General

Testimonials

Copa Cabana

Sampling of feedback from 2011.

My hat goes off to you and your staff for this marvelous experience. Being a coach for the past 6 years I have come to learn one can not satisfy everyone. That an impact is made on these children for the rest of which will be remembered the rest of their lives...and a positive one at that. To you and your entire staff ... GREAT JOB with professionalism and kindness, and attentiveness to our needs. The players, parents, friends, relatives and my family have had the privilege to be part of. I would like to quote my nephew, nieces, and team player..... "This is the best summer ever!"

Thank you for this.

Carla

Sampling of feedback from 2010.

Just wanted to give you a big thank you for organizing, coaching and inviting Emily to play on the El Segundo Sand Soccer Team. She is having such a great time and we are enjoying it also.

This week Emily started the UK Soccer Camp, she said because of Sand Soccer she can run faster. She also got a Play of the Day Certificate today. Usually she gets this award at the end of the week, not at the beginning of the week. I believe it's because of all the practice and games in the sand, conditioned her a lot. Her coach this Summer at camp has a large group of the Sand Soccer Players, it's nice to see them hang out together. She made some good friends this summer.

I can't Thank you enough for this experience for her as well as for us as a family.

Carmie & Noren

Sampling of feedback we received after our Copa Cabana Santa Monica Beach Soccer Tournament March 13-14, 2010.

Thank you guys for putting on such a great tournament. It was an honor to take my boys there.

Coach Baltazar Ayala

Jeff thanks for a wonderful time at your tournament again


Nestor

Thanks for a great weekend Jeffrey. All my girls, GU12-Valley All Stars and 818 All Stars had a blast! We're all looking forward to doing it again

Lisa Coach - AYSO Region 58

Thanks a bunch , The Arsenal GU!13 had a blast as usual. Parents and siblings as well, The weather couldn't have been more perfect

Arsenal FC Blanchard GU13

Just wanted to let you know how much fun our team had this weekend at the Sand Tournament - it was our 1st one and the team had a great time! Thank you again and see you soon-

Tanya Barcelona Ca

Sampling of feedback we received after our Copa Cabana Santa Monica Beach Soccer Tournament June 13-14, 2009.

This was the best tournament all spring.


B BU11-12 BOCA JUNIORS YELLOW

You put together a great tournament, I would like to congradulate you on the great success and outcome. My B-U8 had a wonderful time and are already talking about next years tournament. The whole event was very professional and well organized. On behalf of my boys we would like to say THANKS!!!

B UNDER 8

Thank you so much. Our team the Boca Juniors had the time of our lives.

B BU11-12 BOCA JUNIORS BLUE

I just want to say thank you for such a great tournament!
I brought my GU9 team to the Oxnard tournament and that was great. This Santa Monica tournament was even better. The GU9 team is now completely hooked on sand soccer.
I also talked a few of my GU13 players into playing this weekend. At first they were like "ya, it's ok" and by the end of the day today they were completely hooked as well. They said that a new law should be instituted that all soccer should be played in the sand! Haha.
Both teams won their flights and we all had a blast the entire weekend. Thanks again for an awesome tournament.
Thanks again,

Clay
Conejo Valley United SC

Thanks! It was a great tournament, and very competitive.
Kind regards,

William
Celtic B95 Hoops

Another great job!!!!!!! We all had fun...THe girls love it!!!

Ronna
WCSA BU18

thank you for a great weekend. We all had a great time.
Thank you in advance

Gina
Arsenal FC South

I cannot express how much fun they had. They were acting like it was Christmas day and they were 5 years old and got a bike. They had a blast as well as did our girls Celtic Harps GU12. We all hope to see you in Vegas.

Laurie
Celtic Harps GU12

First I would like to personally thank you for such a terrific weekend! We've never played anything like this before; but WOW, the girls had a great time and so did the parents.

AlberT
SCU Blue/ GU13/Flight 2

Thank you very much.this was one of the best experiences one could have.

Baltazar

Sampling of feedback we received after our Copa Cabana "Seal Beach" Beach Soccer Tournament May 2-3, 2009.

Congrats on another successful tournament... John Tuler told me that Seal Beach turned out pretty sweet. Thanks for working with us this past weekend on the products and we are looking forward to your next super tournament down in Santa Monica. We know it's gonna be a great success as always so congrats on growing the Copacabana brand.


Dave

Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your Seal Beach Tournament. I am always reminded of how much work it takes to make these things happen.
We see your expertise in action, and appreciate it.


Mark



Sampling of feedback we received after our Copa Cabana Oxnard Beach Soccer Tournament April 18-19, 2009.

 

Parents/Players

Dear Jeff,

Both of my kids had a BLAST! They are sore today from all that running in the sand! Thank you for organizing such a fun and well-run tournament! we'll be back!

Chris Mazzola

Referees

Hi Guys.

I refereed games on field # 7 for you last weekend(Many on field # 8) I had a great time, The kids were having fun and the parents had set-up beach picnic. We had some great food, provided by the team parents. Thanks again for a great weekend.Let us know if we can referee for you again.

Kam Bhogal

Vendors

Hi Nancy & Jeff,

I appreciate you for inviting Rusty's. Not only was it fun working with you, but it was a profitable event for us. We would love to do it again next year!

Dan Collier
Rusty's Pizza Parlors

Tournament Cost

Copa Cabana

Current tournament pricing

  • $375 for each team
  • $325 for split team

For more information or multiple team/tournament discounts contact:

Jeff Sundy This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Christiaan Wagener This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Beach Soccer History

Copa Cabana

A brief overview of the worldwide structure and history Beach Soccer, as well as the growing popularity and scope of the Copa Cabana Beach Soccer Tournaments.

History of beach soccer

  • Copacabana Beach Soccer history goes back 30 years when the first games were played on the sands of Rio de Janeiro’s Copa Cabana Beach. 
  • Beach Soccer, has the lowest impact on the body with the highest energy requirements in the greatest setting in the world, the World’s Beaches.  Played by all ages, from eight year old boys, girls, adult and coed teams as a conditioning or active competitive level, it is played on the world’s beaches or anywhere sand is available. 
  • Beach soccer offers fast fun and exciting action. Small fields, five versus five competitions on the sand with unlimited substitution, keeps the action going in this exciting and fun game.
  • Beach Soccer is a great equalizer for varying degrees of skill and conditioning, soft sand helps cushion impacts on the body and slows down the fastest of runners and can be played by anyone wanting to have fun on the beach. New soccer skills are developed and stamina is improved over time while having a great time on the beach.
  • Beach Soccer is not only fun to play it is fun to watch. Fast moving action and higher scoring because of the smaller fields and the unpredictable bounce of the ball in the soft sand make this an exciting game. Aerial skills with the ball are developed as this is the faster and more accurate way to move the ball. Unlimited substitutions let the players catch their breath as each team typically has five players on the pitch and five subs.
  • Beach Soccer is the fastest growing sport in the US, with the amount of players almost doubling every year. 
  • Both amateurs and professionals enjoy playing this game and hold annual tournaments. 1992 became a historical year for Copacabana Beach Soccer when the rules of the game were officially recorded by the Beach Soccer World Wide Association and promoted by the US Beach Soccer Federation. Over the last decade beach soccer has spread to the beaches and sand surfaces all over the world. The increasing popularity of beach soccer will help it become an official sport presented in the summer Olympic Games of the future.

National and International Beach Soccer Structure

  • At the top of the structure is the world soccer association FIFA this governing body organizes the world cup and are the rulemaking body of soccer Laws of the Game for field, futsal, and beach soccer.
  • Beach Soccer in the United States has a national team that is recognized by FIFA and plays in the beach soccer world cup, which is held every other year in varying countries. 
  • In the US beach soccer tournaments have increased from five a year twelve years ago to now 40 or more. 
  • Copa Cabana produces ten of these tournaments. 
  • None of the current tournaments in the US has any direct affiliation with FIFA, however some of them may be sanctioned by lower level federations. Sanctioning a tournament by a league helps to increase the desirability for the coaches to enter into the tournament because the insurance coverage of the league carries over into a tournament sanctioned by the local league.
  • Copa Cabana Beach Soccer is sanctioned by the US Beach Soccer Federation. 

 

Copa Cabana Mission

  • To create a family fun and safe atmosphere where the whole family can enjoy a weekend of organized athletic competition, good food, entertainment, and music in an outdoor setting on the sand.
  • To bring the atmosphere of a carnival party on the beach with Brazilian style barbecue, Food Vendors, Music, DJ, rides and entertainment for everyone in between games. 
  • To promote a team spirit with players who with their own creations of team shirts add to the colorful aspect of the tournament.
  • To build on the Copacabana beach soccer history going back 30 years when the first games were played on the sands of Rio de Janeiro beaches. 
  • Help the local community start and maintain, grow, and nurture the local youth participation in beach soccer as an added conditioning and training exercise for all sports. 
  • Provide a lower impact recreational sport for the adult and coed teams who wish to participate in a fun and friendly competitive environment. 
  • Prepare athletes to participate in the local, national, and international beach soccer tournaments.
  • Introduce beach soccer to the local community of field soccer, indoor soccer, or other foot skills based clubs of recreational youth and adult organizations in the local areas. 
  • Create a rewarding experience with the local non-profit organizations to promote, enter, or support a beach soccer tournament.
  • Create an awareness and support from local, regional, national, sponsors and vendors.
  • Produce a tournament that is a weekend destination for local as well as distant athletes that attracts a range of talent from the local youth to the top international athletes. 

Copa Cabana tournament specifics

  • All Copa Cabana tournaments are sanctioned by the US Beach Soccer Federation and are open to all teams, youth, adult, and coed. 
  • The games are 5V5, three twelve minute periods with unlimited substitutions. 
  • Referees are US Beach Soccer and Cal South certified.
  • Over one thousand teams played in the 2013 tournament season at eight different locations.
  • Local referees have been trained by Copa Cabana and United States Soccer Federation certified beach soccer referee trainers. 

Beach Soccer local requirements

  • Sand Area; Basic requirements to produce a successful tournament will be a suitable sand area each field is 30 by 40 Yards with a minimum spacing of two yards side by side and six yards end to end. The set-up is flexible as far as arrangement of the fields.
  • Festival Area; Because of the nature of the Copa Cabana event which is a festival family oriented atmosphere an area for vendors, food, registration, first aid, and entertainment is required. This area preferably will be in a parking lot and should be a minimum of 3000 sq. ft. Contained in this area is a minimum of ten 10x10 tents and registration trailer 8x20 as well as 10x20 food preparation area and two mobile food vendor trucks.
  • Parking lot size; Teams typically a first time tournament with minimal local club support will bring between 70 and 100 teams average seven to eight players per team. Requirements for parking are at least two hundred parking spaces for player transportation averaging two to three youth players per vehicle.
  • Family areas; Families typically will set up tents on the beach and will be on the beach for the duration of the tournament both Saturday and Sunday.
  • Hotel and restaurants; Local hotels and restaurants usually will provide special rates and or packages to visiting teams.  

Licenses, Permits, and Insurance

  • Permits, Licenses, and liability insurance; Copa Cabana obtains permits and licenses from the local jurisdictional agencies and carries liability insurance naming the local agencies as additional insured.
  • Participant Insurance Coverage; Copa Cabana tournaments contracts coverage thru a sports insurance underwriter that covers the coaches, spectators, and players similarly to regional and local leagues, as well as obtains sanctions from regional leagues for some of the Copa Cabana tournaments.