NCSAA Great Lakes Classic

Thursday, September 8, 2011 - Saturday, September 10, 2011

2011 NCSAA Great Lakes Classic

 Girls' Varsity Soccer
Boys' Varsity Soccer
Girls' Varsity Volleyball

September 8-10, 2011
(Girls' Volleyball - September 9 and 10 only)

Family First Sports Park (Erie, PA)

Final Registration Deadline - Friday, August 26, 2011

Date:  September 8-10, 2011   (NOTE: Volleyball is September 9-10 only)

Registration Deadline:

The 2011 NCSAA Great Lakes Classic is open to girls' varsity soccer, boys' varsity soccer, and girls' varsity volleyball teams.  Teams from any region of the country are welcome to attend.

This tournament will be limited to a maximum of 16 girls' varsity soccer, 24 boys' varsity soccer, and 24 girls' varsity volleyball teams.  Register soon in order to be sure to claim a spot!

The final registration deadline is August 26, 2011. At this time we will close registration to begin making the brackets and schedule for the tournament.

Tournament Format:

• This tournament will be limited to a maximum of 16 girls' varsity soccer, 24 boys' varsity soccer, and 24 girls' varsity volleyball teams -- and will include a maximum of two girls' soccer, three boys' soccer, and three girls' volleyball divisions.  Divisional breakdown will be based on a combination of school size and competitive level.
• Homeschool teams are welcome to participate, as long as their players meet our eligibility requirements.  (1 - All players must be regular members of your team during the season.  2 - High school graduates are not permitted to participate with your team.  3 - All team members must be homeschooled or not a member of any other school soccer or volleyball team.)  If you are a homeschool team that is interested in participating, please be sure that your players meet these requirements.  Feel free to call for clarification, if necessary.

Tournament Features and Information:

Tournament Description:

• The NCSAA Great Lakes Classic offers an exciting tournament experience -- in a Christ-centered environment -- for your soccer and volleyball teams.  Highly-organized and hosted at excellent facilities, this unique mid-season tournament provides various competitive and team-building benefits to teams of all sizes and levels.

Tournament Format:

• This tournament is open to Christian and private schools from any region of the country. The tournament will be limited to a maximum of 16 girls' varsity soccer teams, 24 boys' varsity soccer teams, and 24 girls' varsity volleyball teams, which will compete in as many as two girls' soccer, three boys' soccer, and three girls' volleyball divisions.
• Boys and girls in grades 8-12 are eligible to compete.  You may obtain a waiver (verbal approval) for 7th grade athletes to participate, if necessary, by contacting NCSAA in advance of the tournament.
• If your team plays against another team that is restricted from competing against teams that include players below the ninth grade, your 8th-grade (and below) players will not be permitted to compete in that game.  This is a rare occurrence in our tournaments, but please be aware of this possibility in advance.
• Girls will be permitted to participate with your boys' soccer team if your school does not have a girls' soccer team in attendance.
• Each soccer team will play three or four games during the tournament.  Each volleyball team will play extensive pool play, and then at least two full matches.  If you have any concern regarding the number of games or matches your team might play, please give us a call.

Closing Ceremony and Awards:

• All participating teams will be recognized during each division's closing ceremony, which will also include a special time of recognition and prayer for the coaches of all teams. 
• Awards will be presented to the 1st and 2nd place teams in each division.
• The NCSAA Coaches' Award will also be awarded to players throughout the tournament.  These awards will be given by the coaches of the participating teams, as a way to recognize and encourage athletes who demonstrate noteworthy effort, leadership, encouragement, determination, humility, courage, grace, and other qualities of Biblical discipline in their play.  This program allows us to encourage coaches to be intentional in "building into the lives" of the players who are competing this weekend.

Christ-Centered Environment and Team-Building Opportunities:

• We provide a consistent spiritual challenge for your athletes throughout the event -- from the devotional challenge at the Opening Program, to the unique Scripture reading and devotional booklet provided to all of your athletes for their use during each day of the event, to the spirit of mutual encouragement and healthy competition typically displayed at this event, to the awarding of NCSAA Coaches' Awards to recognize athletes whose play is marked by qualities of Biblical discipline, to the ministry and outreach opportunities presented (as part of the NCSAA Hearts and Minds Project) to your team during the event, to the unified time of team prayer at the Closing Ceremony.  This NCSAA event is distinctive in its goal of being more than just an athletic event; we desire that your players deepen their relationships with God and their teammates during their time here!
• Various Christian colleges and universities will be present at the tournament to interact with the student-athletes.  In addition, an Evening with the Christian Colleges will be held on Friday night, to give your student-athletes an opportunity to learn more about a variety of Christian colleges (many of which have committed to supporting your schools as NCSAA Christian College Sponsors during the year).  Teams that attend our tournaments have remarked that these opportunities have been very valuable, as the event doubles as an opportunity to expose your athletes to the value of and options for Christian education beyond high school.

Beneficial Exposure for Your Athletes:

• Each team's top athletes will be recognized in the "Players to Watch" section of the packet given to all college coaches who attend the event (as well as many college coaches that request these materials after the tournament). This opportunity presents your players with a great chance to be seen by college coaches, scouts, and recruiters.

Location:

Family First Sports Park
8155 Oliver Road
Erie, PA  16509

Family First Sports Park houses sixteen (16) outdoor soccer fields and (4) regulation high school hardwood volleyball courts at its facility in Erie, PA.  The 80-acre property also includes two indoor soccer fields, numerous indoor and outdoor basketball courts, a Fun Center (miniature golf, go-kart racing, bumper boats, batting cages, and EuroBungy), Golf Dome, and a variety of other attractions -- so you'll have plenty to do while you're at the tournament!

Check out details about the Park via the links below:

• Family First Sports Park - Facility Tour
• Housing and Conference Center
• Family First Fun Center
• Directions to the Park...and Area Attractions

Team Registration Fee (per team, per event):

$350 for NCSAA member schools
$425 for non-member schools

Your registration fee is non-refundable, except in the event of the cancellation of the tournament.

Ask about our new Team Sponsorship Program, if you'd like more information about how your team can find a sponsor to cover your registration and/or athlete fees for the tournament.  We'd be happy to send you some information on this new money-saving resource!

All teams are expected to pay their full registration fees by the registration deadline date.  Any exceptions to this rule must be discussed with and approved by NCSAA.  If you have any questions regarding this procedure (or if you are already late with your payment), please contact us ASAP.

Individual Athlete Fee:

$25 per athlete (NCSAA member schools), $30 per athlete (non-member schools)

The individual athlete fee covers:

• Tournament Fees -- Provision of all tournament activities and services to the athlete.  Our costs in putting on this tournament exceed the total amount of entry fees collected, so the athlete fees help to pay the costs of this event.
• Free Admission -- We encourage parents and families to come out to see their teams play, and the athlete fees allow us to offer free admission (for all three days of the tournament).  We are happy to be able to make attendance of the tournament games affordable for your families!

Individual athlete fees are due upon your arrival at the tournament. (Most schools have their athletes contribute to cover this fee, as it covers families' admission and other player expenses.)  If you have any questions regarding these fees, please contact us ASAP.

Ask about our new Team Sponsorship Program, if you'd like more information about how your team can receive some assistance to help reduce the cost of your tournament fees and other expenses (travel, lodging, meals) for the tournament.  We'd be happy to send you some information on this new money-saving resource!

Withdrawals:

We understand that occasionally there may be reason for a team to withdraw from a tournament, after having already registered. If any team must withdraw after already registering for the tournament, that team still will be expected to honor its commitment to pay the full team registration fees. NCSAA must budget based on the number of registered teams, and all fees for all registered spots are critical in order to plan for and conduct a successful tournament. Thanks for your understanding of this!

In addition, any team that withdraws from a tournament three days (or less) before the start of a tournament will be required to pay an additional $200 late withdrawal fee (per team), in order to allow us to recoup extra expenses that will we incur in such a circumstance.  If you do have to withdraw after having registered, please do so as early as possible -- to avoid this extra fee.

Lodging and Meals Costs:

All teams are required to use one of the following options for their lodging and meals during the tournament (with the exception of local teams that will commute to the park from home each day).

NCSAA requires that teams make their lodging arrangements through FFSP; this agreement with the Park allows us to make the cost of facilities affordable for us -- and, thus, to keep the registration cost for all teams at an affordable level.  In the event that the Family First Housing and Conference Center fills, teams may then make their own lodging arrangements.  Any team that chooses to make its own lodging and meals arrangements elsewhere (before the time when the Housing and Conference Center fills) will still be required to pay Independent Lodging Arrangement fees (Option #2) listed below.

All teams must contact Rob Marx at Family First Sports Park in order to make their lodging and meals arrangements.  The contact numbers are 814-397-6999 (cell) or 814-866-5425, ext. 230 (office).

Housing and Conference Center Option:  $85 per person (3 nights), $65 (2 nights)

• The 3-night fee covers each person's lodging (at the Family First Sports Park Housing and Conference Center) for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday nights -- as well as meals for Thursday and Friday (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), and Saturday (breakfast only).  The 2-night fee covers lodging for Thursday and Friday nights, as well as meals for Friday (breakfast/lunch/dinner) and Saturday (breakfast only).
• This fee also provides each person with a 2-day pass to the Fun Center attractions.
• If you need to add on Saturday night lodging, you can do that for an extra $15 per person.   Please communicate this to the Park staff, when you make your reservations.
• Each team staying in the Housing Center is required to have its coaches staying on-site, as well.
• Space is the Housing Center is limited, so be sure to call soon if you want to reserve rooms for your teams to stay on-site.
• You will pay Family First Sports Park directly for your housing and meals. You will not pay NCSAA for these costs.
• Visit the Family First Sports Park web site via this link for more information about the Housing and Conference Center.

Independent Lodging Arrangement Option:  $25 per athlete

• If you would rather make reservations at a hotel of your choosing (or if you have some other option for lodging), you may pay an extra $25-per-athlete fee to NCSAA (in addition to the standard Individual Athlete Fees), in lieu of selecting Option #1 above.  This is a fee that we are required to pay to Family First Sports Park, as part of our rental agreement, which allows us to keep the cost of facility rental low -- and, thus, to keep the registration cost for all teams at an affordable level.
• This option does not provide you with any meals; you will be responsible for your own meals.
• This option does not provide you with any passes to the Fun Center attractions.  If you wish to use those attractions, you will need to pay separately.
• Erie hotels tend to fill quickly, so please be sure to make your decision soon if you are planning to select this option.
• If you use the Independent Lodging Arrangement, you must contact NCSAA (as soon as possible) to notify us of your decision…and make your payment of $25 per athlete directly to NCSAA.

Directions:

Family First Sports Park is located at 8155 Oliver Road, Erie, PA 16509.

From Pittsburgh and South:
Take I-79 North to Exit 178A (I-90 East, toward Buffalo). Follow to Exit 24 (Peach Street - old exit 6). Then turn right, and proceed to Oliver Road (at the next traffic light -- 0.4 miles). Turn right onto Oliver Road, and the Park will be on your left side (0.2 miles).

From Buffalo and East:
Take I-90 West to Exit 24 (Peach Street - old exit 6). Then turn left, and proceed to Oliver Road (at the next traffic light -- 0.4 miles). Turn right onto Oliver Road, and the Park will be on your left side (0.2 miles).

From Cleveland and West:
Take I-90 East to Exit 24 (Peach Street - old exit 6). Then turn right, and proceed to Oliver Road (at the next traffic light -- 0.4 miles). Turn right onto Oliver Road, and the Park will be on your left side (0.2 miles).

If you need further assistance with directions, please call 1-888-8GO-PARK.