Dani Braga's 'Day of Champions' still a soccer tournament of best giving back to less fortunate

Dani Braga had an idea — a really good one.

The Jericho varsity boys soccer coach thought about putting together a tournament and weaving in an emphasis on quality and charity.

“I always wanted to do a tournament with the best teams in New York,” said Braga, now in his 14th season leading the Jayhawks. “We’ve had [during] my tenure at Jericho four state championships and I think we’ve had one of the better successful runs in New York. I always play the best competition I can.”

That included the competition at a tournament in Oneonta. But that gathering came to an end. So . . . “I decided that it would be best for all the [top] teams in Nassau and Suffolk to come and showcase their talents here,” Braga said. “So I thought it would be advantageous to all — we have the facilities — to see if we could host it while benefiting a great charity.”

That was how the Day of Champions came about at Jericho.

The third annual event featured seven games Saturday. One more is set for Sunday.

The lineup included talented teams from New York City and Westchester as well.

But it was indeed about more than Long Beach vs. Xavier, East Hampton vs. St. Anthony’s, Kellenberg vs. Pierson/Bridgehampton, Garden City vs. Fort Hamilton, Amityville vs. Chaminade, Whitman vs. Horace Greeley, Jericho vs. New Rochelle and Sunday’s game between Chaminade and New Rochelle.

“It’s going to a great cause,” Jericho senior captain Reilly Minor said. “There’s going to be hopefully a lot of people who see behind it and why we’re doing it.”

They’re doing it to benefit the Pat Covelli Foundation.

Braga, a former St. John’s and professional goalkeeper, is close with John Covelli of Syosset, the president of the foundation, which serves in honor of his brother. Pat Covelli died at age 44 in 1998 after suffering from multiple health problems.

“We said, ‘You know what? He would want us helping people,’ ” John Covelli said. “So we set up this foundation, and over the last 20-something years, we’ve helped some local charities and kidney foundations and all kinds of foundations. With Dani’s help, we’re just bringing in more money.”

Braga asks the participating coaches about charities that are important to them, the team or the school.

“Then I will sit with John Covelli and … try to allocate the money to each one,” Braga said.

There are no ticket sales. Some money comes from selling commemorative T-shirts and hats and other concessions like food and water.

And this year, the tournament secured two Jericho-based sponsors, the Morgan Foundation and Cafe Dolce Vita. They’re donating money. They also covered the merchandise costs.

“Every player on every team usually buys a T-shirt, too,” Braga said.

The 2023 tournament raised about $12,000.

“I think it’s one of those things,” Braga said, “where any opportunity you have a chance to give back to people that are less fortunate than you are and can really help somebody and see that on their faces. It’s a good feeling.”