Rael Vodicka Memorial Tournament joins NSCAA Showcase Series

Reisterstown, Md. – The Washington Area Girls Soccer League is proud to announce that its annual showcase event, the WAGS Rael Vodicka Memorial Tournament, will join the National Soccer Coaches Association of America’s showcase series starting in 2012.

A 36‐year‐old event which takes place in the Washington, D.C. suburbs every Columbus Day weekend, the WAGS Tournament draws hundreds of the top girls' club teams in North America with its quality facilities and fierce competition.

It becomes the fourth tournament in NSCAA’s showcase series, joining other featured events in Overland Park, Kan., Geneva, Ohio and Baltimore, Md. staged and executed by NSCAA’s partner Elite Tournaments.

“We’re so excited about joining with NSCAA and Elite Tournaments,” said WAGS president Kathie Diapoulis. “Our tournament has been a great event for more than three decades, but with their expertise, this partnership will take us to the next level and make it a can’t‐miss destination for the nation’s best teams.”
NSCAA showcase tournaments are attended by college coaches from across the nation, who have the opportunity to participate in NSCAA educational courses following the close of match action.

Clubs and players receive sustained exposure to top NCAA and NAIA programs at these NSCAA events – as well as a complimentary one‐year NSCAA membership for each team entered – while college coaches can take advantage of recruiting and continuing education opportunities at the same location.

"The WAGS showcase is one of the premier girls’ tournaments in the U.S.," said Joe Cummings, NSCAA's CEO and Executive Director. "This is a fantastic opportunity for the NSCAA to further our brand message, the NSCAA College Showcase Series and our partnership with Elite Tournaments."

Elite Tournaments will assist WAGS with the tournament’s planning and execution, a process which is already set to begin this month with preliminary site evaluations. The nation’s leading tournament coordinator, the Maryland‐based company organizes some 50 events per year.

“The WAGS Tournament is one of the oldest and most prestigious girls’ soccer events in the country,” said Mike Libber, founder and president of Elite Tournaments. “Adding the WAGS Tournament to the NSCAA Tournament Series was an opportunity that all three parties could not pass up.”

The next edition of the WAGS Tournament Presented by NSCAA is scheduled for Oct 6‐8, 2012.

About WAGS
Founded in 1974 by Mavis Derflinger and Rael Vodicka, the Washington Area Girls Soccer League is one of the premier girls’ soccer associations in the United States. Today’s membership includes some 600 teams from across D.C., Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia, competing in a variety of divisions ranging from Under‐9 to Under‐19 age levels.

About the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)
Based in Kansas City, Kan., the NSCAA is the largest soccer coaches' organization in the world. Since its founding in 1941, it has grown to include more than 30,000 members who coach both genders at all levels of the sport. In addition to a national rankings program for colleges and high schools, NSCAA offers an extensive recognition program that presents nearly 10,000 individual awards every year. It fulfills its mission of coaching education through a nationwide program of clinics and week‐long courses, teaching more than 6,000 soccer coaches each year.

About Elite Tournaments
Founded in 2000 as a small family business, Elite Tournaments (http://www.elitetournaments.com/) has organized over 150 youth soccer events for nine different clubs, colleges and international and professional organizations. The company oversees over 50 tournaments a year across the United States. Elite Tournaments' staff includes former high school and college coaches, referees and standout players whose own experiences inform the company's professional approach to event management. Elite Tournaments prides itself on organization and communication with tournament stakeholders in order to create successful events and lasting relationships.