The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Get your footie on, people
Believe it or not, soccer in America is reaching an all-time high. The U.S. men’s team just won the CONCACAF Gold Cup and, barring any major disasters, should qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
That energy has reached the far reaches of the country, even in Crested Butte, as people filled Pitas in Paradise to watch the Gold Cup finals against Panama on Sunday.
This past winter the Crested Butte Parks and Recreation Department, with the help of Drew Canale, formed an indoor league that brought out some closet soccer fanatics to participate, making for a banner inaugural season.
The Parks and Recreation Department is continuing its support of the new local soccer energy with an outdoor 5 v 5 league.
The league is open to men and women of all levels and abilities and will kick off on Tuesday, August 20 and continue every Tuesday evening from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. until October 8.
Teams are coed and a woman must be on the field at all times. Teams can play a player down if they are missing a woman.
Teams may have more than five players—fresh legs can make a difference—but in an effort to share the wealth of talent in the valley, teams of five are recommended.
Games will be held on the town park field by the Center for the Arts, quite possibly one of the best patches of grass in Crested Butte.
If you’ve taken a break from soccer—and by you I mean you—now’s a great chance to get back into the game. Plus, most of you are all warmed up from softball season’s end, so extend your athletic career into the fall with some footie.
Information and registration can all be found online at www.crestedbutterec.com. The early deadline for registration is August 6 and is $150 per team. The final deadline for registration is Tuesday, August 13 and the cost goes up to $170 per team.
