Encouraging football the maximum sport in Belgaum for 32 years

Unlike cricket, which is played by only a handful of countries, and which has long periods of inaction, (when players sit in the stands for hours, even days), football is a high-energy, fast action sport played in almost each and every country in the world.

Competitive football demands very high levels of fitness as players are constantly on the move for ninety minutes. It also demands a great deal of skill to control a round object with the curved surface of the football boot. The sport encourages ‘forward thinking’, planning, co-ordination and team-work.

Royceton Gomes, a nine-year old lad from St. Paul’s High school, had an intense love for football in his heart. So when, some 32 years ago, Royceton was swept away in the swirling waters of the Ghataprabha river at Gokak waterfall, his parents Joe and Thelma Gomes, decided to perpetuate his passion for football by starting an Inter School Football Tournament in Belgaum which has grown into one of the most eagerly awaited events in Belgaum.

Mr. Joe Gomes goes to great lengths to make each year’s tournament a complete success, even going all the way to U.P. or Jalandhar to bring back the glittering trophies and cups. Each year, school children from Mumbai and Goa look forward to play against the best schools of Belgaum and the entire tournament sees high fervour at all the matches each day.

The tournament consists of two chapters. The Invitation Cup matches begin on 20th July 2012 and conclude on 24th July 2012, while the ‘Memorial Cup’ matches begin on 25th July 2012 and conclude on 7th August 2012. All matches will be played on St. Paul’s School’s ‘A’ ground.

This year the following schools will compete in the Invitation Cup – St. Stanislaus, Mumbai, Loyola Margao, St. Britto’s, Mapusa, Don Bosco’s, Panjim, Islamiya, Belgaum and St. Paul’s, Belgaum.