MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PA – In a press event today, the Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board (VFTCB), Valley Forge Sports, and Eastern Youth Soccer announced one of the largest sporting events to ever be brought to the county, the 2023 US Youth Soccer Eastern Presidents Cup.
Representatives from Valley Forge Sports and Montgomery County, PA shared details on the June 16-20, 2023 tournament set to be hosted at both Plymouth Whitemarsh High School in Plymouth Meeting and The Proving Grounds in Conshohocken.
This five-day tournament is part of a national competition, and one of four regional events with winners advancing to the U.S. Youth Soccer National Presidents Cup. Approximately 140 teams with more than 2,500 players and 60 referees will participate from 15 state associations, including Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Eastern New York, New York West, PA West, Eastern Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia. The teams will compete in group play for the first three days, one game per day across 16 different fields. Group stage winners will advance to the semi-finals on the fourth day, and the finals on the fifth day. The event will benefit half of Montgomery County hotels, contributing roughly 4,000 room nights and $4.8 million in economic impact.
Valley Forge Sports Director, Jon Scheuren, stated, “Our Sports team continues to be a driving force within our tourism board, producing over $75 million dollars in economic impact last year, and this year, we are pacing ahead of that, and 20% ahead of 2019 levels!” Scheuren continued, “This positive
momentum is something to celebrate as it benefits our hospitality community; meaning all of these soccer teams, and their families will be staying in our hotels, dining in our restaurants and shopping in our stores.”
Valley Forge and Montco are no stranger to hosting national tournaments. Most recently, the area has hosted: 2019 Climbing Sport & Speed Youth National Championships, 2019 LPGA Symetra Tour, 2018 USA Weightlifting American Open Series 2, USA BMX Quaker State National Championship Series in 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, and dozens of other annual events.
Celebrating 50 years, Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer is the governing body for soccer ages 19 and below in the eastern part of the state, and is the sixth largest State Soccer Association in the country with 375 member leagues and clubs, and 120,000 players. The group is a member of US Soccer, the national governing body, and US Youth Soccer.
In a collaborated effort, Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer and Valley Forge Sports presented a formal proposal to US Youth Soccer to host the Presidents Cup event. Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer CEO Chris Branscome will serve as chair of the local organizing committee, which also includes the VFTCB/Valley Forge Sports, Colonial School District, and The Proving Grounds.