Welcome to Phoenix FC

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sherwood Park District Soccer Association Rebrands to Phoenix Football Club

Unites with One Name, One Badge initiative.

Announcement

Sherwood Park District Soccer Association (SPDSA) officially unifies the organization, on July 12, 2023, under one banner as Phoenix Football Club (Phoenix FC)

During a strategy session in 2020, Board and staff began to dream about how to unite the recreational and competitive groups with the same name and logo. Part of that vision process included building a facility which could act as a clubhouse for the organization, bringing people together.

“Our goal is to create a connected community, supporting young players in our district to the highest standards in Canada, providing youth the opportunity to discover their potential as athletes and people” - Martin Dugas (Executive Director)

Prior to the launch of Phoenix FC, recreational players played under the SPDSA logo and competitive players under the Phoenix logo. Joining all players under the new logo is an important step towards achieving our vision of “Building an inclusive soccer community while building tomorrow’s leaders.”

President Dave Friesen has been with the organization for almost two decades; as a parent, coach, and board member. “I am excited to take this incredible step to bring together all players, parents, coaches, and our greater community. With the amazing work the staff has done to bring this to life, I look forward to seeing our logo everywhere, and to watch everyone in our community wear their badge with pride.”

“Over 40+ years, the SPDSA has changed and developed with the times. Our game in Canada has gone through enormous growth over the past decade and we see an amazing pride in the badge across the country, especially as we move into the World Cup starting later this month. The Phoenix badge has been a huge source of pride for some of our members, but foreign to others. We see this as the perfect opportunity to build the sense of community, connection, and inclusion we desire throughout the club - while allowing members to participate in programs in line with their skills and desires.” - President Dave Friesen

The logo brings together several key elements: a rising phoenix, a soccer ball, and a modern crest. With strong pride in the Phoenix name and image, we kept the rising phoenix at the center of the logo. The four stars represent the four club evolutions as well as the four tiers of soccer competition, and 1976 was the launch of Sherwood Park Soccer. All the elements are surrounded by the club’s new name, Phoenix Football Club, housed within a circle.

This focus on inclusivity will be encompassed by the slogan: Rise Together. Phoenix FC believes we are stronger together and the new logo, slogan and unified organization help signify this internally and externally.

A full celebration will be held at the Phoenix FC facility located at 170-3001 Buckingham Drive, on September 16.

About Phoenix FC

Phoenix FC has a long history of soccer in the Sherwood Park region, starting with its inception in 1976 (now proudly emblazoned on the new crest). Around 2009, what was known as Sherwood Park Rangers then merged with Sherwood Park United and the Sherwood Park District Soccer Association (SPDSA) to create Sherwood Park Phoenix, which was under the control of the SPDSA. There remained a distinct separation in programming, technical support, and player movement between the competitive (Sherwood Park Phoenix) and recreational (SPDSA) streams.

From grassroots recreational squads to highly competitive divisions, players and coaches will have access to a centralized soccer curriculum and an expanded portfolio of soccer resources for athletes across the different levels of programming and encourage open player movement between the competitive and recreational streams. The aspiration is to create numerous pathways for soccer players ensuring that every member of the Phoenix FC family receives the best possible experience.

Phoenix FC is dedicated to building a connected community, helping youth to reach their potential, while spreading joy through the game of football (soccer).

Phoenix FC has over 3000 players and 400 volunteer coaches across a full compliment of indoor and outdoor soccer seasons, camps, and clinics throughout the year.