Fun was had by all, from local kids to Fort Wayne FC players and staff, at the club’s second annual Open Futsal event at Packard Park’s Beasley Courts on Wednesday.
The event, held in conjunction with Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation, and with the support of Meijer, ProFed Credit Union and PUMA, was open to kids 8 and older.
Among those teaching futsal and playing matches with the kids were Fort Wayne FC’s Director of Football Operations and Co-Owner, DaMarcus Beasley; head coach Mike Avery; players Tavio D’Ameida, Hubert Deragon, Tiago Dias and Reid Sproat; and several other members of the club, including sports performance coach Eliana Sommer of OPS, athletic trainer Tyler VanCamp of OPS, and merchandising manager Christy Pinkley.
Music, food, beverages and other games were on hand to support the free event.
Futsal is a smaller-sided game of soccer played on a hard surface.
“This is special. We always say at our club that it’s about people; people make the dream come true. I love being part of this club and I love being part of this community,” said Beasley, who grew up minutes from Packard Park. “You see the results. At our club, it’s not just about the result on the weekend (playing matches), it’s about how we inspire the next generation and we want to do that through the game of soccer or through the game of futsal.”
The Beasley Futsal Courts, named after the four-time member of the U.S. World Cup team, opened in 2018 through a partnership with Homestead High School, Indiana Soccer and the City of Fort Wayne.
“Futsal is a great sport. Similar to soccer, but it’s a lot about the technique, the speed, quick thought when you’re playing,” Beasley said. “This event is about the kids coming out here and just having fun.”
Despite a disappointing end to the club’s final USL League Two season, a 2-0 overtime loss to the Flint City Bucks on Sunday in the Central Conference Semifinals, Fort Wayne FC has been active in the community this week.
On Monday, the club donated 175 backpacks, through a partnership with Puma, to the Salvation Army of Allen County for its “Stuff the Bus” event. The Salvation Army will distribute the school supplies and backpacks to 800 children. Fort Wayne FC’s fans and its supporters group, the Three Rivers Regiment, filled up two barrels worth of school supplies and donated an additional 10 backpacks to support the cause.
Fort Wayne FC is preparing for its move to the professional ranks of USL League One. The club will begin play in that league in 2026 at Fort Wayne FC Park, the new state-of-the-art, soccer-specific stadium being built at Bass Road and I-69.
Fort Wayne FC is accepting deposits on 2026 season tickets and fans are encouraged to place them early to reserve their spot for what will be one of the premier venues in the country.
About Fort Wayne FC
Fort Wayne FC, founded in 2019, is currently a pre-professional club in USL League Two’s Valley Division in the Central Conference. The club won Valley Division championships in 2023, 2024 and 2025. Fort Wayne FC is moving to the professional ranks of USL League One in 2026 at a new state-of-the-art stadium. www.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.
