It keeps getting bigger and bigger and bigger.

How much bigger, nobody with the Flathead Soccer Club at this point really knows, or can predict.

But as things sit right now, the 21st annual Three Blind Refs tournament this weekend in the Flathead Valley will have a record 165 teams in attendance.

Canada is sending 65 teams.

Idaho (Sandpoint, Coeur d’Alene, Rathdrum and Moscow) and Washington (Newport and Spokane) will also be well represented, along with Montana (Bozeman, Helena, Kalispell, Polson, Missoula and Whitefish).

“We have 33 more teams this year than last year,” tournament director Rob Riley said.

“Everybody likes to come to Kalispell.”

Whitefish is involved as a site for the first time with the seven fields at Smith Fields. The expansion to Whitefish was necessary with the record number of entries.

Glacier’s two fields will also be in use.

 “Without Whitefish, we would have had to turn teams away this year,” Riley said.

Most of the action centers at the Kidsports Complex with its 14 fields. Kidsports has hosted this event since it moved from the airport soccer fields.

“We had 10 Calgary teams last year,” Riley said.

“I think I counted 34 this year.”

One team — Bonivital — is traveling from Winnipeg, Manitoba.

“A 17-hour drive,” Riley said.

“I was totally shocked.”

Riley thought the team was from Calgary until Bonivital sent an email to tournament officials earlier in the week confirming their participation and location.

Riley said the “fun environment” coupled with “fields that are the nicest in the state” continues to make this the largest soccer event in Montana.

Play begins Saturday and Sunday morning at 8. The final match Saturday should end around 9:05 p.m. On Sunday, the first championship game begins at 11 a.m. The last title match will end at 6:05 p.m.

Teams will be competing in the following divisions — U10, U11, U12, U13, U14, U15, U16 and U17-18. The U10 boys have 19 teams and the U12 girls 18. Those are the two biggest divisions. There are just four teams in U17-18 girls.

Teams in U10 to U12 will play four games over two days. The U13 to U17-18 teams will play twice on Saturday and either once or twice on Sunday.

“The younger kids are guaranteed four games,” Riley said.

“That’s a big draw. They are getting a little more for their money out of this (than other tournaments).”

The team entry fee is $475 before the deadline and $500 after.

The tournament started in 1999 with 35 teams in four divisions — U11, U12, U13 and U14. The main focus then was on the young players.

“We wanted something that would feature the younger kids, make them enthused about soccer,” Dr. Michael Stebbins, who coached five boys teams and three girls teams to titles in this event, said.

“We wanted to give them their moment in the sun. Originally, it was for Montana teams.”  

It was also suppose to be a winding-down event after a grueling, competitive spring season.

“Now it’s getting more competitive,” Stebbins said.

“There are more age groups.”

Jack Fallon, who assigned referees for this tournament the first 15 years and has been a referee instructor since 1992, said it has been a positive event for soccer and the Flathead Valley.

“People look forward to it (every year),” he said.

“Twenty years ago, nobody would have imagined there would be more than 150 teams or over 200 games going on. The first 10 to 15 years, there were 100, 150 games. It’s neat to see the growth and activity.”

Riley has been the tournament director for 15 years. His three sons — John, Marcus and Sean — played in it.

“It’s plum full up there,” he said of Kidsports.

“That’s what I enjoy ... watching all the younger kids come out and play.”

With an average of 14 players per team, there will be 2,310 athletes participating.

There will be about 150 referees in attendance — three per game.

The main sponsors for the tournament are HuHot Mongolian Grill, the Hampton Inn and the Sportsman & Ski Haus.

Riley said the Sunriser Lions Club sponsored the tournament during its early years.

This tournament is a major fundraiser for the Flathead Soccer Club. It raised more than $25,000 last year.