Parents, we need to start thinking about our tournament plans for the season. Here is a list of tournaments for the fall season, with notes about those I have experience with:
| Name | Dates | Hosting Club | Fields | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heatwave Kickoff Classic | Aug 14-15 | Houston Texans | Kingwood? | |
| Alvin Summer Classic | Aug 20-23 | Alvin Soccer Club | Alvin, TX | |
| Texas Rush Cup | Aug 21-22 | Texas Rush, Katy | Bear Creek, with overflow at Bear Branch, Woodlands, and Conroe | |
| Houston Labor Day Cup | Labor Day Weekend | Bear Creek and Westside Soccer Blubs | Bear Creek | This tournament is HUGE, and parking is difficult |
| Quest Labor Day Classic | Labor Day Weekend | Quest Youth Soccer Club | Deer Park and La Porte | |
| Missouri City Friendship Tournament | Columbus Day Weekend | Missouri City United | Missouri City | Looking at their web site, it appears former Liverpool families can comment on this one. |
| Houstonians Thanksgiving Cup | Nov 28-30 | Houstonians FC | ? | |
| 3v3 Live Tour | Dec 13 | N/A | ? | This appears to be a travelling organization. |
| Eclipse Academy Cup | Dec 4-7 | Eclipse | Eclipse fields | U9-U10 only tournament; very well run and easy to deal with. |
| Klein 6-a-Side | Dec 27 | Klein Soccer Club | Spring, TX |
I would like to do 2 tournaments per season, with possible participation in a 3v3 tournament as well. I had a great experience at the Eclipse Academy Cup last year, when Alex was a guest player for Arsenal. Perhaps the former Liverpool families can comment on their experiences at the Missouri City tournament. The Labor Day Cup is, as I noted, huge–maybe too big, and parking at Bear Creek can be very difficult. That said, the tournament is doable (you just need to arrive early to find a place to park) if people like the idea of playing on the holiday weekend (the advantage being that you have an extra day to squeeze in the games).
Parents, please comment below on your feelings on these tournaments. The first one has a registration deadline that is just a few days away, so we need to start thinking about these things. Let me know if you would not be available for a particular tournament date, if you have had good or bad experiences at any of these tournaments, or if you want nothing to do with tournaments or you want your son playing in every possible tournament.
We loved doing the Missouri City tournament last year. I think a Labor Day tournament would be kind of hard.