BY SCOTT
HADDOW
The games will go on.
It's full speed ahead for the 15th annual Caruso Club
International Soccer Tournament this upcoming weekend, despite
a major loss to the organizing committee.
On Sunday, Eddy Palladino, 71, one of the co-founders of the
tournament, died at his home.
Palladino was the driving force behind the tournament and
always strove for the absolute best.
Despite his passing, the committee quickly dedicated this
year's event in his memory.
"It was easy to do," said Silvio Ferrucci, a long-time friend and chair of sports at the Caruso Club. "He was a superstar in Sudbury soccer as far as soccer goes. Naming this year's tournament in his honour was great. It's unfortunate he passed on just before the tournament...we have a great loss on our hands, but the games will go on. He wouldn't have wanted that."
This year's event runs from Saturday, Aug. 5 to Monday, Aug. 7.
All games will be contested at the James Jerome Community
Centre (formerly the Lily Creek fields). Action starts at 9 am
sharp on Saturday. The championship final goes Monday at 3 pm.
As always, the Caruso tournament will feature top-notch
talent vying for $6,000 in total prize money.
There's a full slate of teams - 16 in all - from across the province that will gun for ultimate glory and a wad of cash.
The overall winners will take home $2,800.
There's clubs from Mississauga, Toronto, Sault Ste. Marie,
St. Thomas, Oshawa, Valley East and Kitchener.
Greater Sudbury will be well represented as well. The
Sudbury Athletic club, Sudbury Croatia Adria club, Sudbury
Panhellenic team, Sudbury Soccer Club Italia, Valley East
Soccer Club and the Italia Flyers will all be competing for big
money.
Local teams always put up a valiant fight in the tournament,
but have had trouble winning the event in recent years. It
could change this year especially since the tournament can
become a war of attrition.
"There's a good chance a Sudbury team can win...Sudbury
teams are very competitive in this tournament," said tournament
chairperson Nick Nero. "It's a tough tournament for any team to
win because they have to play a lot of games in just a few
days. By Monday, it comes down to who has more players and
still has legs to run on."
There's no admission fee to see any of the game and people
attending are going to get an eye full.
"It's tremendous soccer," said Nero. "There's some really
good teams from down south that are playing and they are not
coming up here to have fun. It's very competitive...one of the
most competitive tournaments in Ontario. We try to get the best
teams here and that makes it a real attraction for soccer in
Sudbury."
The Caruso Club is delighted to have their name attached to the
prestigious tournament.
"It means a lot to us to be involved," said Caruso Club
president Tony Nero. "Soccer is getting big in this country and
with the World Cup just ending, people's spirits are up and
they want to watch soccer. We hope for a good turn out.
Everyone will have fun."
With everything all set in place, there's only one last
thing lingering before play heats up on Friday.
"Hopefully, we get good weather and that will make for another great tournament," said Nick Nero.
