On this field, age isn’t a barrier. It’s a badge of honor… For 15 years, the Days of Glory Soccer Tournament has brought together athletes over the age of 50 at the Wheatland Athletic Association in Aurora. The two-day event, hosted by the Half Century Club, features three divisions: ages 50-59, 60-64, and 65 and up. This year, 19 teams competed across the first weekend of August.
The Half Century Club celebrates its 15th annual Days of Glory Soccer tournament
“The crystal anniversary. So we are celebrating 15 consecutive years of this tournament at this facility, and we are very, very pleased,” said Al Tineo, Director of the Days of Glory Soccer Tournament. “The tournament started with very few teams. It’s been fun, and we have grown our club tremendously. We have 38 different countries representing our club.”
The Half Century Club was founded in 2000 by Ed Sabin and Doug Sowers. What began as a small group of friends looking for a safer way to keep playing has grown into a thriving community of more than 100 members.
“We’ve got ages from 50 to the oldest guy at 84,” said Ed Sabin, President of the Half Century Club. “4 or 5 guys are in their 80s, a bunch of guys in their 70s. We play in tournaments all over the country, and even some we travel internationally. We play 52 weeks a year — 26 indoor, 26 outdoor.”
The Half Century Club was well represented this year, with teams competing in every division, including two squads in the 65+ bracket.
A yearly reunion for many, athletes gather to compete from all over the world
The Days of Glory Tournament is like a reunion for many. Families line the sidelines, old friends catch up under tents, and stories are shared between matches.
“It’s every nationality you can think of. It’s just a great bunch of people and great camaraderie,” said Sabin.
Magno Barreto, Facilities Manager at Wheatland Athletic Association and Soccer Coach for Team Chicago, plays for the All Stars in the 50+ division.
“It’s a great time and awesome being able to play with guys that are the same age versus playing and chasing young kids,” said Barreto with a smile. “Every year we look forward to this tournament and all the different nationalities that’re here.”
Over the years, players from around the world have made traveling to this event a tradition.
“We’ve got people who come every year — they’ve been with us for 15 years,” said Sabin. “We’re looking to expand next year, as we expect to have more than 19 teams. We had to limit it this year because of the construction.
2026 is set to be the biggest Days of Glory soccer tournament in
Construction at Wheatland Athletics reduced this year’s tournament to just two fields, but with a new turf facility opening later this year, organizers expect to double that space — and expand the tournament to welcome more teams than ever before.
Over the two-day tournament, teams play four games using a point system that rewards wins, goals scored, and clean sheets. But the real goal is simple — to just keep playing.
“All the different nationalities that are here, we get to meet different guys, different players,” said Barreto. “We watch good soccer too — it’s a very high-level tournament for over 50.”
The Days of Glory tournament shows that age isn’t a barrier and that you can keep enjoying the things you love, no matter how old you are.
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