Fort Wayne Football Club continues to honor its commitment to Northeast Indiana by hosting and attending events that help grow the game of soccer and have a positive impact on young people. So far this week, players and club staff had the honor of participating in four separate events, during which kids were able to learn more about the beautiful game of soccer, our organization, and make lasting memories.
Kids Club Event at Lazer X
Fort Wayne FC held its first ever Kids Club event at Lazer X on Tuesday night. Kids were invited to join team captain Tiago Dias, midfielder Emerson Nieto, and Director of Corporate Partnerships Garrett Martz for a night of food and fun which included arcade games, laser tag, and pizza. The kids were able to have a unique experience – playing laser tag with professional athletes. Dias and Nieto played with the kids in two blocks – making sure every kid was able to play – and signed autographs and discussed soccer in between rounds. There was an amazing turnout of over 80 kids who are passionate about the Autumn Gold & Black. More than 700 kids are enrolled in the Kids Club.
Jackson Lehman YMCA
Midfielder Jack Thomas was accompanied by Martz and Team Administrator Rene Sanchez on Monday to a Jackson Lehman YMCA event. Thomas ran the kids through drills and then gave them the chance to score a goal on a professional soccer player. The kids were ecstatic. After the practice concluded, there was a discussion about pro soccer, and Thomas’s career, followed by an autograph session.
Blackhawk Christian High School Soccer Camp
Defender Reid Sproat and Nieto, natives of Northeast Indiana, attended the annual Blackhawk Christian High School soccer camp Tuesday. Sproat and Nieto began by speaking to the kids about their journeys to professional soccer. They then held a brief coaching session and participated in a light-hearted scrimmage. Sproat and Nieto also signed autographs, giving the kids some Fort Wayne FC posters to remember the event by. Blackhawk Christian’s boys soccer team is coached by Sam Meyer, who played briefly for Fort Wayne FC in the pre-professional level of USL League Two. Blackhawk Christian won the IHSAA Class A state championship last year with an undefeated season.
Parkview YMCA
Sproat and Bernd Schipmann, along with Communications Assistant Matt Burkle and Sanchez, attended two Parkview YMCA practices later Tuesday. Sproat and Schipmann talked with the kids about how they fell in love with soccer, and discussed what it takes to become a professional player. Sproat then took the kids through a warmup routine, ensuring each knew the importance of stretching. Sproat and Schipmann followed the warmups with passing drills. The kids then received the opportunity of a lifetime, the chance to score on one of USL League One’s best goalkeepers, Schipmann. One kid scored in the final minutes, forcing Schipmann to do 20 pushups. To close out the night, Sproat and Schipmann signed autographs.
About Fort Wayne Football Club
Fort Wayne Football Club, founded in 2019, is a professional soccer club playing its first season in USL League One in 2026. The club plays home matches at Ruoff Mortgage Stadium, which opened May 2, 2026, and is a soccer-specific venue. In pre-professional USL League Two, Fort Wayne Football Club won division titles in 2023, 2024 and 2025. For more information, visit FortWayneFC.com.
About United Soccer League
Founded in 1986, the United Soccer League (USL) is the largest and fastest-growing soccer organization in the United States, impacting more than 200 communities nationwide. The USL is the first and only organization to offer a comprehensive youth-to-professional pathway for both men and women under one ecosystem. This structure includes four men’s leagues: the newly announced, top-tier professional Division I league, the USL Championship (Division II), USL League One (Division III), and USL League Two (pre-professional). The women’s pathway includes the top-tier USL Super League (Division I), which debuted in 2024, and USL W League, the country’s leading pre-professional women’s league. The USL also oversees USL Academy, a progressive talent development platform, and USL Youth, a premier national youth platform.