Taiwanese Chinese American Athletic Tournament Kicks Off Saturday

With the Summer Olympics approaching, residents itching for some friendly athletic competition of their own have to look no further than in their own backyard.

The Taiwanese Chinese American Athletic Tournament is an annual sporting event featuring 30 athletic competitions—everything from table tennis to ballroom dancing, track and field to tug-of-war—and of course, it is a cultural festival including food, music, games and more.

“The TCAAT originally began with the belief to bring all Chinese immigrants who have passions for athletics in the Bay Area together,” says TCAAT chairwoman Janice Sung, “This year is the 28th anniversary of the event.” The 2012 TCAAT opening ceremonies will be held on July 22 at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills.

The tournament originally began as a small athletic festival, hosting only one to two sporting competitions. TCAAT has grown in size throughout the years, adding an additional athletic activity to the competition each year. Sung says the increase in participants over time has helped shape the tournament into something more than just an athletic event. “[It’s become] a cultural social gathering. And while our goal is ethnically specific, we welcome anyone and everyone interested to join this exciting day.”

As the chairwoman, Sung has been actively involved with each step of the tournament preparations.

“My primary role has been building and coordinating with a great team of passionate volunteers who are willing to work sleepless nights with me to make this event possible.” Hoping to set the foundation, Sung is eager to inspire others in achieving a specific goal: to bring the community together.

Access to the 2012 TCAAT registration forms, as well as rules and regulations for specific sporting competitions, can be found online at www.tcaat.org. The opening ceremony will be held at 9 a.m. at Foothill College. Parking is free.