Richmond Strikers Jefferson Cup Soccer Tournament

Admission is Free, Economic Benefits are Huge

600 youth soccer teams from 30 states & 14 teams from Canada

Selected to compete in Richmond March 15th-30th

 

Richmond, VA (March 12, 2008) – The flights have been booked, the hotel rooms have been rented, and now the cash registers are starting to ring around Richmond as youth soccer teams from across the country are arriving here for the Jefferson Cup Soccer Tournament.  For three weekends in March, all soccer eyes will be focused on Richmond, VA, the site of the 2008 Jefferson Cup.  The event, hosted by the Richmond Strikers Soccer Club, attracts the top 600 girls and boys youth soccer teams from across the U.S. and Canada, begins Saturday, March 15th.

 

“Youth sports are a huge economic driver in Richmond,” said Scott Turner, executive director of the Richmond Strikers Soccer Club.  “We have booked over 16,000 hotel room nights this month.  Teams are coming from California, Michigan, Texas and Canada for this tournament which is one of the best in the United States.  Behind NASCAR, the Jefferson Cup represents the second largest sporting event in Richmond in its economic impact to the Richmond community.

 

Now in its 28th year, the Jefferson Cup, which is played at 11 sites around Richmond, attracts the nation's top boys and girls youth soccer teams for a tournament that gives players young and old a chance to show their skills to an admiring audience that includes parents, friends, and most importantly talent scouts from top colleges and national development teams.

 

“If the next Freddy Adu or Mia Hamm is here in Richmond, the national scouts will see them” adds Turner.  “We have also had tremendous success getting our Striker players exposed to top college programs in Division 1, 2, and 3.  Our kids have gone on to play for Princeton, the University of Virginia, UNC, Clemson and Hampden-Sydney College, with many of them earning scholarships.  We also have top college teams from JMU, VT, W&M, UNC, UVA, UR, Penn State and Longwood University here for showcase games.  This is truly a fantastic tournament to be part of – either as a spectator or a player.”

 

Admission to the Jefferson Cup is free.  Games are held from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Striker Park, an 11-field complex off Pouncey Tract Road in Henrico County; as well as 10 additional soccer venues around Richmond.  The Jefferson Cup Boys U-10 to U-15 Tournament is scheduled for March 15-16; the Jefferson Cup Boys U16-U19 Tournament will be March 20-23; and the Jefferson Cup Girls Tournament will be held March 29-30. For a full list of teams and schedules, visit www.richmondstrikers.com

 

The Richmond Strikers Soccer Club is a 501C(3) non-profit corporation. The Strikers offer two levels of soccer, Recreation and Travel. Over 3,000 soccer players ranging from four through 18 years of age play in the Strikers’ recreation teams during the fall and spring seasons. The Strikers Travel program consists of over 700 players who compete in Premier Tournaments nationwide; many players have moved into the collegiate ranks to play soccer. The Richmond Strikers carry a high honor of being named one of 40 NIKE Premier Soccer Clubs. The Strikers also run a summer adult soccer program, as well as youth soccer camps.

 

For more information, including complete tournament information, please visit: http://strikerstournaments.com/jeffcupmain.htm

 

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Welcome to the Richmond Strikers! The Richmond Strikers Soccer Club is a 501C(3) non-profit corporation and has been providing soccer programs in Richmond for 26 years. Over the years, Strikers has grown to be the area’s largest non-profit club offering a variety of soccer programs for all ages. In March 2006, the Richmond Strikers merged with VA CASL creating one of the largest clubs in Virginia and the nation, and an organization that serves a broad geographic range covering the western and eastern parts of Richmond . Striker Park , located in the heart of Short Pump, is one of the country’s top youth soccer facilities and home to a state-of-the-art Nike turf field. Plans are underway to develop another soccer complex in the eastern part of Richmond on land that was donated to the Strikers. Strikers host several large annual tournaments including the prestigious Jefferson Cup which brings in over $8 million to the Richmond area. For all its accomplishments, the Richmond Strikers has been named one of 45 Nike Premier Clubs in America .
 

Office:  804.288.4625  Fax:  804.285.8477 

4164 A Innslake Dr. Glen Allen, VA 23060
Weather Hotline:  804.288.2261