Kelowna Footy Cup – What will this year bring??

Kelowna, a town of 100 000, home to some of Canada’s finest wineries, a semi arid dessert only hours from a wet climate.  Big White ski resort in winter, Okanagan Lake boating in summer.  But for one weekend every summer a tradition has begun that not even Kelowna has come to adapt to, and that is the Kelowna Footy Cup. 

Starting 4 years ago, the tournament includes teams from all over Western Canada, and includes games played with only Canadians.  While footy brings many to Kelowna, it is the happenings off the field that tend to be talked about long after returning to the Burnaby Eagles nest.

After playing in sweltering heat players tend to ensure that they are re-hydrated with only the finest of fluids, and this amber ale tends to flow fast till early the following morning. 

In the past we have seen house boats turned into ultimate fighter venues, cars run out of gas only meters from the top of the final hill before getting into Kelowna, sending one member to hitch hike into town, then turning the ignition and making it there, without any problems.   Hotels insisting that metal wine coolers are not included in the price of accommodation and will need to be replaced after discovering human remains inside.  Big Brown was the talk of the town one year, with a certain Eagle unable to contain his excitement over discovering this horse!!  The excitement of winning the tournament lead an ex coach to insist on team members swimming in a fountain and then running down the road with limited attire on, or post game celebratory drinks quickly turned sour when an Eagle player insisted on asking a friendly, yet troubled, young female to help the team ensure their daily nutrient levels where being met, only to have the team exposed to spray paint and a verbal barrage.   

As with any trip, there have been unfortunate incidents occur as well, one Eagle was unlucky enough to find himself wearing a fake pair of boobs, and dancing on a podium with a pair attractive females.  His expected response was to be mauled, the swift kick to the back was not.  Thankfully he managed to make it out of this cage with limited damage. 

The expected time of driving to Kelowna is 4 hours, though this can be variable, depending on who you agree to have in the car with you, and can extend to well over 6 hours if certain members insist on stopping to excrete the punishment form the previous night at every turn, as we have seen in the past. 

2009 looks to be another great year in Kelowna, with many a story to follow!!!