Trish Heffelfinger
In 1998, Trish became involved in an exciting soccer development project, The Maryland SoccerPlex in Germantown, MD. At the time the “SoccerPlex” was the most significant public-private partnership in Montgomery County. In 1999, she became the founding Executive Director of the Maryland Soccer Foundation (MSF), the owner operator of the Maryland SoccerPlex, Discovery Sports Center and SAM Soccer. Trish oversaw the administrative management of the MSF and its entities, including the 24-field SoccerPlex and its 16 full-team employees.
At the end of 2018, after 20 years at the SoccerPlex, Trish retired. During her tenure, the SoccerPlex grew significantly adding SAM Soccer, tournaments, sports (lacrosse and field hockey), and women’s professional soccer. The complex hosted many high-profile events including: USYS National Championships (3 times), the ACC Men’s Soccer Championships (twice), the Maccabi Games, Lamar Hunt Open Cup and Champions League matches and more.
In 2019 Trish became involved in another start-up, the Montgomery County Sports Hall of Fame (MCSHF), a non-profit established to recognize and honor the achievements of local athletes. The MCSHF held its first induction ceremony in September 2018 honoring Bruce Murray, Katie Ledecky, Dominique Dawes, Shawn Springs, Bob Milloy and Walter Johnson (posthumous).
Since 2016, Trish has served as an At-Large member of the Maryland State Youth Soccer Association (MSYSA) board. She has served on the Maryland State Cup, President’s Cup, East Regional Championships and Recruitment Review Committees.
Like so many others involved in soccer, Trish became interested when her sons started playing. Both played recreation and classic soccer at MSI. They enjoyed playing with their friends and having fun. That memory of youth soccer has been Trish’s guiding principle for what the sport should promote, fun for the kids. She believes that the mission of MSYSA should always be to find ways to improve the soccer experience and accessibility for all youth soccer players in Maryland.
Trish also serves on Montgomery Parks Foundation Board.
Prior to the SoccerPlex, Trish held senior positions in marketing and advertising for local companies: Marriott Hotels, American Security Bank, and the Resolution Trust Corporation.
Trish was born and raised in Washington, DC. She lived in London for three years. In 1975, she married another Washingtonian, moved to Montgomery County and had two sons.