By GABI CHAPMAN

VIRGINIA BEACH - It seemed big at the time. Twenty eight teams with 240 players gathered on the sand in May 1994, despite blustery, cold weather, to play in the first North American Sand Soccer Championships

On Saturday, just five years later, the tournament has evolved into something huge. A total of 297 teams with 2,600 players from eleven states and eight colleges met on the sand for the world's largest amateur sand soccer event. "When the sun comes out in Virginia Beach, every single person comes outside to play. And what better game to play than soccer - and, sand soccer", said Virginia Beach Mayor Meyera Oberndorf.

Today's matches included round-robin games, followed by semi-finals and the championship round, beginning at 1 p.m.

Sand grids 25 yards by 35 yards filled every inch of beach space from 1st to 12th streets as teams met to play sand soccer - a first for many. Youth players, who made up two-thirds of the competitors, probably had the most fun. "These kids come in all shapes and sizes", said Dick Whalen, sand soccer tournament director. "There's a total of 28 divisions and something for everybody".

Adult divisions included single gender and coed brackets, including the "Corporate - Coed" grouping for area businesses and military organizations promoting health and wellness. Something new to the tournament this year is the addition of Florida-based Brazilian teams and an Ecuadorian squad. The Brazilian teams combined with some of the Hampton Roads Mariners for an exhibition game that ended in a 2-2 tie. The sidelines were packed with spectators-mostly kids-hoping to get a glimpse of some good aerial action.

"Are you kidding? They are so thrilled! They are excited! They are pumped up! This is the best. This is where they all want to be," said Diane Karple, whose son, Nikolas, plays for the U-12 NYSL Storm.

The tournament, presented this year by the Virginia Beach Neptune Festival and supported by a "Virginia Is For Lovers" tourism grant, is the premier fund-raising event for the Hampton Roads Soccer Council.

"You can't believe what we have to do to set up 12 soccer blocks that weren't there Friday nite - but they're there Saturday morning," said Michael Barrett, marketing director and former president of the Hampton Roads Soccer Council. "We're proud of our tournament, but I'll tell you, what we're really proud of is our kids. And, we're really proud of our parents who basically did it by taking their kids, setting up fields, cutting grass, selling hot dogs...the commitment is there".

Recently, the sport reached professional status by the creation of the "Professional Beach Soccer Tour", involving tours around the world and a U.S. National Team. Why is it so big? According to Buck DaCruz, a Brazilian player who was goalie for a professional soccer team for eight years, sand makes it more fun - and adds an extra challenge. "It's difficult for the keeper to keep watching the ball, because sand is flying everywhere", DaCruz said.