Soccer is one of the most popular youth sports in the country, and soccer tournaments have become a major part of competitive leagues. Playing games against teams in your own area or league is one thing, but being able to play in an immersive tournament with great teams from around the region and the country is on another level. It’s at youth soccer tournaments that players have a chance to learn new skills, develop themselves, and showcase their talent in ways that can’t be done in normal games.
To make a tournament as successful as possible, there are many factors to consider, but the most important is the venue. A soccer tournament venue can make or break the experience, and can act as a draw for teams to come, or a deterrent to stay away. When deciding what tournaments to compete in, the first deciding factor is where the tournament takes place.
When looking for soccer tournament venues, here are 10 things to consider:
Capacity
One of the biggest factors in choosing the right soccer tournament sports venue is its capacity. There needs to be enough room for all of the players and coaches, as well as their family, friends, and other spectators. A venue that is too small will be crowded and cramped, which will negatively affect the experience of everyone involved and could even impact how well the teams play.
When searching for sports complexes in Colorado to host your soccer tournament, consider Future Legends. With 13 soccer fields and ample space to make your event one many can enjoy, we have the capacity to make your tournament an epic experience. Apart from its fields, Future Legends also offers dorm and hotel lodging on-site, and retail and hospitality amenities.
Location
Soccer tournaments tend to bring in teams from all over the state or even the country. For that reason, you want a venue that is easily accessible for people traveling from all directions. You might find a great venue, but if it is far off a freeway and confusing to get to, it might not be the best choice for your tournament. Consider if teams will be flying, driving, or bussing to the facility and make it as easy as possible for them to get to.
Future Legends is conveniently located in Windsor, Colorado, which puts it in driving range from Denver, Fort Collins, and towns across Wyoming, given its location between I-25 and Highway 85. Windsor is also easily accessible from Denver International Airport and the Northern Colorado Regional Airport, which opens the possibility for out-of-state teams flying in to the tournament.
Aside from the convenience of the location, many teams prefer to travel to tournaments in exciting destinations. If you are looking to draw more teams, you want to find a venue that is close to other entertainment or outdoor activities that players and families can enjoy after the tournament is over. Fortunately, Northern Colorado is bursting with outdoor opportunities and other forms of entertainment.
Climate and Contingency Plan
Most soccer occurs outside, and tournaments are often scheduled to coincide with good weather. But weather isn’t always guaranteed, and a storm can ruin a soccer tournament. Cover all of your bases by considering the climate of where you’ll be playing. Typically, people want to try to avoid locations that have especially hot or cold weather because it can be difficult for people to play in, especially if they are traveling from out of state and aren’t used to the climate. Colorado is known for its 300 days of sunshine and has a relatively mild climate, making it a great choice for soccer tournaments. Even on chilly winter days, the sun is most likely shining, which warms up players and fans and makes the games much more enjoyable.
Along with the climate, a great venue often has a contingency plan. You’ll want a venue that has facilities in place where you can move the tournament if the weather goes south. That could include indoor facilities or even covered practice fields that are large enough to accommodate a full game. Aside from its outdoor soccer fields, Future Legends also has indoor facilities that can accommodate teams for practices and games if the weather is too poor to stay outside.
Facilities
To play soccer, all you really need is a field, a goal, and a ball. But it’s the quality of that field and goal that can make all the difference. The facilities of a soccer tournament venue include things like the playing field, the practice facilities, and the training rooms. Great tournaments happen at venues that have great facilities, such as fields that are meticulously maintained and that have state-of-the-art training equipment and grounds, as well as multiple fields so that every team has room to practice. Outdoor lights, quality benches for the team, and sturdy goals and nets also contribute to great facilities.
Professional-level facilities are a huge motivation for teams to come to a tournament. Youth sports teams want to feel like they are playing somewhere that is a step up from their local recreational fields. The soccer tournament venues at Future Legends are designed and maintained at a professional level to make your tournament one each team will never forget.
Budget
A tournament will likely make money, but you still need to operate within a budget when organizing the event. Consider how much money you have to spend on a venue. The budget will vary depending on the size of the tournament and the number of teams expected to attend, as well as the entry fee for teams and the cost for things like prizes and uniforms. Look at venues within your budget. Even the greatest venue won’t be beneficial if it causes you to lose money on the tournament.
Many venues have fundraising or scholarship options to help teams raise money to attend. If your dream venue is financially out of reach, ask about potential fundraising programs. Connect with Future Legends today to learn about potential scholarship opportunities.
Extra Amenities
Aside from the competition itself, extra amenities are what can really draw teams to a tournament. No matter what level they play at, all teams want the chance to play in a great facility with extra amenities that make them feel like professionals. Amenities like private practice fields or access to sports trainers and weight rooms can be a big draw. Some tournament facilities give teams access to professional-level locker rooms and equipment, or even bring in professional coaches to mentor visiting teams. The little things that teams wouldn’t have access to on their own can take a tournament to the next level.
Some of the amenities Future Legends will offer include a potential professional soccer stadium, team dormitories, retail shopping outlets, dining, hotels, and more.
Cleanliness
The cleanliness of a facility sets the tone for the entire tournament. People often make their first impression of the tournament, and by default its sponsors, based on the venue. If the venue is clean and well maintained, teams and spectators will likely feel better about the tournament and its professional feel versus if the venue is worn-down, dirty, and not maintained. Future Legends is brand new and sparkling clean, with a commitment to ensuring the facility stays clean throughout the entire tournament.
Lodging
A quality soccer tournament is more than just games on the field. It’s also about the entire experience for the athletes and providing them with a comfortable and professional-level experience. If athletes aren’t resting well, it will likely have a dramatic impact on their performance. Anytime you are looking for soccer tournament venues, you want to consider the lodging in the area. Teams need safe places to stay that are close to the facilities so they don’t have to spend lots of time traveling back and forth for their practices and games.
Some venues offer discounts to nearby hotels, which can be an incentive for teams to travel to the tournament. Other venues have on-site housing for tournament players and coaches. These facilities keep players as close to the action as possible and create a truly immersive experience. Future Legends features a state-of-the-art dorm facility with 64 rooms for players and coaches. Aside from just a place to sleep, teams in the dorms also have access to unique experiences and memorabilia. Parents and families can stay at top-rated and nationally flagged on-site hotels for easy access.
Security
During a soccer tournament, you want teams to be able to focus on the game instead of worrying about safety and security issues. The same is true for spectators, who are there to enjoy the games instead of being scared that their purse will be stolen or their car will get broken into. High-quality soccer tournament venues take care of safety and security to ensure players, coaches, and spectators are protected throughout the entire event. When looking into potential venues like Future Legends, ask about security plans and what measures are in place for safety. One safety incident is enough to ruin the entire tournament and put the physical and emotional health of participants at risk.
Security measures include limiting who is allowed in the facilities and using key cards or other differentiators to easily see who belongs in certain areas and who doesn’t. Practice facilities and lodging should be limited to only members of the team, not to the general public. Safety also considers the spectator experience, including screening people as they enter the venue and limiting what they can bring with them. Future Legends is a completely secure facility and takes the security of all of its guests very seriously.
Spectator Experience
Youth sports tournaments bring in big crowds, so it’s important to consider not only the experience of the teams, but also of the spectators. Family and friends will travel long distances to watch their teams play, and they want to be rewarded with an enjoyable experience instead of sitting on hard bleachers in direct sun for hours every day.
When looking at the spectator experience, put yourself in a spectator’s shoes and walk through your entire day at the tournament. Is there enough parking nearby, or at least a shuttle that gets people to and from the games quickly? Are there enough bathrooms throughout the facility so that spectators don’t have to walk long distances and wait in long lines? These may seem like small considerations, but they have a huge impact on the spectator experience. When spectators are comfortable, they are much more likely to spend money on things like concessions and gear and encourage their teams to return to the tournament. To plan a successful youth soccer tournament, you have to win over the spectators and parents.
Also consider the extra amenities for spectators, including concessions and outside entertainment. Concession offerings that go above and beyond the typical fare or even that are just convenient to get to during the games can help spectators have a much more enjoyable experience during the tournament. Outside entertainment, such as pre-game activities, a playground for young children, or something else, can also entice spectators to come support the players, which adds to the success of the tournament.
Future Legends is a state-of-the-art facility not only for players, but also for spectators. The entire facility has free Wi-Fi, which can be a great advantage for parents wanting to post pictures and videos of the games or surf the internet. Multiple dining options, entertainment, and future retail also add to the experience by giving spectators something to do between games.
Planning Your Event
Planning a successful youth soccer tournament requires tremendous planning and attention to detail. But the first step to success is choosing a great venue. The above 10 things will prove invaluable when looking at soccer tournament venues to find a location that not only meets your needs but also facilitates an amazingly successful event.
