Birmingham, Ala.— Alabama Soccer Association (ASA) and Foley Sports Tourism (FST) have finalized rights to host the two-week Alabama State Cup in the city of Foley this November.
The ASA State Cup is the first level of competition in the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series. Teams who win the State Cup earn the right to represent Alabama at regional and national competitions.
Foley's Executive Director of Sports, Don Staley said, "This is an organization we've beeen courting for two years. Landing this prestigious tournament paves the way for even more future events (with ASA and US Youth Soccer)."
"The event should bring approximately 80 teams with an estimated total travel party of 2,500 during the event," continued Staley. "Approximately 500 hotel rooms will be used to house teams, both weekends."
The dates are November 5-6, 2016 for the Division 2 Preliminary round for Boys and Girls (U14-U19). Those dates will be in conjunction with the Sun Belt Conference women's soccer championship tournament, previously secured at FST for the next two years.
The Division 1 (Boys & Girls: U15-U19) and Division 2 (Boys & Girls: U14-U19) Final Four will be held at FST the following week, November 12-13.
"We are thrilled to work with Don Staley and Foley Sports Tourism," said ASA Executive Director Tom Condone. "The complex is state of the art and the ability to bring our state championships to the Alabama Gulf Coast for the first time is very exciting."
Condone continued to state, "We are committed to our student-athletes, and providing them with a facility of this magnitude for our championships will help them succeed at a very high level."
About Foley Sports Tourism
Foley Sports Tourism organizes and hosts major athletic events in the City of Foley, Alabama and surrounding region. Events are held at a variety of venues, including the city’s new Mega-Complex.
The Foley Sports Tourism Complex is a proposed sports destination, unlike any other, designed with the athlete and their fans in mind. Our mild climate makes the outdoor complex ideal for year-round play. Not to mention, the facilities are located only 9 short miles from Alabama’s beautiful Gulf Coast! Opening May 2016, the outdoor complex will feature 16, state-of-the-art, multi-purpose fields designed for soccer, lacrosse, and other competitive field sports. While the Foley Event Center, slated to open May 2017, will feature ample indoor space to host volleyball, basketball, gymnastics tournaments and more.
To top off our exciting sports complex, an adjacent family-friendly entertainment destination will soon be underway. The destination will feature something for every age whether it’s thrills and chills in the theme park to name brand hotels with conference facilities to a variety of dining and shopping opportunities.
Stay tuned to our exciting project updates by visiting http://foleysportstourism.com/ or like us on Facebook.
About Alabama Soccer Association
As the Alabama affiliate of US Soccer and US Youth Soccer, the Alabama Soccer Association (ASA) is a non-profit and educational organization whose mission is to foster the physical, mental, and emotional growth of players of all ages, by creating and increasing opportunities for wholesome participation. ASA has a current membership of over 22,000 registered players statewide, youth and adult, and approximately 2,000 active coaches, referees, and administrators. For more information, please visit www.alsoccer.org and follow @Alabama_soccer