It’s Not Brazil — But World Cup Excitement Heads To Westport

The World Cup soccer tournament is about to begin. It’s a month of worldwide excitement, luring in even casual fans. And the Staples boys soccer program invites all of Westport to take part.

On Sunday, June 22 the Wreckers are sponsoring a unique “Westport World Cup Day.” The event combines every element of the World Cup: competition, camaraderie and passion.

On that day, the US plays Portugal in a very tough match. From 3:30 -5:00 p.m at the Staples athletic fields, elementary and middle school-age players are invited to “warm up” with an afternoon of small-sided games and fun. Staples players will organize the events, including mini-tournaments, a dribbling obstacle course, a penalty kick contest and more.

At 5 p.m.,food trucks at Staples will serve a “pre-game” meal.

At 5:30, everyone heads to the Staples auditorium. The US-Portugal match — a key one for the Americans — will be shown on a 20-foot screen. We can’t be in Brazil, but we’ll cheer the Americans on as loudly as we can.

At halftime, there’s a raffle with an amazing prize: a special, behind-the-scenes tour of ESPN headquarters conducted by Jeremy Schaap (a Staples grad, and member of the broadcast crew). Up to 8 people will enjoy a day in the studios and digital center, with lunch in the ESPN cafeteria.

Staples boys soccer head coach Dan Woog — that’s me — says, “We hope you can join us for all 3 events: kids’ event, food, and the World Cup match. But if you can only make 1 or 2, that’s fine too. We want everyone to get a taste of the World Cup.” Click here to save a spot.

But wait! There’s more! Special t-shirts will commemorate the day (and help defray costs). Click here to order (June 10 deadline).

The World Cup is special — and so is Westport soccer. The Staples boys soccer program looks forward to sharing the excitement with fans throughout town on June 22.