Claritin Copa Communitaria Soccer Tournament.

Schering Laboratories, makers of Claritin announced that it is teaming up with the Big Apple Youth Soccer League (BAYSL) to sponsor the inaugural Copa Comunitaria (Community Cup), the first-ever, week-long youth soccer tournament organized specifically for the Hispanic community in the New York metropolitan area.

The Copa Comunitaria, free of charge to all players, was created by Claritin to give inner-city children further exposure to organized sports, while helping to minimize barriers such as seasonal allergies that may keep children from enjoying outdoor activities such as soccer. The tournament will be held August 13-18 at Flushing Meadow Park in Queens, with more than 600 children expected to participate.

As part of the initiative, Claritin will donate $10,000 to BAYSL, which was formed in 1997 to introduce inner-city children (primarily of Hispanic descent) to organized soccer, to help maintain equipment and uniforms for the children. During the tournament finals on August 18, Peter Villegas and Pedro Alvarez, mid-fielders for the New York MetroStars, will present trophies to the winning teams at the awards ceremony and sign autographs for the players and their families.
“Metro,” the MetroStars mascot, will also be present during the finals to cheer on Copa Comunitaria participants.

“We are grateful to the makers of Claritin for their generous support, which will allow us to continue bringing young people from the New York metropolitan area together for healthy soccer competitions,” said Luis Montoya, President of BAYSL. “These competitions teach children teamwork and discipline, qualities that will be a great asset for their futures, and also help them to become leaders in their communities.”

“The Copa Comunitaria soccer tournament is an excellent way to further strengthen our relationship with the Hispanic community and encourage children’s athletics-an important component for a healthy life,” said Richard Zahn, President, Schering Laboratories. “Unfortunately, many children are kept from enjoying soccer because they suffer from seasonal allergies. We hope that the Copa Comunitaria will help families better understand that treatment exists and that it is
possible for children to play their favorite outdoor sports without feeling the effects of seasonal allergies.”

The Copa Comunitaria will be held August 13-18, with the final games on Saturday, August 18. The tournament will be open to boys ages 6 through 14 and to girls ages 6 through 11. Participants will be grouped in age categories with each age category consisting of six teams, with six members per team. During the week, each team will play five games consisting of two 15-minute halves. Four games will be played during the week with the final game on Saturday, August 18. The two teams from each age category with the most points will go on to compete in the finals for first and second place.