Zoo City Sportsplex hosts first tournament

ASHEBORO — In what’s hoped to be a glimpse of the future, the Zoo City Sportsplex held its first large-scale tournament last weekend.

According to Ryan McCoy, facility manager, the Adidas Clash Soccer Tournament rented four of the eight fields at the Sportsplex. There were 518 teams playing at locations across the Piedmont and 24 of them played a total of 44 matches at the Sportsplex.

McCoy told the Asheboro City Council on Nov. 8, "The [Adidas Clash Tournament] teams will not only be here from North Carolina, but from South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia."

McCoy said organizers had wanted to rent all eight playing fields but some of them are not yet ready, including pavement of parking lots.

McCoy, who was introduced to the council along with program coordinator Brice Dalke, said NC Fusion has expressed interest in holding tournaments at the Sportsplex along with other organizations. 

“We’ve started renting the facility and have been hosting practices and games,” McCoy said.

Mayor David Smith, noting that NC Fusion has booked 300 hotel rooms across the Piedmont, said, "That is what we built this park for — for travel and tournament play, where people will come to Asheboro, rent rooms, use our restaurants, and buy gas. This will help our hotels, campgrounds, airbnbs, and bed and breakfasts. This facility is unique to North Carolina.”

Looking at McCoy and Dalke, Smith added, “Your biggest job will be keeping the calendar straight.”