WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — More than 600 high school soccer players across Hampton Roads will compete in the 2024 Keeper's Cup Memorial Soccer Tournament next week.
The tournament kicks off Monday in Williamsburg, but the biggest goal won't be scored on the field.
"This tournament isn't just about showcasing soccer talent. This is about championing safe driving here in our community," said organizer Tammy Gweedo McGee.
McGee is one of the tournament's founders, and she's doing it with purpose. The Keeper's Cup is held in honor of her son, Connor Gweedo, and Luke Messick. Both were local standout goalkeepers who were killed in separate car crashes.
Now, their families are teaming up to raise awareness about the dangers of distracted driving.
The tournament will educate families about safe driving, and representatives from AAA Tidewater, VDOT, and local law enforcement agencies will be there.
"Each one of us can make a difference behind the wheel every single day," said McGee.
According to data from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, more than 6,000 crashes involved a teen driver between May and August last year in the Commonwealth.
In 2019, Conner Gweedo was one of three 16-year-old Tabb High students killed in a car wreck. His classmate, who was driving, was unlicensed and police said the teenage driver's lack of experience and speed played a role in the crash.
Luke Messick, a former soccer standout at Kecoughtan High School in Hampton, died in 2021, "while traveling to the play the sport he loved." Police charged the other driver with reckless driving following the crash in Hanover County, according to media reports. He was 22 years old.
After her son's death, McGee launched an anonymous tip line to report unsafe driving, and state lawmakers passed two bills based on her advocacy.
The Conner Gweedo Memorial Foundation offers anonymous reporting of unsafe driving and other issues. In the meantime, Tammy has pushed for safer driving laws. So far, Virginia state lawmakers have passed two laws based on her advocacy.
Within three days of Luke's passing, his family started a non-profit focused on his passion to support education and youth soccer in Ghana. Luke Messick Futbol Charities also provides local scholarships.
"We encourage everyone to step up to the plate and realize that driving is something you do every day for the rest of your life, but it's the one thing we pay the least amount of attention to," said McGee.
Teams from a dozen local schools will play more than 40 games next week, and she hopes families walk away knowing they are all on one team when it comes to our roadways.
The tournament kicks off next Monday at Warhill Sports Complex in Williamsburg. It's free, but they are accepting donations.
They will also collect gently used soccer gear to support orphans in Ghana.