Girls’ weekend of CASL Showcase draws hundreds of top teams to central N.C.

By Charles Boehm

Leading girls’ teams from across the United States and Canada have gathered in the Raleigh, N.C. area this weekend for the CASL Showcase, arguably the hottest late-fall tournament on the Eastern Seaboard and a perennial magnet for college and national-team scouts.

That status has been further enhanced by the concurrent staging of U.S. Youth Soccer National League matches in nearby Wilson, N.C., offering a high density of quality soccer for coaches to take in.

Perhaps that’s why more than 400 of them have informed the host club, the Capital Area Soccer League, of their intention to attend in some capacity. CASL also stages a goalkeeper showcase to provide netminders with additional exposure.

National League play kicked off on Thursday, while the rest of the event gets underway this morning, with the 25-field WRAL Soccer Center serving as the primary venue. The showcase offers multiple divisions in each of the Under-15 through U-19 age groups, with one match per day for all.

Those taking part in the showcase weekend will also have a chance to catch a massive NCAA men’s tournament match on Friday night. The defending national champion North Carolina Tar Heels host Indiana in a quarterfinal match at 6 p.m. at UNC’s Fetzer Field in Chapel Hill, with the winner booking a spot in the College Cup in Alabama next weekend. CASL Showcase participants have access to discount tickets.

[ +Visit the CASL Showcase website for schedules, teams and other information ]