Kicking up a storm

12:31 AM PDT on Friday, June 17, 2005

By HOPE PIERSON / The Press-Enterprise

In a big boost to the local economy, approximately 15,000 to 20,000 players, friends and family participated each day in the annual Southwest Soccer Club (SWSC) 2005 Summer Classic Saturday and Sunday.

There were 141 girls teams competing.

Some teams came from as far away as Las Vegas and San Jose and many came from other Southern California cities.

1999 Special to The Press-Enterprise "Our goal is to have the best soccer complex in Southern California," said Rachid Elbekraoui, the Southwest Soccer Club's tournament and boys program director.

The SWSC girls under-14 team won the gold division championship.

The tournament took place at the home of the SWSC, the John Blanche soccer fields in Temecula.

The second phase of the event will take place Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

There will be food and drink concessions, games for children, and various vendors selling everything from uniforms to soccer blankets and other souvenirs.

Planning for the event has been at least a year in the making.

"This is one of the largest events of our club," said Rachid Elbekraoui, tournament and boys program director for SWSC.

There are many things to do putting a tournament of this size together.

There is advertising, contacting different soccer clubs and asking them to participate, working with the local fire department for safety issues and lots and lots of meetings.

Money raised at the tournament goes directly back to the club.

SWSC is leasing 42 acres of land at the north end of Diaz Road in Temecula from the Rancho Water District.

The club maintains the grass and the roads in the complex and hopes to purchase a small water truck in the coming year because of the dusty roads in the complex.

Another goal is to have lights installed at the complex within the coming year. "Our goal is to have the best soccer complex in Southern California," Elbekraoui said.

Volunteers are always needed for the organization. Among the various jobs are: being a field marshal; keeping score; helping with the refuse pickup and organizing check-ins at the games.

Rachid is in his third year as director for the SWSC and has lived in Temecula area for the last five years.

Founder and president of Southwest Traders, Ken Smith, started SWSC in 2000 and is the chairman of the board for SWSC, a non-profit corporation.

For more information, call Southwest Soccer Club at (951) 699-7972.