The Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association’s (BHTA) community-focused Adopt-A-School Futsal Tournament is hitting new strides in its sophomore year, with organizers reporting significant growth in participation and a marked rise in on-court competitive quality. This year’s iteration has drawn 24 total teams, an addition of 8 squads compared to the tournament’s inaugural 2023 staging, marking a 33 percent expansion in just one year.
Hosted at the dedicated futsal facility at The Oasis in Kendall Hill, Christ Church, the tournament entered its second weekend of round-robin play this week, with organizers highlighting that the event has retained the electric energy and good sportsmanship that defined its debut, while stepping up the intensity of matchplay.
Tessalee Moore, BHTA’s Special Projects Manager, shared that the second round of group fixtures delivered the kind of tightly contested, high-stakes matches that have turned the community tournament into a anticipated annual fixture for Barbados’ tourism and hospitality sector. “From last year’s opening edition to this year’s competition, we’ve kept the same high level of energy, competitiveness and camaraderie across all matches,” Moore explained. “The level of buy-in and support from every participating team has been incredibly encouraging, and the BHTA couldn’t be happier with how the tournament has progressed in just two years.”
Moore emphasized that the standard of play has improved dramatically compared to the inaugural event, a shift she attributes to both the larger pool of participating teams and the higher level of preparation squads have brought to this year’s competition. “Last year set a strong foundational benchmark for what this tournament could be, and this year teams showed up far better prepared to compete,” she said. “We’ve already seen a string of extremely close matches and a handful of unexpected upsets that have made every game feel exciting and unpredictable.”
Beyond the on-court action, Moore noted that feedback from participating players and team staff has been overwhelmingly positive. The tournament brings together workers from across Barbados’ critical tourism and hospitality sector, giving employees a rare chance to connect with peers from other organizations outside of the pressure of their daily work roles. “Teams really value the opportunity to get together, step away from the workplace, and decompress through a shared love of futsal,” Moore said.
Most importantly, the event ties recreational competition to a meaningful public good: all participation supports student and educational development initiatives across Barbados, a purpose that resonates deeply with every competing squad. “Players love that just by showing up and playing, they’re contributing to a greater cause that lifts up education across the country,” Moore added.
The latest round of matchplay over the weekend delivered a wide range of results across the group stage. On Saturday, St James Travel & Tours Sunlinc Five Star Fast Track secured a clean 3-0 win over Apes Hill United, while Hilton Barbados Resort claimed a narrow 2-1 victory against Barbados Yacht Club. Hotel Indigo shut out Montrose Holdings Limited 3-0, Wyndham Grand Barbados and The Mango Bay Group played to a scoreless draw, and Barbados Conference Services Limited defeated The Crane 5-2. The fixture between Oasis All Stars and Grantley Adams International Airport also ended in a 0-0 draw.
Sunday’s matches brought more competitive action, with Coral Reef Club cruising to a 3-0 win over Barbados Port Inc. Aventa Ltd edged out Harbour Lights CK UVA 3-2, and Caribbean Aircraft Handling picked up a 4-2 win over a combined BHTA NSC squad. Accra Beach Hotel & Spa & The Abidah by Accra played to a goalless draw against The Club Barbados Resort, while Ocean Hotels claimed a 2-1 win over The Sandpiper. Barbados Marriott Collection secured the same 2-1 margin of victory against Foster & Ince Tiami Catamaran Cruises.