By Caitlin Opperman

Grab a soccer ball and lose your shoes! This Sunday is the third annual Macalester Lose the Shoes barefoot 3 v. 3 soccer tournament, an event benefiting Grassroot Soccer, a non-profit organization that educates African youth about HIV/AIDS through soccer.There are 39 teams registered for this year’s tournament, a record 200 participants anticipated. In fact, the event is so popular this year that organizers had to add seven extra teams after the registration deadline. The 2010 tournament has also been opened to faculty and staff.

“We have one staff team comprised of Jarrett Yehlen, Kate Ryan-Reiling, Steve Murray, Ian Barker and Jemma Perkins,” co-organizer Allison Kappeyne ’12 said. “Also, Hugo Martínez-González is rumored to be playing on one of the student teams.”

The teams are divided between a competitive bracket and a recreational bracket. Each team is guaranteed three 15-minute games. Ten fields can run at one time.

“After pool play ends we will have Ian Barker as our guest speaker, we will announce the raffle winners, take a large tournament group photo, and announce the teams that have moved on to the next round of play,” Kappeyne said.

Prizes will be awarded to the top teams in each bracket as well as to the most spirited team and the largest donor.

Community sponsors of this year’s tournament include Eurosport, Planet Soccer in Minneapolis, Dunn Bros Coffee, Subway, Dairy Queen, Starbucks, Patagonia, Grand Performance, St. Paul Corner Drug, and Coat of Many Colors.

Kappeyne is grateful for that support, noting that Lose the Shoes is important at both local and national levels.

“[Lose the Shoes] raises HIV awareness across a multitude of college and high school campuses,” she said. “I think this AIDS awareness campaign is very successful because of soccer’s international popularity. Lose the Shoes tournaments allow students and community members alike to have fun all while supporting Grassroot Soccer.”

Kappeyne became involved with Lose the Shoes her freshman year, and is taking the reins from Dave Hanold ’09, Kelsey Speer ’10 and Scott Petesch ’10, along with Matt Weyer ’12. All are Macalester soccer players.

“Last year, Matt and I helped out on separate committees when Dave ‘Grandpa Dave’ Hanold took on the coordinator responsibilities,” Kappeyne said. “Dave graduated last spring, and Kelsey and Scott are now both seniors looking to pass down the organizing responsibilities, so Matt and I jumped on it.”

The future of Lose the Shoes is just as bright this year, with many freshmen helping out on the organizing committee.

For now, however, Kappeyne and the rest of the committee are focusing on the final details and looking forward to the event.

“My favorite part of Lose the Shoes is watching the whole Macalester community come together to participate in this fun event,” she said. “It is great to see soccer players, non-soccer players, international students, non-athletes, and athletes all together competing against each other in fun, small-sided games.”

The event begins at noon on Sunday. For more information about Lose the Shoes, visit http://www.grassrootsoccer.org/join-the-team/lose-the-shoes/.