Members of Moose Jaw’s Filipino community filled the gym at Riverview Collegiate with the sound of squeaking shoes, cheering families, and the steady rhythm of basketball last weekend, as its annual Family Day tournament returned with an expanded lineup and a growing crowd.

The Filipino Community of Moose Jaw Family Day Tournament was held over three days from Feb. 13 to 15. It featured a basketball tournament spanning multiple age groups, along with a new volleyball division aimed at bringing more women into the event.

“It’s one of those events where we try to bring everybody together as a whole family,” said Victor Morales, the tournament organizer. “It’s geared toward families coming together around our favourite sport, which is basketball.”

Morales said the basketball tournament included a “little tykes” division for children under 12, junior divisions for boys and girls, and a men’s league.

Basketball remained the centerpiece of the weekend, Morales added, noting that it holds a special place in Filipino culture.

“It’s the number one sport in the Philippines,” he said.

The event was held last year at A.E. Peacock Collegiate, but moved this year after organizers found most gyms were already booked months in advance.

Morales said the tournament followed the same format as past years, but featured a noticeably larger and newer group of players. This year included a new team from North 49, a local pork processing plant that recently hired a large number of Filipino workers.

“They hired almost 200 Filipinos directly from the Philippines,” Morales said. “That added a whole new group to the tournament this year.”

Teams were generally made up of Filipino co-workers representing different local businesses, with some teams receiving support from employers or community sponsors.

“Some of them are sponsored by their employers,” Morales said. “For example, I sponsor my team’s uniforms.”

Morales said the Filipino community group is a non-profit organization that relies on donations, with many contributions going toward prizes and giveaways throughout the weekend. The draws were held during breaks in play and were a popular feature of the annual tournament.

The event also doubled as a major vendor showcase, allowing Filipino small businesses and local retailers to sell food and products in one central location. Morales said 14 vendors participated this year, and he oversaw each one to ensure vendors weren’t offering identical menus.

“This year we added not only food vendors, but also businesses like Fifth Avenue Collection Ltd., which sold jewelry,” he added.

Morales estimated the tournament drew roughly 400 to 500 people over the weekend, but said it was difficult to gauge the number of unique visitors due to the come-and-go format.

The event continues to draw support from outside the Filipino community as well.

“There were also non-Filipinos who stopped in to buy food,” Morales noted.

The tournament wrapped up Sunday with junior finals beginning at 8 a.m., followed by the remaining games in the men’s division. Trophies and medals were awarded for first, second and third place, with the championship team also taking home a large cup.

“I have this big cup for them to take home,” Morales said. “It’s bragging rights for the whole year that they’re the champions.”

For more information, visit the “Filipino Community of Moose Jaw (FCMJ)” Facebook page.

Look for full results and final team standings in next week’s edition of the Moose Jaw Express.

Aaron Walker

Reporter

Moose Jaw Express