Youth soccer teams from the southeast have descended upon the wonderful city of Cleveland, TN for the weekend, bringing players, coaches, and families to town for GRCSA’s annual Ocoee Cup Soccer tournament. More than 60 teams participated in the tournament, which is the biggest number that GRCSA has had in over 10 years!

Along with hitting the fields for play, the players and their supporters are also bringing business to local hotels, restaurants, and other establishments in the Cleveland Area. Many of the players and parents from farther away spent the night, either camping or staying at motels. This adds up to a boost in businesses over the weekend as well. Participants and observers were enjoying the beautiful weather outside all while social distancing and performing hand hygiene with our multiple sanitizing stations across the complex. 

The GRCSA Ocoee Cup Tournament has been here for 25 years, and it’s amazing that on our 25th anniversary, we were able to have one of the biggest numbers in our history. 

Cleveland FLAMES  Director of coaching, Nathan Brown,  said he was “encouraged to see the soccer community come together to host this tournament”.  “We were able to invite teams to our beautiful area from all over the Southeast and enjoy the beautiful game. We had amazing volunteers that came out and donated their time. We couldn’t have done it without them. It was truly a team effort”.

Despite COVID-19 we have adapted and grown as an organization. In fact, the GRCSA board of directors has added new and enthusiastic board members that are ready to make a difference. We, as a board, are working on a new and exciting developmental plan on how to continue growing the sport in our community. 

Stay tuned for updates and announcements on our official Facebook page (@GreaterClevelandSoccerAssociation) and Instagram (@GRCSAsoccer).

Posted in Coaching