Travel Tournaments, out of NTX

My DD's team has always stayed local for tournaments and wants to do one out and about. Any ideas of what good tournaments are out there? They are a Plano Premier team, but wouldn't mind playing better competition (not LHGCL DI or DII, but might try to take on DIII and other Plano/Arlington type teams).

Trying to stay within some kind of decent budget, so not sure if a Las Vegas or California tournament would be welcomed by all parents. Something a decent drive away.

Any assistance on what your DD's team have done, would be helpful.

Thanks!

Been to Tulsa, Austin & Houston. Preferred Austin. In Tulsa we played the host club in the semi's. It was the most brutal game I've ever seen, brutal is the correct word. Our CM was injured for 6 weeks, our high scorer was injured for 3 months. They did everything but punch our girls in the face.
Houston had the worst fields I've ever seen. 80% dirt. From goal to goal and the width of the goal was 100% dirt, no grass.
Austin was fine, grass on the fields and never felt the players were in danger.

Hands down nicest facility we have been is Overland Park, KS. Real Cup in Denver is great as well. Memphis is good competition and pretty fair fields. Decatur, Alabama has very fields. San Antonio is great town but fields are just OK.

Thanks...we will do some research on the KS and CO tournaments before looking at possibly STX.

Pale Rider wrote:Been to Tulsa, Austin & Houston. Preferred Austin. In Tulsa we played the host club in the semi's. It was the most brutal game I've ever seen, brutal is the correct word. Our CM was injured for 6 weeks, our high scorer was injured for 3 months.  They did everything but punch our girls in the face.
Houston had the worst fields I've ever seen. 80% dirt. From goal to goal and the width of the goal was 100% dirt, no grass.
Austin was fine, grass on the fields and never felt the players were in danger.

So you recommend Austin?

couple of other options you might want to look at if your not afraid of aircraft or long drives...:
Vegas Cup is really good: http://www.vegascup.org/

Several good options in SoCal: http://www.socalsoccer.com/forum/portal.php
or
http://www.calsouth.com/en/tournaments/

and WAGS (Deadline was 7/15/14):
http://www.wagstournament.com/index.html

FriscoSoccer05 wrote:couple of other options you might want to look at if your not afraid of aircraft or long drives...:
Vegas Cup is really good: http://www.vegascup.org/

Several good options in SoCal: http://www.socalsoccer.com/forum/portal.php
or
http://www.calsouth.com/en/tournaments/

and WAGS (Deadline was 7/15/14):
http://www.wagstournament.com/index.html

I agree. You can't lose with Vegas Cup (January) and they usually have have Gold/Silver groups.

The Challenge Showcase in Houston, early June usually does a good job of matching teams evenly

When is the Kansas tournament? Any other travel tournaments worth checking out.

For girls, KS is Emerald Cup in late March. Fields are the best you have ever seen, so long as the weather cooperates (our boys play there over Memorial Day).

Palerider may not have liked the Tulsa tournament (I assume it was Lexus Tulsa Cup), but it is pretty big (375 teamish big) with multiple flights per age, easy to get to, in April, and draws teams from OK, KS, NTX, STX, AR, MO, IL, NE, TN.

We've been to a couple of tournamentnts in OK. These are rough tournaments. OK teams do allot of "clotheslining". Our coach pulled our girls off the field during one game as the ref wasn't calling and he did not want to have the girls injured. I would stay as far away as possible from OK teams--different type of soccer.

Funny you should say that anchor dad...the OK parents say the same thing about NTx teams. The physical play we see (& apparently do) vs NTx teams is way different than what we see when we play teams from the north.

Guessing each set of eyes has it's own view...

Jbsoccer wrote:When is the Kansas tournament?  Any other travel tournaments worth checking out.

We played in a warm up tournament there a couple of years ago in August. All of the fields are turf so we got lucky that it's wasn't very hot that weekend.

Hmmmm....

I think the coach was leaning toward the Lexus Tulsa Cup, but if there is 'rough' play going on with OKC girls and the fact that some of our girls are smaller, perhaps I should mention to go South instead (HOU or SA)

Anyone have experience with the Germantown Invitational played in Memphis?

Memphis has great competition from all over the Midwest and south. The fields were just ok. Overall was a good experience, not worth multiple trips with the same team though.

I'm going to throw out another option you might like. There are two tournaments a year held in Shreveport LA, through CABOSA ( Caddo Bossier Soccer Assocition). They are the CABOSA Cup ( this coming weekend) and then the Red River Classic in April. Competition falls right into what you are looking for ( Arl. / Plano / LH D3). It is very close ( 3 hour drive +/-) and I remember the fields being very nice. Teams will be from the LA, region and surrounding states, so its fun to see different competition. Plus there is lots to do for both kids and parents other than soccer.

You can click on both tournaments here at the link and see past results and the cross section of teams that play there.... worth a look for sure. Years ago my daughters team played here when they were in Arlington and won the tournament. Fond memories of the whole thing.
http://www.cabosa.org/page/show/537908-tournaments

Thanks...I will look into the Red River Classic tourney