The third annual UCA Amigo Cup Soccer Challenge is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 30 on the campus of the University of Central Arkansas.
The tournament will begin at 9 a.m. at the Bill Stephens Track and Soccer Complex located at the corner of Donaghey Avenue and Dave Ward Drive. There will be campus tours, Mexican food vendors and Latino music during the event. The tournament is free and open to the public.
The Amigo Cup provides a festive statewide event for Latinos and showcases the city of Conway and UCA campus in an effort to recruit Latino students to the university. The Latino/Hispanic population is the fastest growing population in the state. The Arkansas Hispanic/Latino population grew 114 percent from 2000 to 2010, representing 6.4 percent of the Arkansas population, according to U.S. Census.
The tournament started in 2010 with Latino teams from the central Arkansas area. It has expanded to include Latino teams from across the state.
“The Amigo Cup is a marquee event that helps publicize and promote UCA and the City of Conway in Latino households around the state,” said Dr. Gary Roberts, dean of students and chair of the Amigo Cup Soccer Challenge Committee. “It is critical that we, as institutions of higher learning, reach out and provide educational opportunities to our growing Latino population.”
