For the past two seasons, the Orange Beach Sportsplex was home to the NAIA Men’s Soccer National Championship. The 1,500 spectator venue opened in 2001 with renovated locker rooms and a pair of soccer fields. The Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Sports Commission has engineered numerous sporting events and sells Alabama’s Gulf Coast as one of the premier destinations.
“We are thrilled to welcome the NAIA Women’s National Soccer Championship,” Beth Gendler, Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Sports Commission Vice President of Sales said. “The Orange Beach Sportsplex has hosted the Men’s National Championship for the last two years and it is very exciting to be named the host city with the NAIA once again.”
In addition to hosting the NAIA Men’s and Women’s Soccer National Championships, the Sportsplex has welcomed the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Women’s Soccer Championship for eight-consecutive years, along with various levels of the United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA) World Series.
“This is a very prestigious honor for our Sports Commission and the teams work so hard all season to make it into the championship,” Gendler said. “We are excited to welcome the women’s championship for the next two years and show them the great southern hospitality everyone comes to enjoy while here in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach. We hope this is a long term relationship with NAIA and that we have the opportunity to host these events for many years to come.”
There are over 200 NAIA member institutions that sponsor women’s soccer. The NAIA conducted its first women’s soccer National Championship in 1984 and has been contested in Alabama twice before. For the past three seasons, the event was held in Decatur, Ala., with Lee (Tenn.) winning all three titles. With their most recent title, the Lady Flames became the first program in NAIA women’s soccer history to win four-straight national championships. Mobile, Ala., also hosted the tournament in 1998.
About the NAIA: The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) is the governing body for athletics programs at colleges and universities throughout the United States and Canada. The long-held mission is to advance character-driven intercollegiate athletics while promoting the education and development of well-rounded students and productive citizens through sport participation. The association offers equitable access and opportunities to more than 60,000 student-athletes for the chance to compete in its 23 national championship events held annually throughout the country.
Today, the NAIA strengthens its commitment to student-athletes and strives to enrich their college experience by supporting academic achievement and character development. NAIA Champions of Character is the association’s innovative flagship program designed to instill character values in student-athletes, coaches and youth in the communities it serves. To learn more visit www.NAIA.org.
xxx
GULF SHORES AND ORANGE BEACH, ALA. – The SEC Women’s Soccer Championship returns to the Gulf Coast for another year of exciting soccer.
“As the newest SEC Corporate Sponsor, we are tremendously excited to welcome the return of these collegiate student-athletes to the area,” said Beth Gendler, vice-president of sales for Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism and Sports Commission. “This sponsorship is an exciting partnership for the area and continues to provide additional access points to potential guests.”
The championship will start play on Nov. 2 as eight teams compete for a spot in the semifinals, which is scheduled for Nov. 4. A championship team will be determined on Sunday, November 6 following the final game scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m.
The SEC Women’s Soccer Championship game will be televised live, but if you don’t want to miss any of the action then admission at the gate is $5 for adults and $2 for children per day and all games will be played at the Orange Beach Sportsplex.
To see the complete schedule of SEC games, go to www.secdigitalnetwork.com/SECSPORTS/CHAMPIONSHIPS/2011SoccerChampionship.aspx.
Also new to the event this year is the addition of the 2011 Alabama Soccer Festival, which is set for November 4 through 6 at the Orange Beach Sportsplex. This team-based event is for U6 through U12 boys and girls teams. All proceeds will benefit the Alabama Youth Soccer Association to support our youth and stars of tomorrow. For complete information, visit www.alabamasoccerfestival.com.
This championship represents the eighth consecutive year that the SEC has chosen Orange Beach as the location for the women’s soccer championship.
For information on these or other athletic events on Alabama’s Gulf Coast, please visit www.gulfshoresorangebeachsports.com, or call 1-800-745-SAND.
(Orange Beach)
Once again the SEC Womens Soccer Conference Championships will be held at the Sportsplex in Orange Beach from Wednesday November 2nd until Sunday the 6th. Here is the schedule for Wednesday:
| WSOC | Auburn at Tennessee | 6:00 PM | ||||
| WSOC | Alabama at Florida | 8:30 PM |
GULF SHORES AND ORANGE BEACH, ALA. – The boy’s and girl’s soccer teams of Huntsville High School will return to the Alabama Gulf Coast to attempt a second-year sweep of the Island Cup Soccer Tournament, which is set for February 25 and 26. Joining more than twenty other teams, the games will be played at Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Sportsplexes. Local teams set to play include Fairhope, McGill-Toolen, Foley, St. Paul’s and Davidson.
Play in this Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Sports Commission event begins Friday at 9 a.m. and continues throughout the day. Competition resumes on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. and culminates with the girls’ final at 3:30 p.m. and the boy’s final at 5 p.m., both of which will be played at the Orange Beach Sportsplex. A detailed tournament schedule is available at www.islandcup.net.
Admission is $10 per day or $15 for a weekend pass. Individuals not able to attend may watch online at www.islandcup.net.
Sports commission sponsors represented include Original Oyster House and Tacky Jack’s.
For information on these or other athletic events on Alabama’s Gulf Coast, please visit www.gulfshoresorangebeachsports.com, or call 1-800-745-SAND.
