Quick Contact information:

Mailing Address:

Elite Tournaments

401 Center Street

Suite 205

Mount Airy, MD 21771

How We Got Started

As a youth soccer coach in 2000, Michael Libber was looking for a way to help his U-12 team with the monetary costs of attending their first out of state tournament. He decided to create a mini tournament for teams in his age group as a fund-raiser. Ten teams attended his first tournament, and the event was a great success for all teams involved; so much so that they asked him to organize another event. The following year’s tournament was even more successful with over 60 participating teams, and Libber found his calling –organizing and managing sporting events.

In the following years since Libber established the company, Elite Tournaments, it has organized over 150 youth soccer events for eight different clubs, colleges, international and professional organizations. Elite Tournaments has expanded to run over 45 tournaments. Elite Tournaments organizes events throughout the United States including events in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Kansas, Florida, North Carolina, Texas, Washington, and Arizona. Elite Tournaments also has managed international tournaments in Bermuda for the Bermuda Football Association (BFA).

Elite Tournaments has based its company on the experiences of its staff’s playing, coaching and managing experience at other events prior to joining the company. Members of the Elite Tournament’s staff are former high school and college standouts, as well as a former collegiate and high school coaches and referees. Elite Tournaments prides itself on organization and communication with the teams, players, coaches, and spectators involved in the events and thus creating relationships with the coaches and managers that last. Always interested in creating new relationships, Elite Tournaments will listen to any organizations’ questions, requests and proposals. If your organization is interested in Elite Tournaments, please e-mail Mike Libber at mlibber@elitetournaments.com.

Meet our staff:

Michael Libber, President

Mike Libber, founder and president of Elite Tournaments, was a standout high school and college player, earning the Baltimore Sun 1993 Player of the Year award while leading Archbishop Curley to the MSA championship (Now MIAA). He continued his playing career for UMBC from 1994-1996 and became Coach Pete Caringi’s assistant in 1999-2000. Libber’s coaching career continued as he worked in the Baltimore Bays organization from 1997 – 2004, winning two state championship and a Region I championship. He was at the helm for the Baltimore Bays' U-23 team that won the national championship in 2002 and national finalist in 2004. Libber was then brought on as the head varsity boys coach at Oakland Mills High School in 2005 and ’06. Libber holds a USSF National ‘C’ coaching license.

As well as being involved with Elite Tournaments, Libber still finds time to volunteer for the Maryland State Youth Soccer Association as the boys state cup director, is on the board of the Maryland Referee Committee and the NSCAA host committee. He has been on the local NSCAA host committee for 2000, 2005, 2008 and the upcoming event in 2011. He is currently working with the state of Maryland to help bring the 2018 and 2022 World Cup to the United States. Libber has refereed for the last 20 years and now can be found on field for both high school and college games. As a member of the Christos FC franchise, Libber has been a part of numerous champion Christos teams including the Over 30 Regional Finalists of both 2008 and 2009.

E-mail Mike at mlibber@elitetournaments.com.

Matt Libber, Director of Operations and Business Development

Matt Libber has been onboard with Elite Tournaments since its inception. Having started in the second year, Matt has been a part of every event after the initial tournament. Matt brings not only sports background in soccer, basketball, and lacrosse, but he also brings experience in project management to Elite Tournaments. Having run successful projects for many companies including the United States Postal Service, and the Maryland State Board of Elections, Matt provides project planning, risk management and general organizational expertise to the company. In addition, he also provides IT management and support for the organization.

Matt was a three sport athlete at Archbishop Curley High School and later went on to play lacrosse on the collegiate level at Western Maryland College (now McDaniel College). Matt later coached lacrosse at the high school level as well as several seasons of summer league club lacrosse. He also has 13 years experience as a soccer referee and was a referee assignor. Matt recently was named the Maryland State Youth Soccer Association 1st Vice President. With this new assignment he will take over the Maryland State Cup and Maryland President's Cup.

Contact Matt via e-mail at matthew.libber@elitetournaments.com

Megan Schmidt, Director of Programs and Events

Before joining Elite Tournaments full time, Schmidt has been highly involved with coaching soccer teams in southern Maryland where she has served a variety of roles. Most recently, she has been active assisting the youth Olympic Development Program for Maryland, among others. Megan was also a four-year starter for the women’s soccer program and played on the women's basketball team at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, graduating in 2005.

Megan obtained a masters degree in Recreation and Sport Sciences with a focus on Coaching Education from Ohio University in 2008. Returning to her Alma Mater, she became the assistant coach, helping to lead the St. Mary’s College Women’s Soccer Program to their first conference title in history. Schmidt holds a NSCAA National and Advance National Diplomas as well as the USSF National 'D" coaching license.

E-mail Megan at mschmidt@elitetournaments.com.

Dominic Popolizio, Tournament Director

Dominic Popolizio joined Elite Tournaments in June 2011. Prior to Elite, Dominic had been the Tournament Director at United Sports (USTC) in Downingtown, PA.  Dominic directed such tournaments as the FC DELCO Players Cup (May), Primo Cup (Nov), and the FC Europa Turf Cup (March). 

Popolizio currently coaches at the club level and plays in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) for the FC Reading Revolution. As a collegiate student-athlete, Popolizio was a four-year starter at Quinnipiac University. 

Popolizio had three winning seasons with the Downingtown East Cougars (2007-2009) and he currently coaches the 96 Blue and 93 Arsenal boys’ teams at Spirit United Soccer Club. Additionally, Popolizio has coached for Montgomery United Soccer Club (1996-2004), Horsham Soccer Club (2005-2008), and the National Soccer Academy (1999 - 2005). 

As a player, Popolizio acquired numerous awards at the club, high school, and collegiate levels. At Quinnipiac University, Popolizio led the team in assists during all four years of his collegiate career and he helped the Bobcats to a Northeast Conference (NEC) Final Four appearance in 2004. He is one of few to have won three National Championships, doing so with FC Delco in 2002, 2003, and 2005. Popolizio was also a National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Regional All-American, Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) All-State selection, Pioneer Athletic Conference-10 (PAC-10) League Most Valuable Player (MVP), and First Team All-League during his senior year at Lansdale Catholic High School.

Popolizio earned bachelor‘s degree in health sciences with a minor in biology from Quinnipiac University. He is currently resides in Downingtown, Pennsylvania.

Megan Patterson, Marketing Manager / Programs Assistant

Megan Patterson was welcomed into the Elite Tournament family in July 2011 as the Marketing Manager and Programs Assistant. Growing up, Megan was involved in various levels of competitive sports and event management, which led her to develop a passion for the tournament field. She both played softball and competed in cheerleading on a national level and gained recognition as a standout in both sports. Injury prevented Megan from continuing to compete at a collegiate level; however, it did not stop her passion for competitive sports.

Megan went on to attend Appalachian State University and received a degree in Communication. While at

Appalachian, Megan was involved in many local non-profit organizations and was innovative in heading the Frederich Ataxia Muscular Dystrophy Fund. She also was in charge of various local public relations campaigns and served as Hospitality Liaison for Music on the Mountaintop, a one of a kind, ecologically driven large-scale music festival. While staying involved in the community, Megan also was a member of Lambda Pi Eta National Communication Honor Society and Pi Gamma Mu International Honor Society in Social Sciences. Before joining Elite Tournaments Megan had most recently been serving as a Unit Marketing Coordinator for Outback Steakhouse and putting on events with Downtown Frederick Partnership.

Email Megan at mpatterson@elitetournaments.com

Mandy Libber, Chief Financial Officer

Mandy is currently on maternity leave, please contact the office with your questions.

Mandy Libber, formerly Bishop, is Elite Tournaments' Chief Financial Manger. She has worked on every level within the soccer community. Mandy worked at the US Soccer Federation in both coaching education and events; the now defunct Carolina Courage, professional women’s soccer team; CASL of North Carolina and was the program administrator for the Maryland State Youth Soccer Association before joining the Elite Tournaments staff full time. Mandy also coached at the College of Notre Dame of Maryland for 5 years, a span in which Notre Dame won two Atlantic Women’s Colleges Conference Championships and twice advanced to the NCAA Division III Championships. She has also worked with several club teams in her tenure of coaching, including 3 of the largest clubs in the nation.

As a player, she was a four-year letter-winner in soccer and lacrosse at St. Mary’s College of Maryland from 1997-2001. Mandy was a captain of both teams for the Seahawks and was a member of the 1999 and 2000 Capital Athletic Conference all -conference team. She played on three women’s lacrosse teams that advanced to the NCAA Division III, including two trips to the great 8 and one to the final 4. Mandy graduated from St. Mary’s in May 2001 with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Economics. She then attended North Carolina State University for a master’s Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management with an Athletic Administration Minor from University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

E-mail Mandy at mbishop@elitetournaments.com

Mohammad Samadpour, Director of Officials

Mohammad Samadpour joined the Elite Tournament Staff in September 2011 as the Director of Officials. Prior to joining Elite, Samadpour was an active official for Elite Tournament matches. Currently, he is a United States Soccer Federation State Referee, State Assessor, Associate Instructor, and Assignor. Along with working matches at the USSF level, he also works Division 1 Collegiate matches.

Samadpour possesses a degree in Computer Engineering and works full-time in the Information Technology field.

Email Mohammad at msamadpour@elitetournaments.com

Phone:

301-703-8276

Please be aware during tournament weekends, that we do NOT staff the office, and therefore can not answer this phone. The best way to contact any of the Elite Tournaments Staff is by email.

Part of our excellent staff at the 35th Annual Columbia Invitational