Overland Park/Olathe, Kan., October 4, 2023 – Heartland Soccer, the United States’ premier youth soccer league and tournament host, is thrilled to announce its continued partnership with GameChanger, the Official Scorekeeping, Stats, and Team Management Technology Partner of Heartland Soccer. GameChanger will once again serve as the title sponsor for the highly anticipated Midwest All Girls Tournament.
The Midwest All Girls Tournament Powered by GameChanger, scheduled for October 6-8, 2023, will be hosted at the prestigious SCHEELS Overland Park Soccer Complex and GARMIN Olathe Soccer Complex.
As one of the largest all-girl soccer tournaments in the Kansas City metropolitan area, the Midwest All Girls Tournament is set to attract over 320 teams from multiple states. This gathering of teams is expected to bring together thousands of children, parents, grandparents, and families from across the region, contributing significantly to the local economy with an estimated impact of $5.4 million over the weekend.
GameChanger provides Heartland Soccer coaches with a suite of powerful tools, enabling seamless team communication, game scoring, live video streaming for families, and comprehensive stat tracking. These features are aimed at enhancing player development and performance.
Shane Hackett, Executive Director of Heartland Soccer, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, “GameChanger is at the forefront of innovation in youth sports, and we’ve been impressed by their rapid expansion within soccer. Technology has revolutionized the way youth coaches manage their teams and monitor player performance. We are excited for our coaches to leverage and explore GameChanger’s technology during the Midwest All Girls Tournament.”
“GameChanger is proud to stand alongside the Heartland Soccer Association in their commitment to fostering the growth of youth soccer,” said Dane Menten-Weil, GameChanger Director of Business Development. “We share a mutual belief in the power of sports to inspire and unite communities. Together with Heartland Soccer, we aim to create an unforgettable experience for young athletes at the Midwest All Girls Classic and look forward to helping score and stream matches on GameChanger throughout the tournament.”
Considering the importance of local media to our sport, media representatives are invited to cover the tournament. The action kicks off on Friday, October 6 with the first set of games scheduled for 5:30 PM. Saturday and Sunday will see games commence around 8:00 AM, followed by award ceremonies starting shortly after noon on Sunday.
The Heartland Soccer Fall Tournament Series, consisting of seven remarkable tournaments, will conclude the season with two final tournaments following the Midwest All Girls event. These concluding tournaments encompass both the girls’ and boys’ weekends of the Heartland Invitational Tournament. The final tournaments are anticipated to attract over 750 teams from across the Midwest.
For comprehensive details about the Heartland Soccer Tournament Series, visit www.heartlandsoccer.net.
In addition, Heartland Soccer will host a Skills Challenge event on the Saturday of tournament weekend (October 7, 10am-2pm) at Garmin Olathe Soccer Complex. This competition is perfect for players of all ages and skill levels. Participants will have the opportunity to compete in various challenges, encompassing dribbling, shooting, and passing competitions. Awards for top players will be given out for each division: boys and girls U6-U19, as well as Adult divisions. For more details and to register for the event, visit www.skillschallengeusa.com
“We’re thrilled to host the Soccer Skills Challenge during tournament weekend and provide a fun and competitive event for soccer players in the area,” said Shane Hackett, Heartland Soccer Association executive director. “It’s a great opportunity to showcase skills and compete against other talented players.”
About GameChanger
GameChanger empowers youth athletes, coaches, and families to stay connected through live streaming, scorekeeping, team management tools and developmental resources. Available on iOS, Android, and the web, GameChanger covers over four million games and over 550,000 teams a year. The app’s live streaming and team management technology is available for all youth sports, with deep stats and scorekeeping capability for baseball, softball and basketball. GameChanger is based in New York City and is owned and operated by DICK’S Sporting Goods.
About Heartland Soccer Association
Heartland Soccer, the largest youth soccer league and tournament host in the United States, boasts an impressive roster of more than 1,300 league teams per season and hosts 4,800 tournament teams annually. With a staggering count of 74,000 youth soccer players, 4,000 coaches, and 2,000 active referees, Heartland Soccer Association has established itself as a prominent organization since its inception in 1977. Starting with 600 players, the association has expanded its reach to encompass teams from 16 states and international participants, offering both league play and tournaments. For further details, please visit www.heartlandsoccer.net.
Heartland Soccer extends a range of opportunities for league and tournament sponsorship. Partnerships serve as integral members in nurturing an ever-growing soccer family within the community. Sponsorship not only amplifies brand visibility for businesses but also directly contributes to the development of Kansas City’s youth through soccer. To explore sponsorship options, kindly reach out to Bridgette Samuelson, Director of Partnership Development and Operations, at bridgette@heartlandsoccer.net.
