Glacier Park College Soccer Showcase coming up in August

On Aug. 6-8, the University of Montana, Gonzaga and Mount Royal Division I women’s soccer teams return to Flip Darling Memorial Field at Columbia Falls High School for the third annual Glacier Park College Soccer Showcase.

“Myself and a lot of others in the Flathead Valley have been working hard to grow the game for youth — to have these camps and clinics to sharpen their skills. In Montana, soccer’s still a relatively new sport, and the one thing that was missing was high level soccer that the youth could witness–our mission is to bring high level soccer here to inspire young athletes that one day they could dream big too,” said O’Brien Byrd, president of the Glacier Park College Soccer Showcase.

 The showcase kicks off Thursday, Aug. 6 from 4 to 5:45 p.m. with a youth soccer clinic open to boys and girls ages 5-18. Hosted by University of Montana coaches and players, participants will train in age-specific groups and enjoy an exclusive autograph session immediately following the camp.

Match action begins Friday, Aug. 7 with an 8 p.m. kickoff as the Montana Grizzly women’s soccer team takes on the Mount Royal Cougars. 

“University of Montana calls it a home game–they love it,” said Byrd.

The tournament concludes Saturday, Aug. 8 at 7 p.m. with a battle between the Mount Royal Cougars and the Gonzaga University Bulldogs.

“Thanks to the support of Discover Kalispell, elite collegiate soccer returns to the Flathead Valley for a third year,” says Byrd. “We couldn’t do this without them.” 

The events averaged 1,000 people the past two years, so be sure to buy tickets early.

Community members can secure a free-admissions ticket in exchange for volunteering with the event.

The tournament is also offering local youth the chance to register for on-field roles. 

“The whole country’s on fire right now with the World Cup–now we’ve got high level teams coming right to Columbia Falls,” Byrd said.

Match day tickets, clinic registration, volunteer sign-ups, and youth participant opportunities can be found at gpcss.org