Seattle Shootout For Soldiers - Recap
This past weekend, FFL had the privilege of attending the Shootout for Soldiers (SFS) event in Seattle, WA at Kasch Park. If you were like us, you might have had some questions about how the event works and who it supports. Shootout for Soldiers is a non-profit organization whose goal is to support wounded American veterans. The event format is 24 straight, one-hour games. The games however are structured so that the score is cumulative between each session. At the end of each game the next session immediately starts playing and uses the previous score as their base. The focus of the event is to just play, have fun and support those who served, its not about recruiting nor is it an actual tournament. SFS hosts events across the country, and this year was their first time in Seattle.
While the event is not centered around recruiting or true competition like similar venues, the quality of play and passion displayed in the exhibitions was refreshing. The teams that came out to play did so with rigor, explosiveness, and overall quick up and down transitions making it a product that required your full attention from the very first whistle. That’s not to say that the main goal of having fun was not achieved as well. There were numerous times we saw the goalie carry the ball on the offensive side only to fire a shot while absorbing checks – similar to an attackman. We also routinely saw defensemen switching to play offense and vice versa. The quality and style on the field was fun to watch and unique compared to traditional summer tournaments.
No great event is complete without a quality “off the field” experience. SFS capitalized on this as well. There were multiple vendors in the parking lot for food, great gear and additional organizations who benefit veterans. Two of those organizations were the Gary Sinese foundation and the Lead the Way Fund, who both echoed and exemplified the spirit of the event. The fans that came out cheered loudly for great plays, roared for dazzling goals and were a great addition to the overall atmosphere. It was the entire package.
Since this was the first event SFS has done in Seattle and in the Pacific Northwest for that matter, it’s always a guessing game on how smoothly it will run. It was safe to say that there were no speed bumps. At the close of the day SFS announced that they had raised $37,720 dollars to help their cause! This is a phenomenal result. This year, over $800K has been raised with Seattle being the last to add to the total. If you’re interested in helping to support Shootout For Soldiers, check out their website and social media accounts. Every little bit helps, and if there is an event being hosted in your area go check it out, we promise you wont regret it!
- Founding Fathers Lax team
www.shootoutforsoldiers.com