Host a Sports Tournament!

Where will it be?

Hosting a soccer tourney? Ask your school or town if there is a field you can use. Volleyball? See if the gym in your school is available for a few hours after school one day. Be nice, explain your idea to whoever you have to ask about the space, and say “pretty please?!”

Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?

Figure out:

• Who can participate
• What sport will the tournament feature
• Where will it be?
• When will it be?
• Why are you having this fundraising event?
• How will it work? (How many teams, how many people per team, when do they have to sign up by? Etc.)

AND, don’t forget: it’s a fund raiser! Ask teams to donate a certain amount per player, or per team. For example, maybe each person on a team has to give $2, or an entire team should donate $10. Charge spectators $3, too. (Just make sure they know that their cash is going to a great cause!)

Calling all athletes (and non-athletes too)!

Tell people about it! Hang up flyers, send e-emails, ask for your school to announce it during morning announcements, tell people about it during lunch! Walk around with a sign-up sheet so you have the contact info for people who want to get involved. Let them know they have to have a team with X number of people on it, and the roster has to be submitted by a certain day. Tell them how to submit their teams, and make them come up with crazy, creative team names! Encourage team shirts to boost team spirit.

Let the games begin!

It’s game day! Figure out what teams play first, who plays who, how long games last, and so on. Ask friends to help you out in setting up and organizing. Have a structured schedule so people aren’t wondering when their team will be up. But most importantly, HAVE FUN! (And then send in your money to your charity of choice!)