TOURNAMENTS
CYSL hosts three annual youth tournaments. The first one of the season
is called the
Skunk Classic. It was named after the famous
Skunk Train, which is a local tourist attraction, and
part sponsor of the tournament. The
Skunk Classic
is held annually on the 2nd weekend of August, in weather that is
perfect for soccer: never hot and usually blue skies. It is limited to
64 teams of U12-U19 B/G.
On the fourth weekend of August (weekend before Labor Day), we
have the
Abalone Cup. It is a
tournament for women and girls HS through over 30. This tournament has
divisions for women and girls from U19 (HS) to Open and Rec A/B women's
to over 30/40 divisions.
Right after the Abalone, some of the women stay to play in the Park's Dept. Labor Day Weekend Coast Cup. It's Coed Adult and the oldest of the Mendocino Coast tournaments. This has always been organized by the Mendocino Coast Recreation and Park District, and not affiliated with the other tournaments on this page.
At the end of October we have the Skunk II Indian Summer (Girls Only) Spookfest, which is held annually on the last weekend of October. It is limited to 64 teams of girls, U12-19. The weather in October can be quite warm, and the ocean views and air are spectacular in fall. Lodging is off-season and more affordable/available than summer.
Our tournaments are held on 10 fields between Fort Bragg and Mendocino, all close to one another. So no action is missed and there is plenty to do and on the fields as well as the many restaurants and shops. The referees are excellent--some are former nationally-licensed referees who come from out of the area for a working vacation.
As this area is a tourist destination, teams are encouraged to book lodging early. There are many types of lodging, from rental homes, B&B's for the whole team, to hotels and motels. The Chamber of Commerce has a list of local "member" motels, but you can find a bigger list on sites like the http://www.yellowpages.com The small places should be your first choice. Alternatively we have a complete list of motels. Read the hints on finding lodging.
Information for CYSA teams only: all teams must be registered with player passes. Guest players are allowed (meeting CYSA reg requirements). The CYSA web site has a list of tournaments and dates, for which applications are accepted after May 1 of each year. CYSA's website has the tournament applications and calendar: http://www.cysanorth.org/Tournaments/tournaments.htm