The idea for KEVA Sports Center was hatched in Eric Fritz’s youth. As the son of a small-business owner and one of three very active, athletic boys, he knew he wanted to 1) own his own business and 2) be involved in active endeavors. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he played competitive soccer, Eric moved to Madison where he owned and managed Soccer World – an indoor soccer facility on Madison’s East side.Through this organization, Eric saw the potential to expand the business beyond soccer. In fact, he and his father knew that the Madison area would welcome and support a larger facility – dedicated to recreational soccer play and much, more more.
Established in 1999, KEVA is south central Wisconsin’s best indoor recreational facility, offering state-of-the-art turf fields (both indoors and out), as well as top-quality courts for volleyball, basketball and more. KEVA draws over 300,000 people to its facility each year, and the numbers are growing.
Located in Middleton, Wisconsin, KEVA Sports Center is focused on building – not just the sports business – but the community as a whole. Under Fritz’ leadership, KEVA gets very involved. From hiring special-ability individuals through Dane County’s Arc program, to sponsoring food drives and fundraisers, KEVA puts it’s “money where it’s mouth is.” Pursuing opportunities to give back is just one
of the many reasons that Eric Fritz of KEVA was one of the winners of the Dane County Small Business Awards. This prestigious title is awarded to forward-thinking organizations that develop staff, customers and the community.
“People often ask me, ‘what does keva mean?’ The word has Native American roots and referred to a gathering place or hut. When we were trying to think of a name that would symbolize our business goals, KEVA made sense. We want this to be more than a soccer field. We want this to be a gathering place–a community.”
