The Gio Cup Goes Season-Long, and Scholarship Applications Are Open

This year looks a little different for the Giovanni Vitrano Foundation, and we want to share what's new. The Gio Cup is underway in a brand-new format, and applications for our 2026-27 scholarships are open now through January 31, 2027.

The Gio Cup, All Season Long

This fall, we weren't able to secure a venue for our Gio Cup event. Rather than sit the year out, we took the Gio Cup somewhere new: across the entire high school season.

Six programs are competing for the Gio Cup this year:

• Chiles
• Florida High
• Leon
• Lincoln
• Maclay
• Wakulla

Lincoln returns after a year away, and Wakulla joins us for the first time. We're grateful to every coach, player, and athletic department for being part of it.

How It Works

Every matchup between these six schools counts toward the Gio Cup standings. The boys and girls compete in separate races, and each will crown its own champion at the end of the season.

Teams are ranked by points per match. A win is worth three points, a draw is worth one, and a loss is worth zero. That total is divided by the number of Gio Cup matches a team has played. High school schedules don't always line up evenly, and matches sometimes get canceled. Points per match keeps the race fair no matter how many games each team ends up playing.

If teams finish level, ties are broken first by their head-to-head results, then by goal differential and goals allowed. That means every goal, at both ends of the field, can make a difference.

Competition kicked off last week. You can follow the standings all season at [STANDINGS LINK].

2026-27 Scholarship Applications Are Open

Our scholarship applications are open now through January 31, 2027. This year, we will award $1,500 to our winner and $1,000 to each of two runners-up.

For the past several years, the Gio Cup preseason event has been our biggest fundraiser. Without it this fall, our scholarship pool is smaller than in years past. Giving back to the Tallahassee soccer community is the reason this foundation exists, though, and we weren't going to let a tough year stop us from doing that.

Who Can Apply

Student-athletes who meet all of the following criteria are encouraged to apply:

• Played varsity high school soccer or at an equivalent club level
• Graduating member of the Class of 2027
• 3.2 GPA or higher as of January 31, 2027
• Lives in the Tallahassee area, which includes Leon, Franklin, Gadsden, Wakulla, Jefferson, Jackson, Liberty, Madison, Taylor, Lafayette, Suwannee, and Hamilton counties

Applications are reviewed by our board, and finalists receive a follow-up conversation before winners are selected. You can apply at [APPLICATION LINK]. If you know a student who fits, please pass this along.

Looking Ahead to 2027

With help from our schools and our community, we're working to bring back a preseason event in 2027: the Gio Cup Kickoff Classic. Its results will count toward the season-long standings. When it returns, we plan to take our scholarships to new levels.

Since 2021, this foundation has been powered entirely by volunteers and by a community that refuses to let Gio's memory fade. Thank you for continuing to carry it with us. We'll see you at the field.