Our History

It all started nine years ago while Terry Stefankiewicz, “Stanks,” was watching the NIT basketball tournament on television. Terry thought to himself that it was time that college soccer has the same type of event. He picked up the phone and called his ex-coach who happened to be legendary six time national champion of the Indiana Hoosiers, Jerry Yeagley. Jerry agreed, but didn’t have the time to put the event together, but promised Terry that if he were to do it that the Hoosiers would participate.

The following week Terry started to make his dream a reality by calling other coach acquaintances such as Duke, Rutgers, South Carolina, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame and St. Louis. In a week’s time the field was set. Not one school turned down the offer.

Now the teams were committed, the difficult task of fund raising for university guarantees, officials, insurance and much more was the next step. But, it all fell into place which became the foundation known as the Soccer Showcase.

What began in 2000 has now become a nationally known phenomenon, the National Soccer Festival (NSF). What was merely a soccer event has turned into a hands on community supported soccer festival. In order to ensure the success and longevity of this event the national soccer festival reached out to the community in many ways. Barnes and Thornburg volunteered many hours to obtain a very difficult to achieve non for profit status. The Fort Wayne Sport Club and their hard working volunteers diligently provided the NSF a facility worthy of division I standards. Corporations, foundations, and personal donations are the backbone of the national soccer festival. Not to mention the hundreds of volunteer hours donated that brings the event to fruition. The beneficiaries of the event are the city of Fort Wayne and its national recognition it receives, the youth for the hands on interaction with the major universities and their players, the local business people (i.e., hotels, gas stations, restaurants, etc), the three major universities in Fort Wayne, and for the average citizen who knows nothing about the game but loves to have fun in a family oriented atmosphere.

Currently, in 2008, the NSF has evolved into a true festival. There are youth clinics put on by major universities, golf outings which include celebrity coaches, a wide range of live entertainment, opportunities for youth involvement, food vendors, tailgating parties, 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.

NSF is proud to announce that for the first time there is going to be two events, one in the spring and the other in the fall. In the spring, Div I soccer programs are only allowed to play other universities on five different days all of which contribute to their spring record. Fort Wayne will be treated to one of the five allowable playing dates from each university. NSF is honored to bring six teams that are ranked in the top twenty in the nation and of the six, three are ranked in the top ten! Due to the great history of the event, NSF has been recognized nationally as the premier collegiate event to participate in.