Fifteen year old Jetson Gibbs is off to Sweden this week to participate in the world’s largest soccer tournament.
The Cawston youth, who is also a student at Similkameen Elementary Secondary School, left July 5 for Gothenberg, Sweden, where the Gothia Cup tournament begins July 13. Jetson regularly plays in the BC Soccer Premier League in Kamloops on the Thompson - Okanagan Football Club. He was invited to join a special team (the Thompson Valley Football Club) made up for the Gothia Cup..
There will be more than a few competitors in Jetson’s age group in the tournament, as 189 teams are compete in his age group (U-16).
Jetson has been playing soccer ever since he began organizing noon hour soccer games at Cawston Primary. He plays midfield, a few years ago winning Most Valuable Player while playing for the Penticton Pinnacles. He also played in the BC Games in 2012, and through that experience got to know several of this year’s fellow team mates.
This trip won’t be the first international one for Jetson, either. He played in Madrid, Spain, two years ago, participating in training sessions there.