Welcome

Games Dates: June 8, June 9, June 10, and June 11 (Awards & Brunch the 12th and Pride Parade)
Game Times: Afternoon & Early Evening
Game Format: 25 minute halves, with unlimited substitutions.
Competition Format: 7 versus 7 (6 field players and 1 goalkeeper per team)
Recommended Roster Size: 12 players
Planned Divisions: All-Gender (D1, D2, D3 & Masters' Over 40), Women's (D1, D2, D3 & Masters' Over 40)
Division Rules: All-Gender is open to any and all players. Women's Divisions are open to all players, with the exception of cisgendered men.
Equipment Needed: Teams are required to wear matching colored shirts, and everyone must play with appropriate shoes and shin guards. 

We are accepting interested players on a rolling basis. We will have 2+ teams playing in this event. Men's competitive and/or rec, and Womxn's competitive and/or rec. 

Per Player Fee is anticipated: $125/player (subject to change if we sign up too late)

Join the squad by emailing ryan@grayduckssoccer.com and/or please join our planning group on Facebook here. 

The Fields at RFK Campus  just west of the US Capitol on the river in Hill East

Located near Dupont Circle, one of DC’s historic gay neighborhoods, Yours Truly will provide convenient accommodations to all athletes and guests, having Metro access to our fields and being within walking distance of both the Capital Pride parade & festival. Also nearby are historic Georgetown and embassy row.

Booking is now available in our hotel block! Our block allows for checking in as early as Tuesday the 7th and checking out as late as Monday the 13th, with room options of either 1 King or 2 Queen beds at a rate of $199/night. [This is a great rate for DC, we will want to act fast on this and assemble rooms as people commit to playing]

Cost Summary:

Flight: $150-$300 [estimate as of Dec 2021]

Hotel: Wed-Sun $796 4 nights + $119 tax = $915 total (share a room divide in 2 $460ea)

Uniform: TBD, we strive to make it as affordable as possible

Player registration: $125

Fundraise Goal/Cost: $750-$990/player

Agenda:

Tue June 7 | Early arrivals day & night

Wed June 8 | All players required to arrive by 1pm, day 1 games late afternoon

Thur June 9 | Day 2 Games 

Fri June 10 | Day 3 Games

Sat June 11 | Playoffs Continued & Finals

Sun June 12 | Brunch & Pride Parade + Evening Departures 

Mon Jun 13 | Final Departures

[Sight seeing will be planned and orchestrated throughout the week outside of game times]

Minimum commitment is Wed to Sunday AM, it's too uncertain what time games would end Saturday and in our playing fee is a pre-paid brunch so you may as well stay and enjoy it. 

We could and should fundraise to offset these costs. All ideas and efforts welcomed but would require some collaboration. 

The first ever Desert Pride Cup was this past fall, and we'd love to explore a team attending next time. 

Share your interest in the squad by emailing ryan@grayduckssoccer.com 

The per player cost for playing is $75ea, this is due in order to sign up our team. Up to 13 players may partake. 

Registration includes:

• Tee Shirt
• One Day Tournament 
• Saturday Night Closing Event 
• Enjoy Palm Springs Pride, Southern California’s only in-person 2021 Pride Event
• Discount hotel room rate at The Saguaro Palm Springs,

• 7 v 7 Outdoors on real grass fields
• Rosters open to all genders of all skill levels
• Seeding Games Saturday AM, Playoff Games Saturday PM
• Teams are required to wear matching colored shirts
• Shin guards and appropriate shoes are required
• Unlimited substitutions

Fields: Victoria Park

2744 N Vía Miraleste, Palm Springs, California 92262

 Friday, November:

• Players Arrive & Check-In at the host hotel Saguaro Palm Springs
• Captain & Team Check-In and Registration Party at TBD

Saturday, November: 

• AM Seeding Games
• PM Play-Offs Games
• Evening Closing Party at TBD

Tournament schedule will be finalized in October

Sunday, November:

• Medal Ceremony
• Enjoy Palm Springs Pride

After each days’ events, partake in Palm Springs Pride events with other LGBTQ+ players at local bars, restaurants, lounges in downtown Palm Springs.

Player Fee: $75

Airfare: $200-500

Hotel: $150*

Transportation: $25-35*

Uniform: >$100*

Total Estimated Cost:

$400-$500 per player usually

*The pricing is based on costs known and researched in July 2021. These fluctuate weekly. 

Team hotel/house is TBD. Flying into SNA vs PSP may be a better option. 

Announced in July 2021, the Sydney Rangers will be hosting the IGLFA 11v11 world championships in 2023. This is Part II of the international series, and it will occur around Mardi Gras and World Pride. Dates are TBD, but will be between Feb 24 and Mar 4, 2023. Some additional info may be available here.

More information will become available later this year. 

We are accepting interested players on a rolling basis. We will have three-four teams playing in this event. Men's competitive and rec, and Womxn's competitive and rec. 

Join the squad by emailing ryan@grayduckssoccer.com  and/or please join our planning group on Facebook here.  

TBD

There will be a host hotel, and we will assess renting Airbnbs as well. We will provide ample opportunity for players to coordinate shared housing, and a preferred hotel. 

This will be an expensive trip, but one to which we could fundraise for greatly if persons are interested. 

Player Fee: $150

Airfare: $1,500-$2,700

Housing: Minimum $700 likely (think of it as $100 per person a night if sharing a room)

Transportation: $75*

Uniform: >$80*
Total Estimated Goal to Fundraise/Cost:$2,700-$3,700 per player usually
*This pricing is estimated, a better estimate will be known by April

We're considering a team deploying to the Gay Games in Hong Kong, let us know if you are interested. More info: 

We welcome LGBT and Allied players to join us from anywhere in the US. No need to be from Minnesota to be a Gray Ducks tournament squad player. We are considered a top club in the LGBT playing circuit, and are able to be that due to our acceptance of great talent from elsewhere. You'll just have to learn a few Minnesota words like Oofta, Pop, and Dontchya Know. 

Seeking to help the Gray Ducks get to Hong Kong? DONATE HERE

In 2017, the  International Federation of the Gay Games (FGG) awarded Hong Kong with the privilege of organizing the 11th edition of the Gay  Games. The games will occur Nov 9-Nov 20, 2022 with the hopes to bring  together some 15,000 participants from around the world. The largest  hetero-friendly sports, cultural, festival event in the world!  Open to  all, the HK Gay Games will contribute to the visibility and  integration of Lesbians, Gays and the Transgendered.   

Read more at: www.gaygameshk2022.com

Nov 14 - 19, 2022 - 11v11 

Opening Ceremonies - Nov 12

Closing Ceremonies - Nov 19

More here.

You control your own destiny in cost as you can crowdfund or collaborate with your team to raise funds. 

$250 - event fee. 

$50 - Team deposit due Sept 2021, non-refundable, will be applied toward team costs (e.g. uniform, travel, etc)

$100-$300 - Team Uniform

$1,400-$1,900 Estimate for airfare AND hotel

ESTIMATED TOTAL: $1,900-$2,700 USD

We strive to provide our players with sponsorship monies, private funding, and the opportunity to volunteer and earn toward their trip. 

Email ryan@grayduckssoccer.com reflecting on your interest in joining the team AND join our Hong Kong Bound Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/hongkongducks/

The team manager is Ryan Adams, veteran team organizer, who led the Gray Ducks to a Bronze Medal in the Paris Gay Games, a 2019 World Championship title in Las Vegas, and the TC Jacks to 5 national and 1 international LGBT tournament where each team found a podium finish ranging from 1st to 3rd.

Can my partner travel too?
Yes, absolutely. The more the merrier. Maybe there is a sport they'd like to participate in too? Check out the Hong Kong website for the other sporting options.
Do you have to be LGBT? 

Our team, and the event, are inclusive of our Allies. We have always had allies on our team and welcome everyone.  We do ask players understand it is an LGBT event at it's core and participate in all the community functions. 

Why does it cost so much?

We can't argue with you there, the event fee is incredibly off-putting. We continue to advocate this, however your fee includes access to everything happening during the Gay Games and contributes to this massive global event. The Games are expensive to produce, and there is not corporate sponsorship to further offset the costs, maybe one day!

Do you have to be from Minnesota?

Our team consists and has long consisted of persons from Minnesota and beyond. We welcome all persons willing to done our uniform and play soccer to advance equality and celebrate Pride. 

Are there opportunities for non-players? 

Absolutely, we always could use team support from management duties to coaching. 

Does the team stay together or book travel as a group?

We empower you to book your own journey if you choose to. However, we do strive to book flights/hotel together where possible as it can significantly reduce cost and simplify logistics. Players who've stayed in the team block have had very memorable experiences and made new friends for life. We do have an new policy though were players staying separate from the team are not eligible for sponsorship funds, and players who cannot attend the full tournament are also not eligible for sponsorship monies.  So, plan to stay with the team but travel at your leisure.

Do we practice before the tournament?

Ideally, those in Minnesota will be on a specific team 12 months leading up to the tournament to familiarize and advance ourselves. We will host seldom practices and then strike hard with practice a couple months out from the tournament. We will ask that players come to Minnesota once prior to Hong Kong, or join the squad for another traveling tournament. 

What if I get injured before I go, or have to cancel?

We hope that is not the case, but understand that it can arise. A loss of a player to our roster can have a ripple effect. There are several purchase points during this process, so some things may be refundable whereas some elements are not. You should pay close attention to the terms and conditions of each purchase for your answer to this. The tournament offers an insurance coverage, we suggest you review this on their website during the registration process. It costs under $6euro.  We do collect a non-refundable team fee which is applied to your uniform purchase closer to the tournament date. This is non-refundable because in the event you cannot go, those monies will go toward getting another athlete on board. We find it necessary to have players monetarily invested in the team to protect everyone's investment in attending this tournament. We also encourage you to book travel insurance or umbrella insurance. We will strive to book team insurance for our travel dates too given this tournament is out of the country.

2022 tournament players, please visit www.ultimatescoreboard.com to log in to your player profiles. 

You will be joining over 9,500 LGBT and Allied athletes, family and friends for two days of exciting athletic competition! This year's soccer tournament will again host the IGLFA Indoor World Championships consisting of 26 teams from the US, Canada, Mexico, UK and possibly elsewhere. 

In 2022, we will bring five teams to this tournament. 2021 was cancelled due to Covid. 

**ALL players must be vaccinated, proof will be required. We require all guests attending to also be vaccinated, though the tournament does not require that at this time**

***Only turf cleats are permitted***

Join the squad by emailing ryan@grayduckssoccer.com and joining our group page here: www.facebook.com/groups/lasvegasducks/ 

 ■  Teams will play 7 versus 7 in one of 3 divisions.
 ■  Teams are capped at 13 players.

 ■  A women's tournament will be 7v7 AND 5v5, but our teams will play 7v7 only
 ■  We will be sending 3-5 teams, 1 per division and format so Competitive and Rec level players welcome
 ■  Game format for 12 teams or less is 12-minute halves, one-minute halftime and guaranteed four games. In case of high demand, up to 16 teams will play 8-minute halves, one-minute halftime and guaranteed 6 games. 

 ■  Game times will be Saturday,  7am-7pm and Sunday, 8am-6pm. Games are typically a portion of the time indicated.
 ■  Game Times will be released to the Team Captains ONE WEEK BEFORE via e-mail.
 ■  All Teams are required to check-in a MINIMUM of 30 minutes PRIOR to game time. Failure to do so will result in an automatic forfeit.
 ■  Round Robin play will take place Saturday, which will determine seeding for the Sunday playoffs.

 ■  Two referees per game minimum. Referee decisions are final.
 ■  This tournament is officially sanctioned by the IGLFA, therefore, all IGLFA 7v7 Indoor Tournament rules apply.
 ■  Any red cards from prior sanctioned IGLFA tournaments that have suspensions that need to be served, will carry over.
 ■  IGLFA rules will be followed with the exception of substitutions - unlimited, on the fly and at referee game stoppages.
 ■  Teams will be required to have an affiliation with a parent team that is a current paid member of the IGFLA for the 2018 year.

Longevity Sports Venue - Two 7v7 fields happening at once, plus 5v5 field. 

 ■  Arena style with state of the art turf.
 ■  Climate controlled.
 ■  TURF OR INDOOR SHOES ONLY!
 ■  Restaurants, bars and restroom facilities are nearby.
 ■  On-site staff.
 ■  Parking is free.
 ■  The Awards Ceremony will take place Sunday

Player Fee: $75ea

Airfare: $220-$320*

Hotel: $150*+ [Varies based on room sharing, length of stay, and hotel chosen]

Transportation: $25-35*

Uniform: >$100*

Total Estimated Cost:

$400-$500 per player usually

*The pricing is based on costs known and researched in October 2020. These fluctuate weekly. 

Team hotel is TBD

Ryan has led a team to this tournament the past 5 years. 2020 was huge in that we brought our first women's team in addition to two all gender teams. Our D1 team took first yet again, incredible! In 2019 we brought two teams and earned a first and second place finish with both teams in the top division of play. In 2017 and 2018, we placed 2nd in Division 1. In 2016, we placed 3rd in Division 1. It's been an incredible journey each year.