The “Wild West” truly lived up to its name on the final day of the three-day Wild West Shootout 2026 at Pete Livermore Sports Complex in Carson City.
“Shootouts?”
Balls launched north carried with the wind, while kicks from the south often drifted backward midair.
“Wild?”
Strong winds and below-freezing wind chills forced constant adjustments throughout Sunday’s championship matches.
Hosted by Carson Futbol Club, the tournament featured 116 teams from five states and showcased the growth of youth soccer across Northern Nevada, the U.S. 395 corridor and the Lake Tahoe region.
Despite difficult conditions, regional clubs battled through the final matches while celebrating the unity and growth of the sport.
CFC coach JoJo Messick reflected on the tournament, saying, “Grateful for these ladies and the coaches I work with. Now on to the next adventure for these ladies — friendships.”
One of Messick’s teams combined players from Dayton and Douglas following the high school season, continuing play together during the spring club season.
A Sparks APD parent whose children have participated in the tournament for the past three years said the event continues to bring strong outside competition into Northern Nevada while helping regional players grow through the experience.
“It’s a great tournament that brings competition from outside the region into the Silver State to compete with our teams, and it’s always a lot of fun,” Emerson Marcus said.
Marcus’ children, JJ Marcus, 13, and Brockton Marcus, 11, both competed during the weekend tournament.
Desert Heat coach Jose Magaña and team manager Araceli Martinez, whose teams took home titles during the tournament, said they have built the club from the ground up and valued every step along the way.
Martinez described goalkeeper as one of the most demanding positions in soccer, requiring confidence, resilience and courage. The shifting conditions added another challenge for goalkeepers adjusting ball distribution throughout matches.
Danielle Montoya of CFC reflected after the final day as both the U12 girls team she coached alongside Dirk Goering and her son’s U11 team earned second-place finishes.
“So proud of these players. They didn’t give up and kept battling through it all,” Montoya said.
Carson FC interim president Christian Sanborn said the weekend reflected the continued growth of soccer throughout the region and thanked local sponsors and volunteers who helped make the tournament possible.
“We have seen real growth and interest in the sport, leading to an overall increase in competition across the region,” Sanborn said. “We value the opportunity to inspire young athletes, and hosting a local tournament helps them reach higher levels in their development.”
Sanborn also thanked local sponsors, including Dayton Valley Golf Club, which provided golf carts to assist tournament officials and staff throughout the weekend.
As teams packed up after three days of competition, the tournament once again highlighted how youth soccer continues to bring communities together across Northern Nevada, regardless of club or hometown.
Somewhere out on those windy fields this weekend were future high school standouts, future college players and kids simply building memories they’ll never forget.
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