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The top two items on the Christmas shopping list of John and Leslie Maier were soccer trophies.

It is a way of remembering their son, Chris, during the holidays.

Chris died March 2 of bacterial meningitis, two weeks after scoring the game-winning goal for Sabino High School in the Class 4A state title game.

"We're doing the trophies because we're not doing presents for Christopher," Leslie said. "That's our gift to him."

The trophies will honor the champion and MVP of this week's Chris Maier Sabercat Invitational at Sabino. The tournament was renamed last spring following Chris' death.

He was popular, friendly and athletic, and known as much for his sense of humor as his soccer talent. Sabercats coach Jon Pearlman jokingly called his midfielder "the head of leisure activities" on the team.

"He was the most popular guy at the party," Pearlman said.

"He was the kind of kid who makes being on a high school sports team fun. … His personality brought the whole team together."

Two weeks after winning the state title, Maier spent Rodeo Week in Durango, Colo., skiing with friends. He began to feel sick when he returned to Tucson.

Leslie said he was sent home from a club soccer practice the night before he died. He took a bath at home in an attempt to abate the chills, and vomited in the early morning hours.

By the time Chris was rushed to the hospital, it was too late to save him.

The Maiers have instead spent much of their time since Chris' death creating awareness of the disease, which primarily affects young people.

More than 3,000 Americans contract meningococcal meningitis every year and 10 percent to 12 percent of them die, according to the National Meningitis Association (NMA).

Symptoms during early stages of meningitis resemble those of the flu which can leave sufferers not realizing they have the disease.

Death from meningitis comes quickly, often within hours, making education of the disease so critical.

The NMA provided each participant in this week's tournament with a water bottle — sharing drinking vessels is one way to spread the disease — and a flier explaining the risk factors and symptoms of meningitis.

Their eventual goal is to offer a meningitis vaccine to young athletes throughout the country. John used his contacts with Los Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno to get the team to shoot a public service announcement last summer.

He is currently trying to contact Little League in an attempt to inform the 850,000 children who play youth baseball that the disease exists.

"If you were to ask the average person, I don't think they'd know anything about meningitis," John said.

"I think it's pretty much an unknown, even right now. At this point, we're just trying to get the word out."

The Maiers are also doing their best to stay involved in the Sabino soccer program. Leslie helps Pearlman throughout the season and John is the team's scorekeeper. Both plan on keeping the tournament going indefinitely.

"It's more than just a tournament," Sabino junior Joe Trejo said. "It's really emotional for us, what we're going through. We really want to win the tournament for Chris."