The earliest beginnings of the Asheville Wizards Football Club (AWFC) can be traced to 1998 when founder David Wright, looking for a team on which to play, decided to recruit some fellas who wanted to ball and started his own team. Owning his own business, Wright Information Systems (WIS), and being the only financially solvent member of that early team, he called the team the ‘WISards’. Four of today’s AWFC members were on that team. One year later, the team picked up many new players and had a very successful season.Following the opening of the Buncombe County Sports Park, the Buncombe County Adult Soccer League grew in prominence. The Wizards lost in the second round of sudden-death penalties in the inaugural tournament semifinal, vowing next year to harvest the hardware.With a little re-tooling in the off-season, the Wizards were ready to vie for the title. Losing but once during the regular season, the boys easily paced into the semi-final. Once again, a penalty-kick shootout resulted. This time, victory! A 3-1 defeat in the Final soured the season a bit, but all in all, a great season was well celebrated by all. To a man, it was agreed that we hadn’t had as much fun in the game since college.New talent was constantly being acquired to make up for the aging Wizards, and an idea was hatched. Why not have two teams? Recognizing that the game had brought all of us together as friends, the idea of making our group more than just a team developed into the founding of the Asheville Wizards Football Club. After all, Sundays generally consisted of 2 hours on the pitch followed by four to six hours of post-game camaraderie and celebration. If this wasn’t a social club, then what was it? With many members of the team holding leadership roles in community businesses, high schools, colleges, and other professional organizations, we realized that as a club, we had an opportunity to return something to our community. We came together with a love of the game and it has given us lasting friendships in return. Through the game, we aim to grow the club and those friendships made through it, while remaining active in the positive growth of our community at-large.As an organization, we have a responsibility to the future of the game and the community in which we play. To that end, we participate in the Adopt-A-Highway program, covering a high-profile area of Interstate 40 very near the Buncombe County Sports Park. We have sponsored the local USL team, the Asheville Splash, in order that they may continue to bring a high-level example of the game to the community and make dreamers of the young players of our area. In the past, we have also volunteered time to help train a group of ladies called the ‘Wild Women’, who have come to the game through friends or children and simply wish to stay active, have fun, make new friends, and gain a little understanding of this game that their children love.Plans to launch a TOPSoccer (http://www.usyouthsoccer.org/programs/20/main.html) program in Asheville for the mentally and physically handicapped children in our community are also in the works.

  In 2004, the Wizards grew again to have 3 teams: two in the Open League and one Over-30. Both teams lost tournament Finals in the Spring.An Open and Over-30 team competed for the first time in the NC Adult Soccer Association State Cup and had a rollicking good time on the road in Raleigh. We made a good showing and were only one goal away from a appearing in our first State Cup Final.In Fall 2004, both Open and Over-30 teams celebrated regular-season titles and look forward to carrying the #1 seeds into the tournaments.The Wizards are growing in soccer and in our community. If you are a player, a fan, or a potential sponsor (let’s not forget about that), feel free to contact us regarding roster openings, match dates, social gatherings, tournament information, or a chance to help with any of the many service projects in which we participate.Until then, raise a glass to the beautiful game!

All in all, everything is just beginning with the Wizards. If you are a player, a fan, or a potential sponsor (let’s not forget about that), we’re growing and adding players and teams. Feel free to contact us regarding roster openings, match dates, social gatherings, tournament information, or a chance to help with any of the many service projects in which we participate.

Until then, raise a glass to the beautiful game!