In July/August 2003, the Southwest Soccer Club's Boys Under 16 team from Temecula, California, participated in the Liverpool-Knowsley International Tournament.
For most of the players in the team it was a unique experience, as they had never previously entered a tournament where a team only played ONE game each day. They also found that many of the rules were different and some of the players and parents had a particularly difficult time in understanding the "no re-entry" substitution rule.

Nevertheless, the whole team, without exception, indicated that participating in this tournament was the best soccer experience of their life. It rated even higher than making the Regional ODP team, or winning the state championship.

The things that the players and coaches particularly liked were:
1) The intensity of the play.
2) The level of the competition.
3) The facilities.
4) The officials. Yes, the referees were top-class.
5) The organisation- everything clear and on time.
6) The tournament social events-tours, visit to Liverpool F.C., receptions etc
7) The friendship and "camaraderie" displayed by the tournament organisers- Dave Mercer, Eddy Jennings and Sharon Doyle, as well as their support staff.
8) The accommodation and food.
9) The cultural experience of meeting players from France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Gibraltar, China as well as teams from the United Kingdom.

I give a 100% endorsement to this tournament. We, at Southwest Soccer Club, intend to enter teams from our club in the Liverpool-Knowsley Tournament 2004 and continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

I recommend this tournament without reservation particularly if you have a select or travelling team that strongly competes at the state or regional level. You will find "tough" opposition and you are unlikely to find any easy games.

Roy Rees
Director of Coaching
South West Soccer Club