THE LONE WOLF
by Sylvie Green
Indoor soccer epitomizes
social diversity–from gender,
to economic status, to age,
to ethnicity. Even the facilities
where we play are diverse in
programming and design, as
some facilities host a number
of sports and activities on
multiple playing surfaces, and
other facilities are dedicated
solely to indoor soccer on one
field or court.
David Wolf
H
oward Wolf refers to Wolf's Indoor
Soccer in Marietta, Georgia, as a "blue
collar arena." His son, David, is the owner
and general manager and the facility's only
employee.
Wolf's Indoor Soccer has one turf field
that measures 80' x 180' and has no
dasher boards. Bleachers provide seating
for 100 people. There is a picnic area with
vending machines.
The facility is the third soccer business
venture for the Wolf family. According
to David, Howard began exploring
the business of soccer when his sons
were young.
"We were driving by Hawkins Store Road
one day, and my dad looked out the
window and asked, 'What do you think
about some soccer fields right there?'
Several months later, I was picking up
rocks and laying down sod for what
turned out to be Canterbury Park. We
later sold that, and it became the North
Atlanta Soccer Association (NASA)
complex. It's been there for a long
time now."
David played soccer in college, and then
professionally in New Zealand for three
years. When he returned to the States,
he played briefly for the South Carolina
Shamrocks, a Division III club based in
Greenville, South Carolina.
At that time, the family opened an indoor
soccer facility for kids. "Talk about a blue
collar arena!" says David. "It was bare
bones. That one did have little walls, but
a 40' x 80' field is all that would fit in it.
It was very hard to find, too–in the back
of a building."
The players found it, though.
When David moved back to Marietta, he
12
continued to play soccer. He also looked for
better ways to serve adult soccer players
in the community.
At that time, there was only one other
facility in town. According to David, it was
run-down and not well managed. Games
did not start on time. David knew he could
do better. Keeping a facility clean and
beginning games on-time did not sound like
a difficult formula for him.
"I got the best carpet I could find; that's
where all my business is. I put it inside
an old building. I'm in a good location–
