October 19th was a perfect fall evening. The sun was sinking in the west, temperatures were cool, and excitement was high as Columbus United Soccer Club and BankFirst solidified an exclusive club sponsorship. The new relationship had been months in the making but on Tuesday night the big moment had finally arrived. Flanked by dozens of United players and coaches BankFirst representatives including CFO Luke Yeatman and Director of Marketing, Leon Manning officially presented United Director of Coaching, Tom Velek, with a check for $15,000. The presentation represented the beginning of a three year commitment by the two community partners to work together to improve competitive soccer in the area.
The sponsorship plan was brought to the table and originated by Jason Spears, CSO Board Member for Competitive Soccer, and Yeatman. It was further negotiated by Velek and also went through an extensive approval process by the CSO Board of Directors. Velek commented: “I don’t use the term game changer very often, but this is a game changer for Columbus United Soccer Club. The money is focused on player and coaching development, we are using some of it to shore up our collegiate scholarship fund for players who are continuing their education. A big piece of it is to support our coaches and pay them on a level that is comparable to other clubs because I always say we have the best coaches in the state and we need to treat them like the best coaches in the state.”
BankFirst is now the exclusive named sponsor of Columbus United. Its logo will appear on all United jerseys, at tournaments, during matches, and at other United events. In addition, the United’s local soccer tournament will now be “The Friendly City Shootout presented by BankFirst”. A portion of the funds will be used to enhance and improve the tournament which is open to all teams throughout the area. Spears serves as tournament director.
Velek added, “This is an ideal partnership. BankFirst has deep roots in the community and is dedicated serving the community. CSO and its competitive club Columbus United are community organizations dedicated to promoting the sport of soccer for all members of the community. We are deeply appreciative of this partnership and everyone will be working hard to make sure it is beneficial for all involved. I hope the three year agreement is just the beginning of a long and productive partnership between the two.”
United is open to any player in the area. For more information on Columbus United go to https://columbusunitedsoccer.com/ or contact DOC Tom Velek at tvelek@yahoo.com.
