A Triumph for Greenville: Professional Soccer

Mar 20, 2019 | News

by Sharon Purvis

In addition to baseball and hockey, sports lovers in the Upstate will soon have a new professional team to cheer for: The Greenville Triumph, part of the United Soccer League One.

On Saturday, March 23rd at 11:30 a.m., soccer fans will have an opportunity to see the team play for free in a scrimmage against the Furman University team at Eugene Stone Stadium.

Following the scrimmage, the first home game will be on April 6th, against the Lansing Ignite—and “home” for the home games is the Legacy Early College stadium on the west side of Greenville. The season lasts through early October, with the final home game being on September 27th against Orlando City B. Single game tickets are on sale now.

League One soccer is roughly analogous to AA baseball, although not all teams are farm teams for the major league—some, like the Greenville Triumph, are independent teams that are unaffiliated with another team.

As this is a new league, most of the teams, like Greenville, are playing in borrowed space for now, with some of the feeder teams playing temporarily at the major league soccer stadium, and a couple playing in baseball stadiums. There are currently ten teams in the league, with a couple of expansion teams in the works.

Looking towards a permanent playing facility, the Triumph front office is looking at three or four sites, some closer to downtown, and some out in the suburbs of Greenville. “We’re hoping that sometime this year we can announce that a site has been selected,” says Doug Erwin, Chief Brand Officer for the Triumph.

Until then, temporary stadium seating, much like what is used at golf tournaments, gives the Legacy Early College soccer field a capacity for about 4,000. While that won’t be left behind for the school, a new, permanent scoreboard will, along with some other amenities around the stadium.

The team is committed to being involved in the community around Legacy, which is a somewhat underserved community within Greenville. Free soccer clinics in the neighborhood are one way of giving back to the community, giving those students some exposure to the game that they might not have had before, Erwin says.

Recruitment for the team pulls from three groups of players: those coming straight out of college, those who have played professionally before and have either had their careers derailed by injury or decide to make the move to League One in order to increase their playing time, and international players who want an opportunity to play in the U.S.

“The soccer world is one where coaches know where to find players,” Erwin says, and the Triumph’s recruitment strategy involved a smart coaching hire in head coach John Harkes. “Three or four of our players have played for our coach at his previous coaching posts.”

“Much like with college athletic recruitment, you are recruiting to a place,” he continues, and the Upstate is attractive to players. There is one player on the team who is originally from the Upstate, but other than that, they come from all over.

The team hopes to be an Upstate team, not just a Greenville team, Erwin says. With the ever-increasing popularity of soccer for kids of all ages, having a professional team in Greenville will give soccer fans all over the Upstate reason to cheer.

Workshops and Speakers Announced for 2019 PIQUE Young Professionals Summit

Mar 7, 2019 | News

GREENVILLE, S.C.– Ten at the Top’s (TATT) fourth annual PIQUE: Young Professionals Elevating the Upstate Summit, presented by ScanSource, is set to include many regional business leaders for its workshops and roundtables. This event focuses on the collaboration and connection of young professionals (ages 21-40) in the ten counties comprising the Upstate community.

“There are many dynamic young professionals as well as a number of young professional groups located here in the Upstate,” said Ten at the Top Executive Director Dean Hybl. “We started this event in 2016 as a way for young professionals from across our region to connect with each other and also with executives and community leaders who are engaged today in shaping the Upstate. The young professionals of today are the executives and decision-makers of tomorrow and PIQUE is a great annual opportunity for our young leaders to grow their engagement and connections around issues that are impacting the Upstate.”

Event workshops will feature the following:

Executive Networking Roundtables

Young leaders have a thirst for knowledge, advice, and mentorship. This workshop will feature an interactive session of roundtable networking. Established business and community leaders (executives) from all sectors, regardless of age, will be invited to lead a discussion about how they got where they are, how they found what they needed to successful and the barriers they have overcome to reach success. Due to the popularity of this workshop, it will be offered during both workshop sessions.

• Carol Burdette, CEO, United Way of Anderson County
• Karen Burgess, Campus President, ECPI University
• Tracey Boucher, Vice President, Supplier Service Networking & Security, ScanSource
• Val Carolin, President & CEO, Salem Media Group
• Chris Corley, Owner, Corley Plumbing Air & Electric
• Roy Costner, Chairman, Pickens County Council
• David Feild, Market President, Colliers International
• Danielle Gibbs, Regional Director, U.S. Senator Tim Scott
• Angelle LaBorde, President & CEO, Greenwood SC Chamber of Commerce
• Hank McCullough, Senior Manager of Government Relations, Piedmont Natural Gas Company
• Mark McKinney, General Manager, Cintas Corporation
• Ken Peterson, Senior Director Human Resources, ScanSource
• Laurie Rovin, Executive Director, A Child’s Haven
• Allen Smith, President & CEO, Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce
• Walker Smith, Director, Advocacy & Community Relations, Bon Secours St. Francis Health System
• Paige Stephenson, President & CEO, United Way of the Piedmont
• Brian Ziegelheafer, Executive Director, BGEN

Developing Executive Courage
Most young leaders aspire to reach the executive level within their careers, which takes courage and resilience along the way. In this workshop, Chunsta Miller, General Manager of the Anderson Mall, will share her 20 years of retail experience and journey to becoming an executive. Miller will discuss the challenges and opportunities she has dealt with at her current position and how she stays courageous when faced with tough decisions.

Lions, Tigers, Millennials – Oh My!
A panel consisted of a Baby Boomer (1944-1964), a Gen-Xer (1965-1979), and a Millennial (1980-1994) will be discussing the spoken and unspoken generational differences in the workplace. This group of professionals will focus on sharing the positives and negatives of working alongside other generations with the goal of learning that people may be more alike than they realize.

Speakers are set to include:

• Daja Dial, Marketing and Communications Manager, Oconee Economic Alliance
• Stacey Flax, Senior Strategic Communications Coordinator, Renewable Water Resources (Re-Wa)
• Barry Nocks, PhD, FAICP, Graduate Professor in City & Regional Planning, Clemson University
• Moderator: Alex Moore, Director of Marketing and Communications, United Way of the Piedmont

Moving up the Ladder
Young professionals constantly think about the “next step,” whether that be a promotion, pay increase or increase of responsibility within the workplace. There is no right or wrong way to move up the career ladder, but steps can be taken to be ready for that next big opportunity. This panel will address the steps young professionals can take to prepare for moving up the ladder and flourishing within positions of higher leadership.

Speakers are set to include:

• Leesa Owens, Director of Government and Community Relations, Michelin North America
• Blake Sanders, Planning & Projects Manager City of Easley/Mayor of West Pelzer
• Jermaine Whirl, Vice President of Learning and Workforce Development, Greenville Tech
• Moderator: Todd Horne, VP of Business Development, Clayton Construction

Reading Between the Lines: Creating a Positive Conversation Within the Workplace
Creating a culture of open and positive communication is a priority for employers. Miscommunication between bosses, peers, and subordinates can often be stressful for all parties involved and detrimental to overall productivity. This panel seeks to address communication challenges that often arise in the workplace and give tips on how all parties can work together to create a positive open dialogue.

Speakers are set to include:

• Chris Corley, Owner, Corley Plumbing Air and Electric
• Madison Skinner, Human Resources Manager, ScanSource
• Sharon Wilson, Director of Conscious Leadership Development in the Academy of Leadership and Professional Development, Prisma Health–Upstate
• Moderator:Chad Lawson, Communications Manager, Spartanburg Water

“Young professionals are entering the workplace looking for a culture of growth and development, volunteerism, collaboration, and inclusion,” said John Harvey, Vice President of Worldwide Human Resources at ScanSource. “Companies throughout the Upstate share these values, and through events like PIQUE, employees and regional leaders alike have an opportunity to come together from across county lines, learn about what’s working for neighboring organizations, and create a dialogue around how we can continue to make the Upstate such a great place to live and work.”

Attendees will have the opportunity to choose their personal agenda between multiple workshops as well as coordinated networking opportunities to meet with an executive in their respective industry or interest area to discuss relevant insights and the attendee’s professional goals. PIQUE tickets cost $25 and may be purchased here. Advanced registration is required, and space is limited.

The 2019 PIQUE Young Professionals Summit will be on Monday, March 25 from 1:15 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. at the Greenville ONE Center with a networking reception to follow, featuring live art demonstrations from various Upstate art professionals.

About Ten at the Top
Comprised of public, private and civic leaders from across the ten-county Upstate South Carolina Region, Ten at the Top was created to connect and encourage regional collaboration through data-driven research and regular convening of leaders and citizens to address key issues facing the region. Ten at the Top works with regional partners to foster collaboration and strategic planning to enhance the economic vitality and quality of life for Upstate residents both today and as the region continues to grow. For more information, visit www.tenatthetop.org.

The Upstate Embraces Disc Golf Craze

Feb 27, 2019 | News

by Sharon Purvis

Disc golf enthusiasts in the Upstate have no shortage of options to choose from in order to enjoy the sport that has been growing in popularity since the 1970s. As far back as the 1920s, people have been throwing discs at targets in a golf-like game, but it wasn’t until the late 1960s, when a California parks and recreation supervisor petitioned Wham-O, the makers of the Frisbee, to supply discs for a tournament, that the seeds of the sport were planted.

Wham-O executive Ed Headrick took notice of the growing popularity of the game and included it as an event at Frisbee

Photo credit: Glenn Riser

championship meets, and eventually, after patenting the chain baskets that are still used today in disc golf, he left Wham-O to start the Disc Golf Association, a precursor to today’s Professional Disc Golf Association, in 1976.

Forty years later, there are thousands of courses across the U.S., and hundreds more in locations all over the world, including one in Mongolia and another in Togo, West Africa. The discs have developed over the years, evolving from the Frisbees that are thrown in parks and at the beach to smaller, heavier discs that have variations in shape and weight for different kinds of throwing—but with many free courses and minimal equipment investment, disc golf is a sport that can easily be enjoyed by almost anyone.

Here in the Upstate, there are plenty of options for enthusiasts. There are courses and clubs for players of all levels, with the Grand Central Station course in Central being described as the longest and most difficult course in the Upstate. The Upstate Disc Club has involvement at seven courses and nearly 650 members on their Facebook page. The 27-hole Holston Creek course in Inman is the newest course in the region. “It being new and tournament quality, that’s my new favorite,” says Woodruff disc golfer Glenn Riser. “But I also love the Tyger River disc golf course in Reidville and the Pipeline off Canaan [Road] in Spartanburg.”

In addition to the many public courses available, colleges and universities in the region also have courses for intramural teams and recreational play: Furman University in Greenville, USC Upstate in Spartanburg, Clemson (though not officially sanctioned by the university) as well as the Clemson University Outdoor Lab in Pendleton, Wofford College in Spartanburg, Erskine College in Due West, and Lander University in Greenwood.

No matter where you live in the Upstate, a course is bound to be close by. If you’re already an enthusiast, challenge yourself with a new course, or get started on a course near home. In addition to the courses already mentioned, here are some other Upstate courses:

photo credit: Bret Moore

Anderson County:

Mountain View Park Disc Golf Course at 298 Mountain View Lane in Clemson

The Trails Disc Golf Course at 3027 Martin Luther King Blvd. in Anderson

Greenville County:

Century Park Disc Golf Course at 330 Brushy Creek Road in Greer

Gower Park on Evelyn Avenue in Greenville

Holmes Park at Holly Street and Mayfair Lane in Greenville

Simpsonville City Park at 149 Park Drive in Simpsonville

Laurens County:

Laurens County Park at 1 Recreational Park Road in Laurens

The Firecracker at Fountain Inn Elementary at 608 Fairview Street in Fountain Inn

Oconee County:

Shaver Recreation Center at West South 4th Street and Ploma Drive in Seneca

Photo credit: Chad Knight

Tamassee DAR School at 9695 North Hwy. 11 in Tamassee

Chattooga Belle Farm at 454 Damascus Church Road in Long Creek

Sertoma Field off of North Catherine Street/Pickens Hwy in Walhalla

Pickens County:

Easley High School Disc Golf at 154 Green Wave Blvd. in Easley

Foothills Disc Golf Course at Walkers Way in Easley

Spartanburg County:

Edwin M. Griffin Preserve at 1083 Woodburn Road in Spartanburg

Tyger River Park at 195 Dillard Road in Duncan

The Pipeline at 551 Old Canaan Road in Spartanburg

Shoally Creek at 591 McMillan Blvd./Val Du Mar McMillan Park in Boiling Springs

USC Upstate on North Campus Boulevard

Photo credit: Glenn Riser

1 Million Cups

Feb 19, 2019 | News

by Dewey Evans

A million cups of coffee – that’s what, according to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, connects entrepreneurs in over 180 communities in the United States to the resources and solutions needed to help start or grow their business ventures.

1 Million Cups (1MC) is a program of the Kauffman Foundation, which seeks to “fulfill its mission to educate, engage and connect entrepreneurs with their communities.” Three communities, of the aforementioned 180+, are here in Upstate SC. Anderson, Greenville, and Spartanburg counties regularly host local gatherings of entrepreneurs and their support networks.

The format is simple: Each month, entrepreneurs present their ideas and startup companies to their local ecosystem partners in hopes of gaining valuable feedback on how to best grow their business.

“The essence of an entrepreneurial ecosystem,” as defined by the Kauffman Foundation, “is its people and the culture of trust and collaboration that allows them to interact successfully. The ecosystem allows for the fast flow of talent, information, and resources so that entrepreneurs can quickly find what they need at each stage of growth. As a result, the whole is greater than the sum of its separate parts.”

Typically, each 1MC gathering sees one to two entrepreneurial presentations, followed by a question-and-answer session with the audience. The benefit here is two-fold. First, entrepreneurs are able to gain genuine feedback regarding their ideas at no cost. Secondly, the community is made aware of new business activity and how they are able to best support their local entrepreneurs.

Erin Ouzts, director of VentureSouth and community organizer for 1MC Spartanburg, had this to say regarding the program:

“1 Million Cups is like a workout for startups: entrepreneurs talk about the challenges of the heaving lifting and their goals. The audience is the spotters and coaches, challenging the founders to approach problems differently and cheering them on with connections and leads.

“In the 1.5 years we have been meeting, the audience has grown in their ability to ask questions that get to the heart of the founders’ problems and expanded their ecosystem of connections and support for our startups.”

As the Upstate continues to develop its reputation and capacity for entrepreneurial success, it is crucial that we have programs such as 1 Million Cups to champion this cause. The onramps (access points) for entrepreneurs to enter the ecosystem must become smoother and be available to all Upstate citizens, regardless of their background.

To get involved with a 1 Million Cups event in the Upstate, attend one of the next gatherings:

Please visit the Upstate Business Ecosystem Resource Map to find ecosystem partners in your area.

Do you or your organization provide support to entrepreneurs or small businesses in the Upstate? Consider joining TATT’s Entrepreneur Support Providers Network on March 20th, 2019 for our first workshop of the year. The network will be reviewing lessons learned in 2018 and looking ahead to building the regional awareness and capacity during 2019. Register here for the March 20th workshop.