UNICEF hosts second annual flockey tournament
Photo by Tianna Tran
The UNICEF president, Khaled Taifour (11) leads the volunteers in the Greater Lansing Food Bank food drive on Nov. 19 at the South Church of the Nazarene.
February 8, 2023
The UNICEF club’s flockey (floor hockey) tournament will be held Jan. 21. After the club’s initial plans to host it in December, it has been postponed due to scheduling conflicts with basketball.
It will be held from 10 a.m.- 1 p.m. at the high school. This will be the second annual tournament, and this year it will be held to raise money for refugees in the Yemen crisis.
Club president Khaled Taifour (11) is excited to hold one this year. The previous year, he was on the board and helped to set up the tournament, but this is his first year running the tournament as president.
“I’m really hoping it [the tournament] does become a tradition later on in the future so future club presidents will lead this as well,” Taifour said.
While the school also holds a flockey league later in the year, the UNICEF tournament will be different. For the UNICEF tournament, each game is half an hour and a one round elimination, so if you lose, you’re out.
“The main difference is the UNICEF flockey tournament is a mini one day tournament and all the money is going to refugees,” Taifour said.
To enter, there will be a sheet to fill out with team information and it will cost about $5-7 per person, which is where the money for the donation comes from.
It has not been confirmed if spectators will be allowed to view the games, depending on which gym it will be held in. If spectators are allowed they will have to purchase a ticket for $6 on GoFan, which is also part of the donation.
Annabelle DiMaggio (12) was on the winning team of last year’s tournament, Lights Out, and looks forward to competing again this year. Lights Out is excited to continue their winning streak to support UNICEF’s cause.
“We are just really excited to play,” DiMaggio said. “We want to keep on going with what we did last year.”
As January approaches, more details of the tournament will be finalized. Information can be found on UNICEF’s instagram, (@elhsunicef). Listen to the announcements, look for flyers around the school, or talk to Taifour or Jeff Lampi, the Spanish teacher.
