The annual UNIDAD soccer tournament kicked off last Friday, May 3. The event was hosted by the UNIDAD club members with huge help from its sponsor Jennifer Shahin, French teacher at NAHS. Unlike in previous years, the money raised from this event will be going to the very first UNIDAD scholarship.

Last Friday 16 teams competed against each other in a elimination tournament. The games were called by senior  Edward Reyes and Spanish teacher Lorena Torres. There was more than just a soccer game going on, there was also face painting, snacks and food being sold, and a free side for kids to run around and have fun.

“Not only do we want people to come out and support their favorite team or player, we also want people to come out to listen to music and spend a good time with their family and friends, we want everyone to have fun,” said freshman Emily Trejo-Mora, a Unidad member.

As you are walking into the gym, you could see family members and friends excited to see their favorite players and the kids running around with their faces painted, screaming with excitement. The first two teams “Los Padrinos” and “The Piergrossis” started the event. The crowd would cheer when the  teams’ names were announced.

The gymnasium was divided into two sides, with one side of little kids playing their own game of soccer as well as playing other games.

Between breaks  Reyes and Torres announced that food was being sold by “El Primo,” people got up to get a taste of their famous tacos, tortas, along with homemade agua de Horchata and Jamaica.

 As the songs “Canalla” by Romeo Santos and “Arrmángala Arrempújala” by Los Karkiks came on, the audience got up to dance and sang along, which made time more enjoyable. “I wished they had a dancing portion because I could tell a lot of people wanted to dance including myself and all we could do is dance sitting,”  said Alex Campos, sophomore, who played for “los Padrinos”

This exciting night came to an end when ”Manchester United” finished the championship game off and took the winning trophy home. The players  on the “Manchester United” team were Ronaldo Cortez, Joel Arlon Garcia, Ramon Melgares, Bryan Bautista, Hernan Castro, and Maynor Garcia. This exciting night did not stop there for many players, who were seen going over game highlights at King Buffet and Applebees.