Shine the Light is an all-girls tournament that celebrates female players, raises awareness, and brings our community together around a powerful cause.
Shine the Light is Whitecaps London’s signature all-girls soccer tournament, created to give female players a competitive, memorable weekend of soccer while also shining a spotlight on the vital message of supporting women and girls and standing against abuse and human trafficking. The event is hosted annually in London, Ontario, typically running over a full weekend in early June at North London Soccer Fields and Windermere Soccer Fields, and welcomes girls’ teams from across the province in age groups such as U13, U14, U15, U16, U18, and U21. Families can expect multiple games across the weekend in a festival-style format, a vibrant atmosphere around the fields, and meaningful touches like the pink whistles given to every participant, which symbolize having a voice and staying engaged in the game in many roles—player, coach, referee, and guardian of safety. Beyond the scores, Shine the Light exists to keep girls involved in sport, promote safe, respectful environments, and raise funds and awareness for the London Abused Women’s Centre’s Shine the Light campaign, with proceeds from the tournament supporting their work and the broader principles of Respect in Sport and Ontario Soccer’s commitment to equity and well-being. For parents, this section makes clear that their daughters are not only playing in a quality event hosted by a high-performance club, but also participating in something bigger that uses the power of soccer to champion safety, confidence, and community.
Shine the Light is led by Whitecaps London in partnership with the London Abused Women’s Centre and supported by Ontario Soccer, Respect in Sport, local sponsors, and a large network of volunteers, all working together to ensure the tournament’s strong message is matched by strong organization on and off the field. Club leadership and tournament co-chairs oversee planning, age-group divisions, scheduling, and coordination with referees and media partners such as Rogers TV, who have helped broadcast finals and share the campaign’s message with a wider audience. Coaches and team staff prepare players to compete with intensity and sportsmanship while also taking time to explain the meaning behind the event, reinforcing themes of respect, safety, and looking out for one another, and they remain key points of contact for families throughout the weekend. Volunteers, city staff, and community partners support field setup, information, and logistics, while adherence to policies posted on the club site—such as tournament rules, emergency action planning, weather, concussion, and equity and inclusion guidelines—helps create a safe, welcoming space for every participant. Through this collaborative approach, Shine the Light becomes more than a tournament; it is a living example of Whitecaps London’s commitment to player well-being, character, and community impact, giving girls and their families an event they can feel proud to be part of year after year.
