Lea este artículo en español aquí.
If you somehow missed your chance to grab tickets to the FIFA World Cup in 16 cities across the U.S., Canada and Mexico, don’t despair. You can still enjoy live soccer in the form of a 7v7 tournament on June 20 and 21, only a short drive away at Aromas Park.
A joint venture of the San Juan Bautista Rotary Club and the Aromas Community Center Foundation, the tournament seeks to capitalize on all of the excitement generated by the FIFA competition, according to Rotarian Jorge Terrones, who said it felt like the perfect moment to bring that energy locally to this community.
“Soccer has been a lifelong passion of mine since childhood,” he said. “It has always been more than a sport. It’s something that brings people together, creates joy, and builds community. That’s how the idea for the tournament was born.”
Terrones said he reached out to representatives of the community center in the early stages of planning and they immediately saw the value of the idea.
“They were very supportive from Day One,” he said. “Since then, we have worked closely through consistent monthly meetings between us and the Aromas Park team to coordinate logistics, planning, and execution.”
Terrones said he sought support for holding the tournament in the park because of its central and accessible location which, in his mind, made it a great gathering point for surrounding communities.
“We also saw an opportunity to create a welcoming regional event where people from different towns can come together through sport. Everyone is invited: players, families, friends, and those who simply want to enjoy the atmosphere and cheer.”
Aromas Community Center board member Rose DuMond said that adult soccer had already been considered when Terrones approached them.
“The soccer field is there for kids mostly,” she said, “but there is a need for adult soccer in the area as well. And Jorge’s idea is in line with building more opportunities for health and socialization, particularly within the agricultural community.”
Besides fitness, Terrones said he saw the tournament as a way to connect beyond competition. While the game is important, he said, the real value lies in what happens around it: families gathering, friendships forming, and communities engaging with each other in a positive environment.
“Today, people are often busy, disconnected, and under stress,” he said. “Community spaces where people can simply gather, enjoy themselves, and interact in a positive way are becoming less common. This tournament was designed to help bring some of that back.”
This is the first 7v7 soccer tournament organized by the San Juan club and will consist of eight to 16 teams, each with one goalkeeper and six field players.
According to Soccer.com, which promotes the sport, this type of competition is used by youth leagues to develop ball-handling skills and is also popular in adult recreational and intramural leagues.
Sponsored by local businesses and organizations, including Graniterock and Hollister Super, the two-day tournament will also feature vendors and food trucks.
Dumond said she hopes this becomes an annual event and raises people’s awareness of Aromas Park as a place to gather and have fun.
“We’re starting out small and are trying to figure it out,” she said. “A lot of people don’t know that there’s an almost 20-acre park out there for their use, with a walkway, a dog park, a soccer field and a pavilion for shade. This is great publicity for the park as a whole.”
The Adult 7v7 Soccer Tournament takes place at Aromas Park, 300 Aromas Road, on June 20 and 21. Games start at 9 a.m.
We need your help. Support local, nonprofit news! BenitoLink is a nonprofit news website that reports on San Benito County. Our team is committed to this community and providing essential, accurate information to our fellow residents. Producing local news is expensive, and community support keeps the news flowing. Please consider supporting BenitoLink, San Benito County’s public service nonprofit news.