The Big Bend soccer season has kicked off and over the weekend the turf at Chiles's Stan Goldstein Field was the hub for area soccer as the 2023 Gio Cup took place.

The tournament is staged by the Giovanni Vitrano Foundation and is used to promote the opening of the annual Giovanni Vitrano Memorial Scholarship, which is given to local soccer players to fund higher education opportunities.

Founded by Ron Vitrano, Giovanni’s father, the Giovanni Vitrano Foundation honors the legacy of his son, who tragically passed away in 2021. The cup, which is in its second year, was won by the Maclay boys soccer program, and the Lincoln girls program won the first girl's Gio Cup tournament, something Vitrano is proud to have added.

“It means a lot because we want the awareness to be across the whole spectrum,” Vitrano said. “The scholarships open to boys, girls and even club players that don't play high school soccer. We want to make sure it's inclusive to everybody.”

Vitrano said this year’s scholarship will provide the winner with $6,000 for tuition assistance, with two other players receiving $2,000 in assistance.

“When you see the kids show up and see the struggles they've had to get through in high school, playing athletics and trying to get to that next level,” Vitrano said. “It puts a smile on our face when you get to see it happen.”

Andy Warner, head coach at Maclay, coached Giovanni at the club level with Warner soccer, and he said the event honors the legacy of the player Giovanni was and provides the soccer community with an opportunity to play in something that means more than just preseason.

“I said this to the boys coming in, it's a memory of a young man, that was just outstanding and had such a passion for the game,” Warner said. “For these young men, many of them will realize it's the best time in their lives when it comes to sports and a lot of these people are going to be friends for life, so this is a lot more than just winning soccer games for them.”

Maclay won the Gio Cup final, beating Leon, and Warner says the final reminded his team and those involved that high school sports can be more than just a game played on a field, and it can make an impact in the community.

RJ Hosay, one of Warner’s players at Maclay in 2022, received $1,500 in tuition assistance from the Giovanni Vitrano Memorial Scholarship last year. Warner remembers when Hosay was told he won the scholarship and said it was a moment that showed the importance of the foundation's efforts.

“It’s wonderful, it's just another thing in the sports realm that magnifies the importance of sports in the community,” Warner said. “I've done this my whole life, professionally for 40 years, so I'm in the community and we need this. This is just a great event and long may it continue.”

More information

Applications for the Giovanni Memorial Scholarship are now open and will close on Jan. 31, 2024. To qualify for the application, the player must have played varsity soccer or equal club level, and maintain at least a 3.2 GPA.

For more details on how to apply for the scholarship or get involved visit gvscholarship.org.

Liam Rooney covers preps sports for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at LRooney@gannett.com or on Twitter @__liamrooney

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: 2023 Gio Cup showcases Giovanni Vitrano scholarship opportunities