CJSW’s Slurpee Cup raises money for charity

By Ashton Chugh

Campus media, local bars and amateur athletes are preparing for the 17th annual CJSW Slurpee Cup street hockey tournament on August 23. The one-day tournament raises money for various charities.

“We ask local businesses and partners of the station to set up a team,” said CJSW summer promotions leader Will Cowie. “All the money raised goes towards a charity of their choice. The amount varies per year, but overall, we raise anywhere from $2,000–5,000.”

Each team of 8–15 players pays $300 to enter. Teams must have one girl on the court at all times. CJSW encourages players to wear outrageous costumes.

“It’s a lot of fun and not very competitive,” Cowie said. “It’s just a silly little street hockey tournament. Afterwards, we go to the Den for dinner and an after party. Each team gets a free large pizza and a pitcher of beer.”

Cowie said that the tournament brings the community together and has grown in popularity over the years.

“People around the community have heard about it,” Cowie said. “It has gotten to be a thing that people ask us about. We don’t really have to go around spreading the word.”

The winners are immortalized on a Stanley Cup-like trophy. To encourage good sportsmanship, CJSW offers other awards for spirit, best costume and most sportsman-like.

“We try and keep it as non-competitive as we can to stop people from being dicks and throwing punches or whatever,” Cowie said. “That has happened in the past. It’s bad and we don’t want that.”

Fiasco, the winners of last year’s tournament, will provide free gelato to the teams and fans. Outside of raising money for a charity of their choice, CJSW also provides teams an additional incentive to win.

“The winners of those trophies are allotted the most money to their charity. We also give them a flat of beer,” Cowie said.

Cowie doesn’t play hockey himself and says that it’s mostly amateurs who enter the tournament.

“The beauty of this is that no one plays hockey,” Cowie said. “It’s just an awesome fun day.”

The one-day tournament will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the University of Calgary tennis courts.

Spectators are encouraged to come show their support.