“Field of Dreams” is a classic sports movie about a farmer in Iowa who lives out his dreams by building a baseball field in the middle of a cornfield on his struggling farm.
The field sees professional players who have long passed away come back to life and populate the diamond, drawing people from around the country to their property and watch them play.
It’s magical.
For the Ballistic United Soccer Club board members, their new project won’t be on the same scale historically, but the new, yet-to-be-named facility opening in July will without a doubt be their own “Facility of Dreams”.
“We always wanted a better place to play futsal and better field availability from November through February when the grass fields are closed down,” Ballistic United President Scott McMillin said. “Also, we felt it was important to have a space that we control, with the city of Pleasanton beginning to charge a field usage tax beginning later this year.”
The popularity of futsal continues to grow and is turning into the type of game that more of the population is embracing as it is smaller than a soccer field.
The $1.15 million to $1.2 million, 61,000-square-foot facility with a five-year-event license will fill a void, not just for the youth in Pleasanton, but adults and local corporations and organizations.
Futsal is a smaller, faster version of soccer, played on a hard court. It uses a smaller, harder ball, promoting a more technical, tactical style of play.
The game is played in 5-on-5 formats, where the goalie is far more involved. It’s an ideal complement to soccer as played outside on the grass with 11-on-11.
“Ultimately futsal is a fast-paced version of soccer which is incredibly fun for the kids to play,” said Brady Taylor, the technical director of Ballistic United. “Introducing this futsal component and facility will change the culture of soccer in the Tri-Valley and open people’s eyes to this wonderful sport by providing a new avenue for kids to fall in love with soccer.”
While the introduction of the facility and the game will bring more players to futsal, there is also tremendous upside for the development of outdoor, full-sized field players.
It’s a win-win situation for Ballistic – and all of Pleasanton.
“With futsal, kids are exposed to game-like scenarios in a tighter space with quicker ball movement because of the surface, thus creating more repetition for their development in these areas,” Taylor said. “Think of it like flashcards for learning different topics in school. It’s quicker, provides more exposure for challenging moments, and interactions that happen in the real game of soccer.”
That this much-talked-about dream that is becoming reality has been a process.
“I was part of a group of parents (non-board) in BUSC that was exploring a futsal facility way back in 2013,” said Tim Ryerson, who eventually became the BUSC general manager before he moved back to the East Coast in the last couple of years. “It has been something dreamed about for a long time at the club.”
To say it has been a project with a lot of moving pieces that would be an understatement. But the club kept moving forward to make it happen, until they found the right spot.
“We have been exploring opportunities for a number of years — evaluating school property, possibly partnering with business developers as part of their ambition to build new housing in town, and the Stoneridge Mall complex,” Ballistic Executive Director Kevin Crow said. “Everyone thoroughly enjoys playing futsal no matter what age, including preschool, youth and adults. The youth and adults have fun and improve their technical skill and speed of decision.”
Thanks to the hard work, combined with a strong dose of perseverance, come July the facility is scheduled to open.
And what a facility it promises to be.
It will have three futsal courts, with two of them being 70 feet by 110 feet and one 70-by-140. One of the two smaller courts will also be lined up with pickleball courts, with each court in the complex available to be rented for corporate events, birthday parties, tournaments, etc.
There will also be lawn areas, tables and ample parking. It will be located at the Alameda County Fairgrounds, by the Off-Track Betting facility and just across the street from the golf driving range.
Ballistic is going to be working with the club membership to come up with the official name for the park.
The facility can be portable as the courts can be picked up, stored in containers and moved.
Urban Soccer Park out of Idaho is the company tasked with the design and construction of the facility. They have developed other facilities for different organizations, but this one in Pleasanton is on another level.
Michael Scotto D’Abbusco is the senior vice president of strategic partnerships. It’s an exciting time for not just Ballistic but Urban Soccer Park as well.
“This project with Ballistic United is the first of its kind as an Urban Soccer Park complex dedicated to futsal. Even Cristiano Ronaldo cites that he wouldn’t be the player he is if it weren’t for futsal, and this complex will provide BUSC players with the incredible training and development benefits of playing futsal consistently,” D’Abbusco said.
“But credit to the club for their vision to see this project as much more than just a training tool,” he added. “From the outset, USP and Ballistic United set out to create a true community hub built around soccer. Pairing the club trainings with adult programming and engaging social spaces for players and spectators to enjoy will no doubt make this complex a destination within the community and be the envy of so many clubs across the country.”
Working with the Alameda County Fair was the final piece of the puzzle.
“Since this project is temporary in nature, a five-year event license was fairly easy to convince management and the Alameda County Fair Board to approve this project,” McMillin said. “We are excited to bring this community asset to the Tri-Valley to improve access and provide increased physical and mental health for both children and adults in the area.”
“We are excited to host and collaborate with Ballistic in launching their futsal facility,” said Jerome Hoban, CEO of the fairgrounds. “These futsal tournament events and activities will be fantastic for the club’s youth, the community, and local businesses alike.”
Pleasanton RAGE, the girls’ youth soccer organization in town, is also excited about the project.
“Pleasanton RAGE Girls Soccer Club is thrilled to partner with Ballistic United Soccer Club to bring this state-of-the-art futsal facility to life at the Pleasanton fairgrounds,” said Sean Fogarty, RAGE president.
“Our investment in their project reflects a joint commitment to providing top-tier training opportunities for young athletes in our community,” Fogarty added. “This facility will add value to our programming, giving our players access to a dynamic, fast-paced environment that enhances their technical skills and love for the game. We are excited for the positive impact this will have on youth soccer in our region.”
Crow felt it was a natural relationship.
“We are so excited to have the RAGE as a renter-partner,” Crow said. “To have the girls using our facility as well will spread the game to even more youth players and give us a total community embracing of our complex.”
Another major use of the facility will be a great spot for the Ballistic TOPSoccer (The Outreach Program). It is a community-based recreational program specifically designed for participants of all ages with intellectual, emotional or physical disabilities.
“It will also benefit our Get on the Bus program that provides access to all kids, regardless of socioeconomic status,” McMillin said.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony, billed as a fun-filled community event, is tentatively scheduled for July 15.
About the Author
