As the sun peeks over the mountaintops of the Wasatch mountains, light breathes life into the newly constructed SharkNinja Performance Center. Utah Royals FC staff and players begin their morning routines in their own fashion scattered about the space. Some are doing activations in the weight room, some utilizing the fueling station, others discussing treatment in the state of the art training room, while others still lounge on couches in the locker room.
This is now a typical day in the Utah Royals’ new home.
“It means so much to have our own designated space,” said URFC Sporting Director Kelly Cousins. “It’s huge. We can grow things how we want to grow them, we can implement things how we want to implement them. This is a statement from ownership, you can see they are invested in the club, in the team. They want the team to become one of the best. They want the team to perform and grow in the league.”
The SharkNinja Performance Center, a 11,000+ square foot expansion to the existing Zions Bank Real Academy, sets a new standard in not only the NWSL but women’s sports across the world.
Only two similar spaces exist currently in the league. Racing Louisville opened a training facility in January 2021 while Kansas City Current opened a dedicated training center in 2022. Orlando Pride and Houston Dash also have spaces with their MLS affiliates.
“Utah building this new space just proves to us that they are invested in supporting women’s soccer,” said Utah Royals defender Kate Del Fava.
Women’s soccer is exploding. The multimillion dollar investment into the performance center is a statement from Royals ownership that women’s soccer is here to stay, that women’s soccer is valued and appreciated in Utah and that the best deserve the best. It is a statement that echoes around the training center and brings the club as a whole closer together.
“We are ecstatic to open the SharkNinja Performance Center and to be able to provide our athletes with the state-of-the-art facilities that they deserve.” said RSL President John Kimball. “The investment made by our ownership group and our partners, SharkNinja, displays their commitment to empowering women and the growth of the women’s game.”
“It’s an incredible addition to our facilities out in Herriman” said RSL Chief Soccer Officer Kurt Schmid. “The new Royals training center underlines the commitment that our ownership has to the growth of soccer in Utah and also sets the standard on an international level for women’s sports. As a club, we could not be more excited for these professionals to have access to the very best that we can offer.”
The Royals do not resume league play until August 23 when fellow expansion side Bay FC will visit Utah for the first time. During the extended Olympic break, NWSL teams will take part in the inaugural NWSL x LIGA MX FEMENIL Summer Cup, which will feature all fourteen NWSL teams and the six Liga MX Femenil teams that gathered the most points in 2023. The Royals will travel to Seattle Reign FC on August 19 before hosting Portland Thorns on August 27 and Club Tijuana of Liga MX Femenil on August 31.
After moving into the new performance center, the Utah Royals will look to utilize the move and the Summer Cup as a springboard to enter the second half of the season with renewed purpose and energy.
