Play Football Make Peace

Nov 10-11, Mississauga, Canada

On a cold, though somewhat sunny, November weekend, numerous girls from the Toronto area and other Canadian cities came together to play in the first ever Play Football Make Peace girls soccer tournament. 

These young ladies served as the pioneers for PFMP focus and expansion into women’s soccer.  Five teams that were composed of girls 17 and under included Bryst Academy of Toronto, Brams United of Brampton, DPS United of Pickering, DPSoccer of Hamilton, and Pincourt from Montreal, Quebec were treated to a weekend of education, competition, and fun.  Team Pincourt served as guests of honor as they were provided with a once in a lifetime experience of first class accommodation and dining. They were hosted as guests of  the World Association of NGOs, the sponsor of the tournament, which was holding its annual congress during the same weekend.

A dinner was held on Saturday night in honor of the event, and Dr. Peter Donnelly of the University of Toronto’s Physical Education department was the guest speaker.  He took the opportunity to speak on many of the pros as well as the cons of sports and pointed out that it is the responsibility of society to use it as a medium to promote peace and character development. 

Many of the PFMP core values and principles were exhibited by the teams during the tournament.  The concepts of teamwork, good sportsmanship and fair play were just some of the many positive aspects that were evident in the young ladies’ behavior throughout the weekend.   Teams were able to play at a high competitive level while still maintaining their composure and respect for their opponents.  The girls also displayed great skills and knowledge and were overall impressive in every aspect of the game.   However, it was their demeanor towards the game and their opponents that was even more impressive.

Although DPS United of Pickering came out as the champion, it was all the participants that emerged the true winners of the tournament.  As important as winning is in soccer or in sports in general, it is what these young ladies learned and took away from the message of the weekend that is most important.  Like the guest speaker, Dr. Peter Donnelly stated, playing sports does not always guarantee positive outcomes, but it is no secret there are many things a young person can learn in sports that is not always available in the home or in an academic institution.  The experiences of the weekend were not lost on the parents and coaches.  They too witnessed the effect that the tournament and the message had on their daughters.  It was a weekend that they and their daughters will never forget.