Plenty of action on fields at Daily Pilot Cup

A week before the 18^th annual Daily Pilot Cup began, tournament director Kirk McIntosh confronted his greatest fear. He said he received an email from Christian Hernandez, Costa Mesa’s assistant recreation supervisor, who said that Costa Mesa High School’s new stadium would not be available for use during the youth soccer tournament.

That caused a scheduling nightmare for McIntosh, who had already drawn up the schedule for some 400 games, roughly 25 of those slated at the stadium.

However, after discovering a scheduling miscommunication Hernandez and Mayor Katrina Foley helped restore the availability at Mustangs Field. This has been a boon for McIntosh and the children in the Pilot Cup – 211 teams – considering this year is unique because of construction at the Jack Hammett Sports Complex, better known as the Farm.

The Los Angeles Chargers have taken over field Nos. 3 and 4 at the Farm to put in new turf for their training camp this summer. A black fence surrounds the fields during the Pilot Cup. McIntosh has had to improvise and move around teams.

“It has put a black eye on the Farm,” McIntosh said. “We are all now looking at a fence. It’s all blocked off. Before, you had a massive group of people walking in that area. Now you just don’t get that tournament feel.”

McIntosh, the Pilot Cup founder, said the idea of moving games to Orange Coast College was discussed, but he was concerned about kids and families crossing the street on Fairview Avenue. Instead, field 2 at the Farm was converted into two fields, and the same design went for the field at Davis Magnet School. The Pilot Cup games are also played at Costa Mesa High School.

“Next year it will be even better,” Foley said of the Pilot Cup. “Sometimes you have to sacrifice for the greater good. [Next year] they can play on a field not like any other field that they’ve played on.”

Foley helped sort out the scheduling conflict that came about Sunday, when Costa Mesa High’s football team had been slated to hold a Jesse Sapolu linemen event in the stadium. But the football team moved the date to June 25, Foley said.

Now, Pilot Cup games, including semifinal and championship matches, will take place on Mustangs Field this Sunday.

Foley expressed excitement that both groups, Costa Mesa football and the Pilot Cup, will have their time in the stadium.

Sapolu, a Costa Mesa resident and a former Pro Bowl-offensive lineman for the San Francisco 49ers, recently held a lineman tournament at Mustangs Field. That competition featured linemen from high schools that play in upper divisions for CIF Southern Section football. Next month’s event will include linemen who play for high schools in lower divisions.

“Everybody gets to play on Mustangs Field,” Foley said. “It’s a great, quality stadium that we can use for the whole community.”

Mariners and St. Joachim girls’ teams played in the stadium Tuesday night to open the Pilot Cup. McIntosh said he liked the set-up of the match, as spectators are not along the sideline as they are on other fields. They are in the stands.

“The kids love playing in the stadium,” McIntosh said. “I overheard some of the kids before they played on the field and they were thrilled.”

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Twitter: @SteveVirgen