Photo credit: Santa Monica Beach Soccer Club.
What happened:
The Special Events Committee (SEC) passed a motion to approve a funding request for a South Padre Island Beach Soccer Tournament in May 2021 and July 2021.
"Tye" Sullivan, National Director/Promoter, and Lupe Metzger, Sports Events Planner and Local Director of Operations in San Antonio and Harlingen, are teaming up with SPI’s Convention and Visitors Bureau to start a Beach Soccer tournament.
Why it matters:
The $14,000 funding request is going directly to advertising and the equipment needed for the events.
Intending to bring more families to the island and jump-start future sustainable local beach sports, SPI resident Lupe Metzger shared her vision with CVB Director Ed Caum after wanting more local sports for her grandchildren and her community. After speaking with CVB Director Ed Caum and CVB Events Development and Packaging Manager Marisa Amaya, Sullivan and Metzger became acquainted.
Since 2004, Sullivan has orchestrated beach tournaments around the country and globally. For the last ten years, Sullivan has averaged eight events per year and has been running events since his late 20's. He has also been a coach for more than 35 years, "I understand the game, and the education of the sand and most importantly for you guys, I understand what it means to grow an event in a community."
In hindsight, Metzger's goal is for families to come, stay, vacation, and come again. Eventually, in the future, beach sports will branch off into future volleyball leagues and surfing leagues. Using her network, Metzger explained to the board that many people have been waiting for beach sports to hit the island, "If you build it, they will come." says Metzger.
"South Padre's here. Why are you stopping in Corpus?" said Metzger.
What now:
Although playing in the sand sounds questionable, Sullivan explained of the sand works out different muscles. "Sand is the next wave that we're going to be about. We’re going to see athletes reach higher limits because once you do it in the sand and go back to a hard surface, you're not just more stable, you're stronger, you're quicker, you jump higher."
With an SEC recommendation, it will still need to be either approved or denied by City Council.