For nine years, the Lake Superior Open soccer tournament featured only girls teams. But this year the East Select Soccer Club-hosted tourney, which begins today, will feature boys teams.
According to tournament director John Ball, a recent surge in boys joining the club led to the change.
"We've had boys playing in the club for a couple years and the numbers are growing, but for boys to play in our tournament we needed a special sanctioning," he said. "Now we've got that and are excited to have boys teams competing."
The boys divisions range from under-9- to under-12-year-old teams. Girls brackets also start at U-9 but go up to U-18. All totaled, Ball expects nearly 1,500 players to compete in the tournament.
Of the 73 teams entered in the tournament, Ball said nearly half come from the Twin Cities area.
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"The Duluth Convention and Visitors Bureau told us that we make a $1.5 million impact on the local economy and fill almost 1,000 hotel rooms," he said. "We're proud of how big we're getting."
In fact, the tournament has grown enough to require an additional playing site next year to accommodate all of the teams. For now, however, all of this year's games will be played on the Arlington and Jean Duluth fields. Admission is free.
Opening-round play began this morning and championship games will be contested Sunday afternoon. A complete listing of the weekend's schedule can be found at dulutheastsoccer.com.
In addition to the
13 teams that East Select will be fielding, area teams from Cloquet, Hermantown, Proctor and two other Duluth clubs will compete as well this weekend.
