Five years after initial plans for the National Training and Coaching Development Center, a blueprint can finally be found at the southeast corner of 98th Street and Parallel Parkway.
“A long, long time in the making. You can finally start to see and envision what we’ve been planning for a really long time.” – David Ficklin, Sporting KC Vice President of Development
This facility is going to be a first-of-its-kind collaboration between a professional sports team, a national sports federation and a premier sports medicine provider. Sporting Kansas City, the U.S. Soccer National Coaching Education Center, and the Children’s Mercy Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Center will all be housed in the $80 million facility. Presently the U.S. national teams have not yet committed to training at the NTCDC, but the coach of Sporting KC believes otherwise.
“We think once they see it, they’re going to say (that) this place is unbelievable and want to come.” – Peter Vermes, Sporting KC coach
The NTCDC is designed to accommodate seven full-size soccer fields, but will only have five at the grand opening, including a seven-acre natural grass Super Pitch consisting of three full-sized field and two synthetic turf fields. Mid-America Sports Construction is constructing both of the synthetic turf fields as well as 3 of the natural grass fields. MASC is also installing a 8,000 SF synthetic turf area adjacent to the southeast corner of NTCDC building. Each field has been installed with drainage systems that are tied into the storm sewerage systems. Currently the grand opening is set for December of 2017.
“The National Training and Coaching Development Center is an extremely important asset in growing our soccer program and attaining our goal of winning World Cups. This also solidifies our position of Kansas City being the soccer capital of America.” – Robb Heineman, Sporting Club CEO
