Complex will include first Soccer RTC simulator in the U.S.



It was like an ant farm, Frisco resident Brian Duncan said describing a soccer field swarming with 500 children during a youth tournament last September. He couldn't even see the field's green turf.



Duncan wondered how recreational soccer in Frisco could grow without more facilities to support the sport.



That's when Duncan turned to his friend James Meese and decided to build a new indoor soccer complex in Frisco.



The complex, which was approved by Frisco City Council on Aug. 5, is scheduled to open by April on the southwest corner of N. County Road and Meadow Hill Drive. The owners held a ground breaking ceremony Sept. 29, though construction had already begun.



The city of Frisco agreed to assist the $6-million project with $100,000. The Frisco Economic Development Corp. has also agreed to assist with $150,000.



Duncan said city officials and First National Bank have helped him and his co-owner through every step of the process.



Soccer is the fastest growing sport in Frisco, Duncan said, which is why this is the perfect city to build a state-of-the-art indoor soccer facility.



Co-owners Meese and Duncan both have children who play soccer, and both have coached recreational teams. Duncan said he and Meese wanted to create a high-tech facility that caters to the needs of the recreational soccer players and their families.



"We're not 100 percent gearing it off what coaches want," Duncan said. "We want their input, but what does a dad want? Or, what does a mom want?"



Training will be the No. 1 priority of the facility, Duncan said, hence the name Performance Indoor Training or P.I.T+.



The inside of the facility will include three turf fields and two futsal fields, which are slightly smaller than an average field. Outside the complex, there will be one full-sized field, two sand soccer pits and one futsal field.



The facility will also feature the first robotic training center in the United States. The simulator, which costs more than $1 million, launches soccer balls at players, who must catch them. The players must then place the ball into a lit window. A computer measures players' accuracy and timing.



The building will have two stories that will include a restaurant, a bar and five classrooms. Coaches can use the classrooms to go over strategies with teams, and Duncan eventually wants to have Spanish language classes.



"A major part of soccer is learning the Spanish language," he said. "A lot of Hispanic youth play soccer, so that is something we really want to focus on."



The owners are looking for a restaurant that will serve healthy foods in the facility as opposed to hamburgers and French fries served at other sports venues.



"There will be no fried food," Duncan said. "We're not even going to have a fryer on purpose so that we're not ever tempted to do it."



Duncan said the alcohol served at the bar would be the only unhealthy thing served at the facility.



The complex will also have more than 40 TVs. Every game at the complex will be taped, and the bar will broadcast games being played at the time.



"If you're a parent and you try to tape a kid's game, all you're doing is [waving your hands] and you're yelling, and you really don't actually get to tape the game," Duncan said.



Duncan said he and Meese will not be involved in the day-to-day operations of the facility once it opens. Instead, they are hiring a staff to run the operations.



When deciding the specifics of the facility, Duncan said he wanted to leave a legacy for his children.



"You always want to leave your kids something, and our kids love soccer," he said. "This is a perfect thing to leave your kid."



Other indoor sports facilities



In addition to the newly announced Performance Indoor Training soccer facility, Frisco has other options for indoor sports game and training opportunities.



Frisco Indoor Sports on Rose Lane includes three indoor turf fields as well as baseball training tunnels and pitching machines. 145 Rose Lane.



www.friscoindoorsports.com



Fieldhouse USA on Sports Village Road provides a variety of indoor sports opportunities, including indoor soccer. 6155 Sports Village Road.



www.fieldhouseusa.com