that they to played in their own World Cup,
Join me on twitter, coreena007.
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Date Match Time Sun. July 11 Netherlands vs Spain 12:30 ET 
About the Author
Coreena Robertson (Vancouver)
Coreena Robertson is a seasoned sports producer and experienced sports broadcaster who loves to cover sports at both the community and professional level. She has interviewed high profile celebrities and sports stars such as LeBron James and the late Paul Newman, but also loves hanging out at the local pitch.
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