Maryland Soccer Foundation Elects First Woman to Lead Board of Directors

Boyds, Maryland (January 27, 2022) – The Maryland Soccer Foundation, in its 23rd year as the governing board of the Maryland SoccerPlex and Adventist HealthCare Fieldhouse, has elected long-time board member Joyce Fuhrmann as its newest president. Fuhrmann is the first woman to hold the post.

Fuhrmann joined the board in 2013 and most recently served as treasurer. She is also Director of the BSE Operations and STEM Initiatives at the Universities at Shady Grove.

“When I first joined the board I was one of two women on the board and it was a goal at that time to add more diverse voices to the board. I joined the board because I was spending lots of time at the SoccerPlex as a ‘soccer mom’ and I wanted to serve in a capacity in which I could support the amazing facility and ensure it continued to be one of the most valued assets in the region,” Fuhrmann said.

Fuhrmann is just the third president in the history of the Maryland Soccer Foundation replacing Brent Hanson who held the post for 10 years. Founding member Ken Solomon was the Foundation’s first president. Board presidents’ terms are indefinite.

As board president, Fuhrmann said her goals for the facility are to find stability for programming post-COVID, make additional facility upgrades, forge new community partnerships and continue to expand sports tourism opportunities. She wants to put an emphasis on elevating the value of physical education and the importance of keeping females involved in athletics. Fuhrmann points to providing a much-needed first stadium and training facility to the National Women’s Soccer League’s (NWSL) Washington Spirit as a commitment to advancing women’s sports.

Since Fuhrmann has joined the board, the Maryland SoccerPlex has completed final build-out of the fields, added field lights to extend play, completed upgrades to the newly named Adventist HealthCare Fieldhouse and broadened the offerings at the complex.

“For me, this about supporting a resource in the community where I live that makes this area great and the value it brings to the region in supporting the economy,” she said. “This is a scrappy nonprofit with a big footprint.”

About the Maryland Soccer Foundation

The Maryland Soccer Foundation (MSF) is a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to providing sports and recreation programs and services; funding the operation of the Maryland SoccerPlex, Adventist HealthCare Fieldhouse, and SAM Soccer; and organizing and hosting events that create economic impact for the community through sports tourism.

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