News release from the Shindigz National Soccer Festival:
See back-to-back NCAA National Champions compete
History Made Once Again at Shindigz National Soccer Festival
The Shindigz National Soccer Festival will once again return to the Hefner Soccer Complex on the campus of IPFW Thursday, August 22nd through Saturday, August 24th. Schedules are now available online at https://www.nationalsoccerfestival.com/. Advance discount tickets can now be purchased at Fort Wayne-area Walgreen’s, 800 Degrees Restaurants and Connolly’s Do It Best Hardware locations. Tickets can also be purchased on the days of the event at the gate as in years past.
Also, for the first time in the history of the Shindigz National Soccer Festival, see a match between the back-to-back NCAA Men’s National Champions. North Carolina (2011 NCAA Men’s National Champion) will take on Indiana (2012 NCAA Men’s National Champion) on Saturday, August 24th. Coming off a surprise 2012 NCAA National Tournament run, and the first National Championship of the Todd Yeagley head coaching era, the Indiana Hoosiers will strive to maintain dominance over the University of North Carolina Tar Heels. “Wow! What a great way to end the Festival!” stated Terry Stefankiewicz, President of Shindigz National Soccer Festival. While North Carolina claimed their 2011 victory as the number one seed, Indiana entered the 2012 tournament as the number 16 seed and actually created a little more Hoosier soccer lore when they became the first 16 seed to win the College Cup.
There will also be several other top-notch high school and collegiate teams participating in the Shindigz National Soccer Festival. Thursday, August 22nd will feature Indiana Tech vs. Goshen in Women’s competition. Michigan State will take on North Carolina while Marquette faces Indiana in Men’s competition. Friday, August 23rd includes the Snider High School Boy’s Soccer Invitational and will feature IPFW vs. Wright State and Trine vs. Anderson in Women’s competition. Indiana Tech will take on the University of Indianapolis while Loyola faces Xavier in Men’s competition. Saturday, August 24th includes the Snider High School Girl’s Soccer Invitational and will feature IPFW vs. Valparaiso and Indiana vs. North Carolina in Men’s competition.
What began in 2000 has now become the nationally known phenomenon of the Shindigz National Soccer Festival. What was merely a soccer event has now turned into a full-fledged, grass roots community supported soccer festival. Corporations, foundations, and personal donations are the backbone of the festival. The beneficiaries of the event are the city of Fort Wayne for the national recognition it receives; the area youth for the hands on interaction with the soccer players and coaches from national major universities; the local business people of Northeast Indiana, for the added commerce brought to the area; the area universities, for the added exposure and the average Fort Wayne citizen who knows nothing about the game, but loves to have fun in a family oriented atmosphere.
Currently, the Shindigz National Soccer Festival has evolved into a true community soccer festival, including youth clinics put on by major university coaches and players, wide ranges of live entertainment, opportunities for youth involvement, food vendors, giveaway prizes, and for the 21 and older crowd, beer tents, all located at the beautiful Hefner Soccer Complex on the campus of IPFW in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Shindigz National Soccer Festival is honoured again, this year, to bring top-ranked college soccer teams, along with highly prestigious high school teams, to Fort Wayne. Due to the great history of the event, Shindigz National Soccer Festival has been recognized nationally as the premier event to attend for pre-season collegiate soccer.
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