Is it arrogance or just not getting it?

I like Paul LaTour and Ed Watson. I don't have an issue with either. But as some coaches said to me today, this backs up the reason why the Pepsi Showdown was created.

Obviously, playing a role in the creation of the Pepsi Showdown, I know why it was created. There are a number of high-profile teams that believe they are too good to play certain teams. This is a bigger problem on the girls side than the boys. Girls soccer used to have only 10 strong programs back in the 1990s, but that's different today. Nevertheless, you have the same programs playing the same programs every year. Don't believe me? Look at the schedules.

Do you think if it wasn't for the Pepsi Showdown this spring that New Trier would've struggled to beat Homewood-Flossmoor in overtime? And what about York - would Wheaton North have played them and beat them in overtime? Wheaton North just got past Andrew in a second-round shootout. What about Maine South and Hersey - would they have played if it wasn't for the Pepsi Showdown? These are just four examples.

Do you think Oswego and Libertyville would've been on schedule? What about Lyons and Payton? No wait, maybe Wheaton Academy and Sandburg would've scheduled a game. No, no, no - I meant Lockport and Jacobs. No wait, I have one - St. Charles North vs. St. Ignatius - they would've scheduled. I mean, the same St. Ignatius team that beat Hinsdale Central and Lyons, two teams in the Naperville Invite.

Come on folks - it's about change, about playing different teams, allowing players to see different players and locations. I had college coaches coming up to me the first weekend thanking me for doing something to help the sport. Keep in mind, some of these college coaches were down in St. Louis the same weekend the year before, but were now at the Pepsi Showdown because they could see 32 teams and 800-plus players.

I told them it's good for everyone - the players, coaches, programs and the sport in general.

When was the last time a Naperville-area team played a city team? I remember when Downers South used to play a city team all the time. It's more than just a game in some cases, and that's something some coaches are missing.

There is so much more to the Pepsi Showdown than being the largest high school girls tournament in the country. I remember receiving a letter from a 78-year-old grandparent two weeks ago. He said it was great to see his grandchild playing against his former high school. This was just one of the countless people saying thanks, because they see the big picture of high school athletics.

But back to the comments:

1. Direct challenge at the Naperville Invite? Not at all. It's called promoting the sport, being creative and bringing something that coaches, parents and players like. It offers something no other tournament in the state offers, a true seeded tournament that allows teams to play five games and it is spread out over two weeks so it doesn't kill the players. Ask any coach part of the Naperville Invite what they hated the most, and they will tell you too many games in a short span; and that some pods are overloaded with too many good teams...meaning the best teams don't always make it to the finals.

And guess what? They had to change the format this year, because some teams were talking of pulling out.

At the end of the day, the Pepsi Showdown looked at all the tournaments around, actually listened to what coaches' and players' thoughts to come up with something that people wanted and the sport needed. If the Pepsi Showdown wanted to compete against other tournaments, it would have placed the tournament on the same weekends.

You think I want to stand out in the cold and rain like I did for 12 hours last weekend? No, I would much rather play at the end of April when the weather might be better. But there are other tournaments scheduled, and that wouldn't be fair to the players or the sport. Look at the boys version of the Pepsi Showdown - it works with the Best of the West and Barrington Tournaments to make sure they don't conflict. The goal is to promote and give kids opportunities to do more - not choose.

I've said that 100 times, and I'll probably say it another 100 times.

2. Corporate sponsors? Welcome to the 21st century. Pepsi Showdown teams get free adidas balls, the best program guide in the state and more exposure than any high school tournament around. Out of state teams stay for free with Marriott, Flexeon Rehabilitation provides the trainers, Chicago Soccer.net sets up a store on site and has great deals for kids, ExchequerPub.com provides free hot dogs and buns and Gatorade and other colleges also are involved. Shameless plug, I know. But hey - it was brought up.

3. Pepsi Showdown wanted to make its tournament the biggest? For years, the Naperville Invite wanted to go to 32 teams. It never did. So when the Pepsi Showdown expands to 40-plus teams next year with out-of-state programs, brings in another high-profile tournament (stay tuned) and adds a club touch to it, it will offer more opportunities. The boys version of the Pepsi Showdown started five years ago and has grown to be a premier tournament in the fall.

It's the only tournament where the title game is played at Toyota Park, and it's the only tournament where a person could go to one site and watch close to 40 teams - in and out of state - play.

The reason why the girls didn't start with the boys five years ago was the fact everyone wanted to make sure the main site offered turf, so all games could be played on great fields. We all know spring in the Chicago area is a mess, and I've watched too many games in the Naperville Invite played on dirt. Premier tournaments shouldn't be on dirt. If it wasn't for this, the Pepsi Showdown girls would've started with the boys five years ago.

At the end of the day, it's great for the sport to have options and tournaments like the Naperville Invite, the Barrington Invite, the Pepsi Showdown and the Brine Classic in Iowa.

Again, competition for the Naperville Invite - I don't think so. But this once again shows the high-class (or low-class) arrogance of some so-called premier girls teams. Amazing how people react when change is in the air.

I mean, I could go back-and-forth, pointing out that Oak Park beat Naperville Central this year and Oak Park lost to New Trier in the second round of the Pepsi Showdown. Naperville Central was offered an invite to the Pepsi Showdown, but it declined. Who knows if they would've made it out of the first round of the Pepsi Showdown?

But I do know one thing - countless girls soccer players will be in the spotlight Sunday at Toyota Park for the Pepsi Showdown final at 4:30 p.m.

That's something that will blow everything else away. Don't believe me? Come see for yourself. And at the end of the day, that's all that matters - providing opportunities to create memories that will last forever.

That, my folks, is what the Pepsi Showdown is all about.

- Joe Trost