Comstock Shootout this weekend

A total of 84 girls teams will be in action this weekend when the first half of the seventh annual Comstock Shootout age group soccer tournament is held in Carson City.

Girls 8 -19 years old will play Saturday and Sunday at Edmonds Sports Complex, Mills Park and Carson Middle School. The tournament concludes next weekend when 80 boys teams come in to play.

Teams from California, Idaho, Oregon and Northern Nevada are participating in Northern Nevada's largest annual soccer tournament, according to co-director Phil Williamson.

"All the hotels and motels will be filled with soccer players and their families," said Williamson, who organized the event along with Fred Schmidt in 1994. "We started with 32 teams, then went to 56, 72, 96, 112 and last year we went to two weekends and hosted 144 teams.

"We never dreamed it would be this successful."

Proceeds from the event benefit the local soccer community. For example, travel, uniforms and training costs for members of the Capital Soccer Club are paid for with the aid of this fund-raiser. And in 1999, the club combined with Carson City American Youth Soccer Organization to offer six $750 scholarships for Carson High School seniors, and the same scholarships are available again this year.

The Carson City Parks and Recreation Department and Carson City Youth Sports Organization also support the Comstock Shootout. There are countless others who support the event, according to Williamson.

"We couldn't offer the Comstock without the help of all our volunteers," Williamson said. "The referees, coaches, field monitors and field maintenance helpers make this activity possible."