Elliott Hurtig mentioned he was taking part in soccer at James Park when he observed how the fields have been divided, every with totally different cultures and ethnicities. He determined it didn’t must be that approach.

A decade later, the Evanston Unity Soccer Pageant has developed to grow to be a metropolis staple, bringing soccer gamers from throughout to construct neighborhood and play the sport they love. The pageant, Hurtig’s brainchild, hosted its tenth annual occasion on Saturday, July 13, on the Robert Crown Neighborhood Middle. The occasion reached new heights as 61 groups participated throughout 20 fields in three divisions.

Every group was named after a Civil Rights activist: the Marley division was for the youngest gamers searching for a aggressive recreation, the Chavez division was for gamers between 30 to 45 years outdated and the MLK group was for older gamers who simply wished some pleasant soccer.

Saturday noticed a variety of groups take the sector. There have been restaurant squads like Campagnola and Zentli, a Wisconsin group that traveled from Madison, and a Metropolis of Evanston group composed of native authorities officers together with Mayor Daniel Biss, Metropolis Clerk Stephanie Mendoza and Ninth Ward Council Member Juan Geracaris.

The occasion is fully not for revenue and goals to boost cash for scholarships for youths whose households are in monetary want. This yr, the pageant tripled the quantity of scholarships awarded. The recipients of this yr’s scholarships hailed from Venezuela, Ethiopia and Jamaica. 

Hurtig mentioned he lives by the motto “the targets aren’t the objective.” The rating shouldn’t be stored, and video games are officiated by the gamers. Hurtig emphasised the target is to have enjoyable and construct neighborhood and “individuals get that.”

The Unity Soccer Pageant assembled a proper 12-person board three years in the past that helps with organizing the fields and recruiting groups. Whereas the organizers attain out to totally different ethnic and cultural teams across the space, a lot of the pageant’s promoting is achieved via phrase of mouth. 

“Now we have a number of soccer tentacles that attain out and convey individuals in,” Hurtig mentioned.

Nole Abbott is among the organizers who has been at Hurtig’s aspect because the starting. Abbott is a board member and was primarily chargeable for assembling Saturday’s schedule. He mentioned planning for the pageant begins virtually a yr prematurely and was significantly busy within the days main as much as the occasion. 

Abbott mentioned he has seen the pageant grow to be extra skilled through the years, with a extra formal sign-up and scheduling course of. It has additionally been in a position to develop since transferring from Kamen Park to the Robert Crown Neighborhood Middle three years in the past. He mentioned going ahead, the board want to have extra spectators on the occasion to observe and rejoice Evanston’s various soccer neighborhood.

The pageant’s progress is most evident within the improve of feminine gamers. That is intentional; Hurtig and the remainder of the pageant’s board made an effort to promote extra to ladies’s teams all through Evanston. Abbott mentioned he and lots of within the group that has performed collectively for greater than 20 years have daughters and that via watching them they’ve been impressed to convey extra ladies into the fold.

“My hope is that we’ll get increasingly more of those women who’re taking part in the sport to stick with the sport and sooner or later find yourself teaching the sport, as a result of we undoubtedly want extra ladies coaches and refs,” Hurtig mentioned. “It’s time the ladies are extra accepted within the grownup world of soccer, and we hope it is a good launching pad for that.”

New to the pageant this yr was the Northwestern College ladies’s group. Hurtig mentioned the group’s presence inspired and excited youthful women who have been desirous to see and play towards school athletes. Northwestern’s group received the ‘Greatest Newcomer’ award. 

Fifth-year Northwestern ahead Elyse DeSchryver heard in regards to the pageant final yr however since a lot of the group was not in Evanston final summer time, they have been unable to compete. This yr, nevertheless, the group arrived simply in time, because the pageant served as the primary time a number of the Wildcats had performed with the incoming freshmen. 

DeSchryver mentioned the occasion served as an excellent group bonding exercise and the group is already trying ahead to taking part once more. Whereas there could also be no official scoring on the pageant, high-level athletes like DeSchryver have a tough time blocking out that a part of the sport.

“Everyone knows what the rating is and we wish to win video games, so that is undoubtedly not one thing we’re used to as school athletes, however I’m nonetheless getting back from my second ACL harm so it’s good to get touches on the ball with out it feeling tremendous intense. It’s an excellent steadiness,” DeSchryver mentioned.

Carlos Muñez has additionally handled accidents all through his profession and concurred that the relaxed setting on the pageant was a aid. Muñez is initially from Madrid, Spain, however stayed with Hurtig as an trade pupil when he was youthful. He got here again to the U.S. in 2022 to get his diploma and now lives in Lakeview. 

Muñez’s teammates have been all from Spain and met throughout their trade program years in the past. He mentioned soccer within the U.S. is a totally totally different expertise from what he and his teammates have been used to. Youth soccer is way more bodily in Spain, whereas right here it’s extra tactical and technical, in keeping with Muñez. Past the pitch, Muñez famous how way more costly soccer is within the U.S.

“I respect this initiative, not only for elevating cash for low-income households to have the ability to play soccer, however as a result of the values you study taking part in a group sport are important in on a regular basis life,” Muñez mentioned.

Trying towards the longer term, Hurtig mentioned he desires much more feminine illustration and scholarship alternatives. These targets are what make the Unity Soccer Pageant considered one of Evanston’s hottest neighborhood occasions.

“We’re constructing neighborhood by taking part in the sport we love,” Hurtig mentioned. “A whole lot of issues are happening on the earth immediately that hold individuals divided and from having enjoyable, however immediately is the antidote to that.”