RALEIGH -- In 46-degree weather under spitting gray skies, hundreds of parents stood on the sidelines Saturday morning at WRAL Soccer Center wearing blankets, hoods and gloves to watch their daughters play in the Girls Shootout tournament, kicking off the Capital Area Soccer League's visitraleigh.com National Soccer Series.
It was so cold, some parents viewed the games from their running minivans.
"We spend most of our weekends playing soccer," said Robin Haynes of Richmond, Va., who was watching daughter Caroline, 14, play right-middle field on the Kickers team from Richmond.
CASL's national soccer series, which continues with tournaments over the next five weekends, is the largest sporting event ever held in the Triangle, according to Scott Dupree, vice president for sports marketing at the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Combined, it will bring 1,140 teams from 40 states - more than 20,000 athletes, plus their families - to the Raleigh area. All those visitors will generate more than 25,000 hotel room nights and roughly $8.2 million in spending, Dupree said.
The Girls Shootout this weekend begins the series, drawing 220 teams of girls ages 10 to 14, said Charlie Slagle, CASL's CEO. The teams are staying at 65 hotels around Raleigh, including the Embassy Suites at Crabtree, Brier Creek and Cary.
The Cary hotel was sold out last night, said Robert Dupont, a front desk supervisor. To accommodate the players, the hotel extended its breakfast hours, Dupont said, and for dinner he expects players and their families to head to the hotel's Bistro in the Park, or the nearby Bonefish Grill and Ruth's Chris Steakhouse.
Next weekend, the soccer series continues with the Boys Shootout featuring 150 teams, ages 10 to 14. That's followed by two weekends with older boys and girls.
On Saturday, the games began at 8 a.m. and lasted most of the day at 14 venues throughout Wake County. Teams played several games to advance to the finals today.
A costly passion
Juan Pagan of Richmond, whose daughter Claudia, 13, plays defense on the Richmond Kickers, said playing soccer on a traveling team can be pricey. He estimates it costs about $5,000 a year between the $1,500 registration fee, travel and uniforms.
"I want her to enjoy it," Pagan said. "If it helps get her in college, that's just more of a bonus."
Chip Stevens of Grayson, Ga., kept his eye on daughter Ella, 12, who was playing opposite the Kickers on the GSA Phoenix team, which missed shot after shot on the Kickers' goal.
Stevens, who coaches a club team, said he never yells at his daughter from the sidelines. He leaves that to the team's British coach, who at one point called out "finish the bloody ball" when a kicker missed yet another goal, leaving the score 0-0 in the second half.
Phoenix eventually scored on the Kickers. There were hugs on the field and sighs on the sidelines.
"Finally, thank goodness," said Erin Haley of Lilburn, Ga., who was wrapped in a fuzzy green blanket while she watched daughter Emma Carlson, 13.
Some parents pulled out their cell phones to call home and share the news.
