The week before the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic brought people to Durango, a different competition was taking place all over town. The Durango Shootout soccer tournament returned May 20-22, bringing thousands of people to town for hundreds of games.
The tournament had 137 teams compete this year, which featured 248 games and 2,100 players in 31 divisions competing on 18 fields simultaneously at six venues around town.
“We draw teams from Colorado and the Front Range, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah,” said Kathy Wilson, the Durango Youth Soccer Association’s treasurer. “It’s a big deal to come tour tournament.”
She described it as a mostly silver and bronze-level tournament, and for many teams it serves as their final competition of the spring.
The tournament is usually held over Mother’s Day weekend but was pushed back this year because Fort Lewis College pushed back its schedule and graduation, which limited parking.
The two biggest obstacles the club faced, Wilson said, was a flat space for fields and parking. “We were limited to 137 teams due to field space, We had to turn some teams away,” Wilson said. “That’s the limiting factor every year.”
This year marked the 27th year of the tournament, and the 29th year for the DYSA. The tournament wasn’t staged in 2020 because of COVID-19.
The tournament is the club’s biggest fundraiser of the year, and helps it cover approximately 50% of the total costs per player. “It’s really important to keep the fees low for all of the families that want to participate,” Wilson said.
While all of the tournament’s expenses were up this year, referees continue to be the tournament’s biggest expense. Ideally, Wallis said they would have 80 referees working the tournament, but they were a little short of that this year, despite offering them free room and board to entice them. Malik Badawi is the club’s director of referees and is a referee for Major League Soccer. He officiated the U12 girls championship game.
“Having someone like Malik in charge of referees is a huge asset,” Wilson said.
Badawi also played for Fort Lewis, as did many of the club’s coaches.
The club is as big as it has ever been right now, and grew during the pandemic. “The goal is different here,” said DYSA president Doug Wallis. “The goal in Durango is kids want to make the high school team.”
Kate Kelly, the clubs executive director, estimated that 95% of the Durango High School girls team that reached the Class 4A state semifinals this year play for the club. The DHS boys team, which is also filled with club players, reached the quarterfinals this fall.
The club is also affiliated with the Rio Rapids in Albuquerque, even though it’s locally run and independent. Wallis said the affiliation gives them access to the Rapids’ resources, like coaching clinics. One of the biggest benefits for players, he said, is some are invited to play in showcase tournaments. Kelly said college coaches used to recruit at high school games, but now they almost exclusively recruit at club showcase tournaments.
“It’s been a positive, successful thing,” Wallis said. “The kids think it’s cool. They like the jerseys.”
While experiencing success on the field is always a goal, the club wants to develop the whole person, not just soccer players.
“I think we’re succeeding,” Wilson said.
