Youth soccer initiatives across Utah and Washington state brought thousands of young athletes together this week for competitive tournaments, community-building refugee camps, municipal sports registrations, and local law enforcement responses.
Park City Extreme Cup Kicks Off in Utah
The 23rd annual Park City Extreme Cup began Thursday in Utah, drawing more than 24,000 visitors and 8,000 participants.
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Over 460 teams from eight states are competing in the Wasatch Back region.
Hosted by the Park City Soccer Club, the tournament features over 800 matches across 40-plus fields in Summit and Wasatch counties.
The event runs through Saturday and is expected to generate over $2.9 million in local economic impact.
The tournament serves as the club's largest annual fundraiser, with net fundraising expected to surpass $1 million over its history.
Funds support local youth scholarships, according to Executive Director David Younkin.
Matches are held in Park City, Oakley, and Heber, supported by 250 referees and 4,500 hours of volunteer labor during the tournament week.
Refugee Soccer Camp in Spokane
In Spokane, Washington, Thrive International and the 90+ Project hosted nearly 200 youth players from over a dozen nationalities at Franklin Park.
Four professional players from the Spokane Velocity USL Super League team visited the free weeklong summer camp on Thursday.
The pros signed autographs, led drills, and answered questions from refugee participants. Russ Davis, Executive Director of the 90+ Project, highlighted the camp's broader social mission.
