Youth soccer remains one of the highest participating sports among youth in the U.S. Since 2000, annual participation across the country has held steady with around 3 million youth boys and girls, while other youth sports have been on a decline.
On May 18-20, people in the North Carolina High Country will get a taste of “the beautiful game’s” popularity as 74 teams coming from 6 different states will make their way to the annual soccer tournament King of the Mountain, hosted by Boone-based High Country Soccer Association (HCSA). The tournament, which began in 2009 with 13 teams, will be spread across fields at the Ted Mackorell Soccer Complex (TMSC; home of Appalachian State Men’s and Women’s Soccer, Watauga County’s Parks and Recreation and HCSA), Watauga High School, and Lees McCrae in Banner Elk.