Over time in Yellowknife, there have been variations of holiday soccer tournaments. Many who have been around long enough will remember the Merry Kickmas event hosted by the Yellowknife United Soccer Club.

But the latest iteration of soccer around the new year has a new name and it appears to be just as popular as ever, if not more.

The Mini Champions League is what itSA国际影视传媒檚 now known as and was organized by the Yellowknife United Soccer Club, better known as the Sundogs. It happened at the Fieldhouse from Jan. 5 to 7 and according to organizer Joe Acorn, the numbers went beyond even what he thought they would be.

SA国际影视传媒淲e had a lot of walk-ins over the course of the weekend,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 havenSA国际影视传媒檛 added up the numbers (as of Sunday) but I think we were right around 200 players. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 more than any other winter tournament that weSA国际影视传媒檝e held in Yellowknife. We get more for Mini World Cup (in the summer) because the university kids come back home, but this indoor one was the biggest weSA国际影视传媒檝e ever had.SA国际影视传媒�

Like tournaments in the past, players signed up as individuals and were placed on teams in various age categories. All of the teams were balanced out so as to not have SA国际影视传媒渟tackedSA国际影视传媒� teams that would run away with the title. In keeping with the theme of the tournament, all of the teams were named after a squad currently playing in this seasonSA国际影视传媒檚 UEFA Champions League in Europe.

SA国际影视传媒淣o Manchester United this year,SA国际影视传媒� said Acorn with a laugh.

Acorn said the way he organizes teams is through whatSA国际影视传媒檚 known as the SA国际影视传媒榮nake draftSA国际影视传媒�.

SA国际影视传媒淚 separate the kids by age and gender and do the draft,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭he first four kids will be put onto teams and the next four kids will be placed in reverse order to make them as even as possible. ISA国际影视传媒檒l go through the boys, then the girls and it works out really well.SA国际影视传媒�

For example, once the first players have been placed, the next set of players will be placed starting with the team that was last to receive a player the first time around.

The only issue Acorn has with selecting the teams is what to do with the players he isnSA国际影视传媒檛 familiar with.

SA国际影视传媒淚 might know around three-quarters of the kids, but then a kid shows up who I donSA国际影视传媒檛 know,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭hey could be either really good or really bad and it throws the balance off. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 a bit of a crapshoot with the unknown factor. The walk-ins are the same way SA国际影视传媒� I hate turning people away and I may know the kid. Now I have to figure out where to put you because I know youSA国际影视传媒檙e really good.SA国际影视传媒�

All of the divisions went off well with one slight exception in the U9 division, said Acorn.

SA国际影视传媒淭he U9s tend to have more kids that I donSA国际影视传媒檛 know because itSA国际影视传媒檚 more kids trying soccer out or more who donSA国际影视传媒檛 play soccer regularly,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淲e had one team that lost all five of their games and I hate seeing that happen. Maybe that team didnSA国际影视传媒檛 jell or some players werenSA国际影视传媒檛 as good as I thought they were, so that makes it harder.SA国际影视传媒�

The dates in the new year are when future tournaments are going to be held, said Acorn, and that was based on parent surveys.

SA国际影视传媒淚n tournaments past, youSA国际影视传媒檇 see empty stands because everyone is just so busy around the holidays,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 asked some parents whether they liked having it held after the new year and they told me it was much better and you saw it in the stands. We had a lot of spectators because they didnSA国际影视传媒檛 have to drop off their kid and go running around.SA国际影视传媒�