  |
||||
Quick Links: About Beach Soccer - Soccer World's Beach Soccer Tour |
||||
What is Beach Soccer?
The rules of the game are generally the same as grass except the following...
|
||||
History of Beach Soccer
Beach Soccer started in Brazil and has grown to be an international game. The participation of internationally renowned players such as Flamboyant Frenchman Eric Cantona, legendary Spanish Strickers Michel and Julio Salinas and Brazilian Stars such as Romario, Junior and Zico has helped to expand television coverage to large audiences in over 170 countries worldwide, making Beach Soccer one of the fastest growing professional sports in the world and converting it into a major international showcase. Beach Soccer has been played recreationally all over the world for many years and in many different formats. In 1992 the laws of the game were envisioned and a pilot event staged by the founding partners of BSWW in Los Angeles. The following summer, the first professional beach soccer competition was organized in Miami Beach, with teams from the United States, Brazil, Argentina and Italy taking part. In April 1994 the first event to be covered by network television was held on Copacabana Beach in Rio De Janiero and the city hosted the inaugural Beach Soccer World Championships on year later. The competition was won by the host nation, making Brazil the first ever World Champions of Beach Soccer. The success of the tournament saw commercial interest begin to match developments on the pitch and growing demand for the sport around the world gave rise to the Pro Beach Soccer Tour in 1996. |
Beach Soccer in Canada & the US
Beach Soccer entered the USA in the early 1990s via an initial tournament in Clearwater, Florida, imported by Peter Mellor, an official with the USA National Team. Subsequently, Virginia Beach created its "North American Sand Soccer Championships" in 1994, created by Dick Whalen and the "Hampton Roads Soccer Council" as promoters, and affiliated with the "Pro Beach Soccer Tour". Begun with just 26 teams, that event now attracts more than 800 teams and includes the men's pro/am " BIC U.S. OPEN", equating to the USA national pro/am championships. During the past decade, over a dozen beach/sand soccer venues have been developed, primarily along the coastlines of the United States and Mexico, and also into the US heartland, and Canada. Today, there are over 15 such tournaments in North America which attract well over 100,000 beach soccer players, and a million fans throughout North American. Growth potential is unlimited. In the last 3 years we have watched this new twist to the worlds greatest sport develop with amazing acceptance worldwide. At Soccerworld we have watched the Virginia Beach Sand Soccer tournament and attended the European Cup in Marseille, France in addition to the World Cup of Beach Soccer on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro. FIFA in the last two years has made Beach Soccer an official sport under their umbrella. We feel that this sport will contribute and sustain greater passion for Soccer worldwide. With this belief, we have put together an exemplary team of individuals that will promote this sport in this great country of ours.
We are very pleased also to have the Etobicoke Youth Soccer Club involved for our Toronto event and the Barrie Soccer Club for our Wasaga Beach event. Visit us for updates and beach soccer news throughout the year! |
|||
Photos |
||||
March 10, 2010
A soft sand surface, players trying diving headers, bicycle kicks and spectacular tricks. Beach Soccer tends to be played more in the air than regular soccer, with quick flicks and volleying. 
