It’s Cup time, baby

The Daily Pilot Cup, in its fourth year, is back and will begin May

28 and continue until the championship games on June 1 at the Costa

Mesa Farm Complex.

Last year, 86 teams participated representing 25 public and

private schools within Newport Beach and Costa Mesa. An estimated

1,450 children were involved in last year’s Pilot Cup. The tournament

is a school vs. school format with four divisions: The boys 5th- and

6th-grade; girls 5th- and 6th-grade; boys 3rd- and 4th-grade; girls

3rd- and 4th-grade.

All students must attend the school for which they play. There are

no exceptions. Each division winner has the honor of displaying the

perpetual trophy for the following year.

Rea Elementary won the boys 5th- and 6th-grade championship last

year, while Kaiser Elementary’s girls won the 5th- and 6th-grade

title. Rea also won the boys 3rd- and 4th-grade championship and

Anderson won the girls 3rd- and 4th-grade trophy.

This year, tournament director Kirk McIntosh expects 100 teams

within excess of 1,600 students. Due to the increasing size of the

tournament, McIntosh has added an additional day of play beginning

the tournament on the afternoon of May 28. It is expected all games

will be played at the Farm Complex and Costa Mesa High. The

tournament is non-profit and relies upon donations from Youth

Services Association, the Daily Pilot and private donations.

To date, the tournament has teams from nearly all schools within

the Newport Beach-Costa Mesa boundaries. However, McIntosh said a few

Westside Costa Mesa schools are not reporting teams. If a school has

need for volunteers they should contact their local high school,

which might have student volunteers able to coach.

As always the tournament needs volunteers for field preparation,

referees and field marshalls. If interested in helping please contact

McIntosh by e-mail, [email protected].