How to go
What: adidas Warrior Soccer Classic
When: Today through Monday
Where: Four area facilities — John Ankeney Soccer Complex, Thomas Cloud Park, Old River Sports Complex and Vandalia Fields
Teams: 510
Divisions: 49
Asked to reflect on the hectic schedule in the past few weeks preparing for the adidas Warrior Soccer Classic, co-director Carol Maas said with a laugh.
“Can we maybe go back a little further than that?” she said.
Such is the year-round planning that goes into a 510-team event like the Warrior Classic, which returns to four area facilities today, May 29, as one of the largest annual tournaments in the region. The Memorial Day weekend staple is known for bringing thousands of players and families into the area, an amount that requires constant attention from Maas and co-director Jim Paxton.
The Warrior Classic has seen its field grow in Ohio teams and shrink in those from other states, as club programs cut back on some travel because of economic concerns. But the event has held a steady number of teams as organizers have made concessions, such as allowing teams to register by mail instead of spending an extra night in town on Friday.
A team of about 300 volunteers will facilitate action and keep the event on schedule, a benefit many teams cite as a reason they continue to return to the Miami Valley.
“Some tournaments are quite a bit down, but we’ve been holding steady,” Maas said. “We’ve been able to maintain the quality of the teams.”
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7389 or knagel@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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