Second Dungeness Cup is double the fun

Thousands turn out for games

The Second Annual Dungeness Cup was a roaring success.

 

Tournament director Tim Tucker said this year the slate of teams more than doubled, from 22 to 47. He estimated that as many as 2,000-2,500 moms, dads, friends and players showed up for at least one of the games.

 

That includes perhaps 800 who stayed in town.

 

Tucker said finding a last-minute room for one of the referees proved pretty tricky, with the first three hotels all booked. “The fourth one had two rooms left,” he said.

 

Visitors loved the 1-year-old Albert Haller Playfields.

 

He laughed. “First, they said this place is beautiful, then they said the toilets were clean.”

 

“And third,” he added, “they said it was really well organized.”

 

Tucker said the Cup crew soon will start working on next year’s tournament. He said they may be able to invite a few more teams by utilizing other facilities in town.

 

At Albert Haller Playfields “we’re pretty much maxed out at 47,” he said, but noted this year tournament staffers were able to hold eight games at Sequim High School to alleviate the scheduling difficulties.

 

By fully utilizing Sequim High and other area fields, “We see getting this to 80 to 100 teams,” Tucker said.

 

The playfields held up well. “We had some rain for the first day and that was nice. It softened it up,” he said.

 

Tucker said the grass height required a last minute fix — a fix that was provided by the crew at The Cedars at Dungeness golf course, which showed up the evening before the tournament opening with their heavy-duty equipment.

 

“They were amazing,” Tucker said. “We were all there until 10:30 p.m.”

 

Tucker also thanked the Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce for coupon bags that were provided to the visitors.

 

He also had good words for the City of Sequim, which worked hand in hand with the tournament crew.

“There were no roadblocks,” he said. “There was always someone there to clear the path.”

 

Tucker congratulated Sequim Family Advocates on the success of the tournament. The group of volunteers, which formed to build the fields, promised the city that the new facility would generate revenues for the city and area businesses. “They told the city, ‘If you build it, they will come.’”

 

Tucker also thanked the many other sponsors of the event, saying all were vital in putting together the tournament.

 

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Reach Mark Couhig at mcouhig@sequimgazette.com.