History of the Royceton Gomes Memorial Football Tournament
The history that precedes this tournament, dates back to August 25, 1979, when a little boy, Royceton Gomes, aged nine, was studying in standard 3 at St. Paul’s High School in Belgaum city. On that fateful day he went on a picnic with his parents to Gokak Falls. Royceton left the house all excited, but never to return.
He met his end in a shallow canal adjoining the dam at the picnic spot near the falls. The hazardous waters swept him away. Later, his body was recovered after a search operation. His parents were in shock.
Royceton had been very fond of football. It drove his father, Joe Gomes, to start a football tournament in his memory. In 1981, a few of Joe Gomes’s close friends started the tournament on St. Paul’s ground. Over the years it has gained popularity and today, after 32 years, the tournament is one of the most-looked forward to annual event. Participants are not only the local schools but also teams from Mumbai, Pune and Goa for the invitation cup.
This tournament has seen one of the most disciplined teams playing each other. The standard of the teams has also on the rise with the passage of time.
Many of those reading this might have just remembered themselves playing or cheering, the atmosphere is thrilling and the under 13 lads just play good football.