About 4,500 people from 75 soccer teams in 24 clubs in Maryland, the District and Virginia will descend on Centreville Aug. 21-22 for the Cardinal Cup Soccer Tournament.
The Southwestern Youth Association (SYA) is holding the tournament as a Fields of Dreams fund-raiser.
"[The tournament] will be a good weekend of soccer," said tournament director Glenn Cornell. "It will let the tournament make a name for itself, and hopefully build on itself in the future."
The tournament will run from 8 a.m. until sunset on the following area fields: Bull Run Park, Stringfellow Park, Popular Tree Park, Kincheloe Park, Braddock Park, Liberty Middle School, and Willow Springs Elementary School.
The tournament will be broken down into 18 divisions by ages and levels of play so that one team will emerge from each division. The winners will receive T-shirts, individual medals, and the coach will be presented with a Cardinal Cup.
The Cardinal Cup will be the first travel tournament for SYA, by accepting teams outside the club. "[The tournament] will give the club visibility," said Cornell. "It shows that your team has the skill to compete with other top teams, in and out of the area."
In the planning stages for about one year, the tournament was scheduled for August in consideration of the weather. In the case of rain, the schedule and venues may be altered but the games will continue to be played. The early tournament will also allow residents to scope out their favorite teams and make plans for the regular season.
All proceeds will go to the Fields of Dreams, a proposed 120-acre, multi-sport complex located on Bull Run Post Office Road near Route 29 in Centreville. It will include 10 playing fields for all of the popular youth sports.
For more information about the tournament or sponsorship, visit www.CardinalCup.com or call Glenn Cornell at 703-385-0150.