Foley, Ala. — The Foley Sports Tourism Complex (FSTC) announced an agreement with locally-based tournament management company, Snap Soccer, to produce and manage multiple soccer tournaments at the new sports park. Construction of 16 full-sized, grass playing fields is well underway with an expected completion date of late spring. The inaugural soccer tourney, the Memorial Day Showdown, is slated for May 27-30.
“The guys at Snap Soccer have a proven track record of running successful soccer tournaments,” said Don Staley, FSTC Executive Director. “They’ve been doing tournaments since 2007 mostly in the Gulf Coast area but have also managed tournaments as far away as Houston for the professional team over there. We’re very lucky to be teaming up with a group of people who not only know the game of soccer but also how to bring in quality teams from outside of the area.”
Snap Soccer is one of the Southeast’s most prolific and respected soccer tournament management companies, producing dozens of youth soccer events. Their largest tourney, the Publix Supercup, attracts more than 240 teams from as far away as Texas and Indiana.
“A lot of teams do come from Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida,” said John Guidroz, Snap’s president. “But we also get teams from Georgia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas and there’s a club in Indiana that brings two charter buses to the event every year.”
Some 10,000 players, coaches and family members come to the Gulf Coast for the Publix SuperCup, which spans two back-to-back weekends and yields an economic impact in excess of $1 million dollars.
Fields under construction this winter at Foley Sports Tourism Complex
“We’re thrilled to be working with Don and his team at the FSTC,” Guidroz said. “Not only is the venue perfect but Don is a former college Division 1 soccer coach (University of Alabama) with over 300 collegiate wins, so he gets it.”
“Most of our tournaments are held at multiple locations which can be problematic for parents with kids playing at different parks” Guidroz continued. “So utilizing Foley as a single destination park is a much better situation for teams coming from out of town.”
In addition to the Memorial Day Showdown, Snap and the FSTC are planning several other major soccer events throughout the year.
“Thanks to Snap Soccer, this area is already known as a great place to come for soccer tournaments,” Staley said. “We plan on taking it to the next level so that our complex in Foley becomes known nationwide as a soccer Mecca.”
Rendering of field layout at Foley Sports Tourism Complex
Guidroz elaborated. “We have great weather most of the year, we have amazing restaurants, some of the world’s best beaches and now a world-class soccer park. Foley is offering the total package and we’ve already communicated that to the clubs we work with.”
To learn more about the new Foley complex, go to: www.foleysports.wpengine.com
For more information on Snap Soccer, go to: www.snapsoccer.com
