Two days left of U.S. Soccer National Presidents Cup

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – Over 100 teams from around the country are in Wichita at Stryker Sports Complex competing for a national title.

“Today will be both semifinal and final action,” George Stieren with US Youth Soccer said. “And then tomorrow is finals, so you’ll see all the heartbreak and the gamut of emotions, all in a single match.”

The tournament includes both boys and girls teams, ages 13-19. The games began on Friday, and the last day is Tuesday.

Because of the triple digits, organizers have implemented two mandatory water breaks every half and changed game times to minimize game time during the heat of the day.

“The biggest thing we did is we eliminated the afternoon time slot in group play and then moved up the times a half hour early,” Stieren said. “Nobody’s playing when the sun is absolutely beating. In fact, what you’re seeing right now is the 19U girls which are playing in earlier championship. They moved everything around. And our partner TreeTop Foods is giving some applesauce, electrolytes things to all the fans who come out, so keep everybody safe is priority number one.”

This is the second year the tournament has been held in Wichita, and USYS says they appreciate Visit Wichita’s support.

“Visit Wichita is a fantastic host. They rolled out the red carpet for us,” Stieren said. “Stryker Sports Complex is even better. A lot of adjustments, a lot of logistics, but it couldn’t have gone better, especially given the challenges. We are happy to be here. It’s one of the best places we go to every year.”

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