Indoor futsal tournament continues to honor Bish’s legacy

The main and auxiliary gymnasiums at Elk County Catholic High School were both filled with activity over the weekend, though it was not related to basketball or any of the school’s spring sports. Instead, two days of indoor soccer action drew crowds to the school for the 2nd Annual Ken Bish Memorial Indoor Futsal Tournament. The late Ken Bish was a big supporter of area soccer teams and organized various tournaments over the years. Following his death in 2021, the Ken Bish Memorial Indoor Futsal Tournament was started to honor his memory and continue promoting the sport. “Soccer was such a big part of his life,” said Ken’s wife, Terri Bish. Terri Bish shared that the tournament is an emotional time for her family because of how important it was to Ken. “It’s not just soccer. It’s all these kids up here, and just seeing how much they love being part of a team,” Bish said. On Saturday, Bish was one of the coaches for a team that included her son Louie, and she also cited the quickness and mental components of the game as factors that make it such an enjoyable event to both compete in and watch. “I know Ken would be so proud that it’s still going on,” Bish said. “It’s a celebration of his legacy,” added Crusader soccer head coach Kelli Brannock. “He was very passionate about indoor soccer and just enjoying the game and being a good teammate.” ECC’s boys’, girls’, and junior high soccer teams were all involved with the tournament, and players from both the boys’ and girls’ varsity squads volunteered to referee and help with other aspects of the event, such as manning the concession stand. Brannock noted that having the players referee provided them with an additional learning opportunity. “When they’re the ones making the calls and getting the heat from the fans and the coaches, it’s a good learning experience for them,” Brannock said. Both Bish and Brannock indicated that they were happy with the turnout for this year’s tournament. “We’ve got 30 teams this year,” Brannock said. “That’s fantastic.” A total of 17 teams competed across the 10U, 12U, and 14U divisions on Saturday and then another 13 were scheduled to be in action during Sunday’s varsity competitions. The tournament ran from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday and from noon to 7 p.m. on Sunday. The top two teams in each division received medals. As of Saturday afternoon, both also noted that fans had been treated to some exciting action in games in both gyms. “There have been a lot of really close matches,” Bish said. “You love to see that competition.” Brannock explained that competing in a tournament such as the one held over the weekend not only gives players something fun to do during the winter months but also helps them improve their skills for outdoor games. “(Indoor soccer) is a faster game, so it really, really presses your foot skills, so you have to have really good, quick foot skills, and you have to think quick,” Brannock said. “It translates to the outside game because having good foot skills is a basic. It’s definitely a different game because it’s faster. It’s kind of like soccer’s version of basketball, really. It’s really similar to the flow of a basketball game. You’re just using your feet instead of your hands.” Soccer fans are encouraged to pencil in the 3rd Annual Ken Bish Memorial Indoor Futsal Tournament on their calendars for roughly the same weekend next year. Bish and Brannock added that they are grateful for the support of all who have made the tournament possible.