The Gateway City Soccer Classic is now history.

Event organizer Eric Stratman confirmed that the mega-high school boys soccer showcase played at venues all around St. Louis for the past decade will not return to the Gateway City in 2017.

Citing exhaustion and frustration, Stratman is moving the event, which will be renamed, to Burlington, Iowa, for the fall of 2017.

Sixty-three teams representing 13 states competed in this year's Gateway City Classic. The tournament field included 17 teams that have been in the SIMA FAB 50 this fall, seven of them currently in the rankings, in addition to two of the Prep Top 10 teams. No other high school event -- boys or girls -- plays such a major role in assessing high school teams from around the country.

The yet-to-be-named event in Burlington, Iowa, will max out between 48 and 52 teams, and all contests will be played at the Burlington Regional Rec Plex between Sept. 28-30.

"I have been considering this (move) for the last few years, and the final straw came this year," Stratman said. "One coach saw me and said, 'Eric, you don't look good.' And that was on Friday (the first full day of competition). It's a combination of exhaustion and frustration. Changing games on late notice, finding officials -- hoping they would show up. Costs keep going up."

Stratman then said rather than dwell on the reasons to leave St. Louis, he wanted to focus why Burlington is a better option. He cited immaculate fields all in one location for teams, officials, fans and recruiters. He said a big draw to Burlington is the away-from-the-field experiences available to visiting teams, including Fun City and steamboat tours. Since Iowa is not in its high school season, Stratman does not envision having any problem finding officials, which were stretched thin in the St. Louis area due to high school and college seasons in play.

Stratman informed the 2016 Gateway participants of his plan to move the event and he has confirmation that many will follow him to Burlington. He has verbal commitments from eight teams that have been in the SIMA FAB 50 this year, and has fielded inquiries from schools as far away as North Carolina. He expects some of the St. Louis perennial private school powers will not make the trip to Burlington, so he is considering a 12-team showcase event in St. Louis between those schools and elite out-of-state opponents.

The Gateway City Soccer Classic started as the Quincy Soccer Classic in 2005 and was moved to the St. Louis suburb of Collinsville, Ill., for the 2007 and 2008 seasons. In 2009, the renamed Gateway City Soccer Classic was played at venues on both sides of the Mississippi River in both Missouri and Illinois. Also, the event grew from the original 12 teams in 2005 to the mid-60s the past several years. More than 130 schools representing 21 fall-playing states have competed at Gateway. The volume of teams and varying venues were both part of the allure of the Gateway City Soccer Classic and it ended up being its downfall.

Stratman told coaches that he, "had always held out hope that a complex would be built that we could use (in the St. Louis area), but every time something gathers a little steam, it manages to fall flat and not get done. I can't even begin to tell you how many meetings I have attended and promises made only to have it not work out."

State and nationally ranked teams from Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas and Missouri have already verbally committed to the 2017 event in Burlington.

"I've built great relationships with the coaches, they know I run a good tournament, so I'm hoping they will still come," Stratman said. "I hope they will give (Burlington) a chance. All I ask is give it one year. If you don't like it, then so be it. But I don't think that will be the case."

SOME GATEWAY CITY SOCCER CLASSIC HISTORY

* In 2015, Christian Brothers College (Mo.), coached by Terry Michler, faced off against Pingry School (N.J.), coached by Miller Bugliari, in a meeting between the top two all-time winningest high school soccer coaches. Michler and Bugliari, despite nearly 100 years of coaching and more than 1,700 victories combined, had never met prior to that contest.

* In 2011, DeMatha Catholic (Md.) edged Jesuit (Calif.) in a shootout in a game that featured the nation's two longest undefeated streaks at the time. Since that time, Jesuit has moved to the winter soccer season and no longer competes in the fall. But that result stands as Jesuit's lone loss in three trips to Gateway.

* In 2009, St. Thomas Aquinas (Kan.) won its bracket title, which vaulted them toward a perfect season and a FAB 50 national title.

* More than a dozen current or recent MLS players competed as high school players at the Gateway City Soccer Classic.

* Christian Brothers (Mo.) holds the distinction of the most wins (22) and bracket titles (four) at the Gateway event. The Cadets won the Bracket A title this year, allowing it to move to the top of both lists.

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