News release from the Shindigz National Soccer Festival:
Local companies support Shindigz National Soccer Festival
Event Sponsored by Many Throughout the Community(August 20, 2014) – The Shindigz National Soccer Festival will once again return to Fort Wayne on Thursday, August 21st through Saturday, August 23rd. Schedules are now available online at www.NationalSoccerFestival.com. Advance discount tickets can now be purchased at Fort Wayne-area Walgreen’s 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.
The Shindigz National Soccer Festival is eager to announce a new, long-term partnership with the Fort Wayne Sport Club and is very excited to announce that the entire event, including the 26 team high school tournament, will now take place at the meticulously manicured fields of the Fort Wayne Sport Club campus located at 3102 Ardmore Avenue in Fort Wayne. The Fort Wayne Sport Club was founded in 1927 by an active group of soccer players who immigrated to the area from Germany in the aftermath of World War I. Their immediate goal was ‘the promotion of football (soccer) and German culture’ in the northeast Indiana area. Today, the Fort Wayne Sport Club is the hub of regional soccer activity, with programs for recreational and competitive soccer players from age 4-years to 30-and-over.
In order to ensure the success and longevity of this event, the Shindigz National Soccer Festival has reached out to the community in many ways. Shindigz of South Whitley (www.shindigz.com) has once again renewed its presenting sponsorship of the event. Many other northeast Indiana businesses and organizations have also pledged support to the Shindigz National Soccer Festival including: the Indy Eleven, Don Hall’s Restaurants, Walgreens, Neoti, New Image Printing & Design, Evans Toyota, Edward M & Mary McCrea Wilson Foundation, Federated Media, Brigadoon Fitness, ATM & Company, Burton & Vosmeier & Looney Financial Advisory Group of Raymond James & Associates, Joe & Diane Zimmerman, Forrest Legal, The Journal Gazette Foundation, MedPartners, Sky Zone, Aalco, Classic Products, Connolly’s Do It Best Hardware, Fort Wayne Sport Club, Northeastern REMC, A Better Fort, Adidas, Frontier Communications, Sally Penn, Steel Dynamics,Snyder Food Services, Fort Wayne Orthopedics, Star Technology, Pro Resources Staffing Services, Web Industries, Don McArdle, Ian Rolland, Larry Lee and Dr. Mike Stronczek.
The Shindigz National Soccer Festival would also like to thank the following partners: ACE Tent Rental, K&K Insurance, Budweiser, IPFW and North American Council for Freight Efficiency. Special thanks are also due to Spe & Wendy Moyle, Jim Allgeier, Sally Penn, Amy Burton, Bruce Dye, Mike Eid, Rick Evans, Sarah French, Tim Hall, Keith Jacobson, Don McArdle, Terry McComb, Tom & Eunice Shoaff, Dr. Mike Stronczek, Margaret Sturm and San Sullivan.
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 celebration. 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 businesses of northeast Indiana, for the added commerce brought to the region; 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 celebration, 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 those 21-and-older: a beer tent; all located at the beautiful Fort Wayne Sport Club campus. 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 its great history, Shindigz National Soccer Festival has been recognized nationally as the premier event to attend for pre-season collegiate soccer.