Thousands benefit from Indian Springs Soccer complex

More than 2,000 kids from Broken Arrow and the surrounding communities play soccer annually at the Indian Springs Soccer Complex.

"We have three generations of people playing out here right now," said Broken Arrow Soccer Club Executive Director Barbara Wilson. "So, it's really exciting to see the growth and development of the players as they move from two-year-olds that are playing over here right now, all the way up through the 18- and 19-year-old players. You get to know so many people; they are like a second family."

Soccer Club President Austin Burgess agrees, saying the sport has a lifelong impact on its players.

"I mean obviously, tons of life skills, you know, effort, attitude, community friendship, relationships," Burgess said. "Soccer is just the reason, but it teaches so much more than soccer, the things you need later in life. It's incredible! What we know is that, with all these kids, some will play in high school, some will play in college, and perhaps some will play professionally. However, we know they will all grow up to be adults. So, it is more important for them to learn those skills, even more so than the soccer skills."

The Broken Arrow Soccer Club was established in 1974. In 2003, the City of Broken Arrow celebrated the grand opening of the west side of the Indian Springs Soccer Complex.

"All of these fields enabled us to expand our league games and our tournaments," Wilson said. "And then fast forward to 2018, when the bond initiative provided for the four turf fields on the west side, approved by the City of Broken Arrow. Residents voted on that, and we were so thankful and grateful. That opened the doors for us to be able to expand our events, so we were able to attract people from Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, and Kansas."

Wilson says that more than 7,000 people travel annually from as far north as Kansas City and as far south as Houston to play at Indian Springs Soccer Complex.

"It helps the city when we have all these folks traveling for these games, staying in hotels, spending money at local restaurants and local businesses," Burgess said.

"For each of our events that we host twice a year, more than $2 million to $3 million in sales tax revenue returns to the City of Broken Arrow, which benefits the residents that live here," Wilson said. "And our members can play here on these wonderful fields, and for the people that come from five states twice a year, the benefits are innumerable. I don't know how to count it; it just means a lot."

Looking to the future and considering the potential of the upcoming 2026 General Obligation Bond package, the Broken Arrow Soccer Club would like the city to add four or five additional turf fields to the complex.

"It helps us to be able to keep games going if we have a big rain the night before. We also need upgrades to the parking lot and help with the traffic flow," Burgess said.

Wilson recalled a few instances last spring when some games scheduled for play on the natural turf fields were cancelled or nearly cancelled because of the rain on the field.

"At one of our tournaments, we had pouring rain, and some of the fields were unplayable, even after the weather got nicer. The fields were soaked and flooded," Wilson said. "We had to call a company from Oklahoma City in the middle of the night to hydro-vac the field and pull off all of the water. It was not only a huge cost, but we didn't know, even if we did this, if the fields were going to be salvageable."

Unlike natural grass fields, turf fields are always ready for play.

"All those people that came in from all these different states, staying in all these hotels, wondering if games are going to be on, don't have to worry because they're going to get to play."

Wilson is grateful for the relationship that the Broken Arrow Soccer Club has with the City of Broken Arrow.

"If it wasn't for them, we couldn't do what we're doing. So, it means a lot," Wilson said.

"I mean these fields are arguably the best in Oklahoma," said Burgess. "The turf fields that we have out there are absolutely incredible. They're better than anything else!"

"Such a good legacy here," Wilson said. "You know, this is our 51st year, and our members appreciate and are so proud that this is their home fields. They know that a bond issue they would help vote for would give them another way to have something to be proud of out here, and that we can have more turf fields, improving their home location for their favorite sport.

For more information about the Broken Arrow Soccer Club, go to basoccer.club.