The SFC 2024 Leadership Summit Awards is a celebration of the amazing venues and people who drive SFC’s mission forward through their dedication, resilience, and leadership. These awards highlight SFC’s passion for excellence, teamwork, and innovation across all its facilities and teams.
This year’s honorees truly reflect what makes SFC successful. We win with people!
Below, we look at a trio of winners that embody our spirit: Virginia Beach Sports Center, Scott Rodgers, the USSSA Space Coast Complex General Manager, and Alize Farhat, the Corporate Events Manager at SFC Support Center. They all showcase the grit, leadership, and teamwork that fuel successful organizations. Their hard work and expertise have transformed their roles and enriched SFC’s overall vision.
For the full list of Leadership Summit Honorees, see the end of this article.

Grit in Action: Virginia Beach Sports Center’s Journey
Ryan Ladd’s story is one of persistence and resolve. “Man, we deserve it,” he said. “There were many sleepless nights and a lot of uncertainty. So when I say ‘I packed my bags and left a really good situation at Cedar Point Sports Center,’ that’s the truth. But I did it for an opportunity for myself.”
In just four years, he rose from a part-time coaching position at the Cedar Point Sports Center to General Manager of the Virginia Beach Sports Center (VBSC), highlighting his unwavering commitment to tackling challenges head-on. At the start of this opportunity, Ryan and his team faced a whirlwind of unknowns. From transforming a wrestling arena back into a track venue overnight to temporarily living on-site to meet demanding schedules, they rose above every obstacle with grit and determination.
Reflecting on his experience, Ryan emphasized leading by example, stating, “I believe in showing grit and hard work, not just sitting behind a desk.” His leadership and tireless effort have set a high standard for operational excellence. Under his guidance, the venue has become a model for resilience and success, demonstrating that adversity is an opportunity for growth and transformation. Congratulations, and thank you to VBSC’s staff for their unwavering dedication to changing lives through sports and for being an exemplary leader in the network.

Driving Cultural Excellence: Scott Rodgers’ Leadership
Scott Rodgers exemplifies what it means to overcome organizational challenges while maintaining a strong focus on customer experience. In April 2024, he moved from Ohio to Florida– to lead the USSSA Space Coast Complex. In that short time, Scott has successfully navigated hurdles from managing an older facility to balancing infrastructure improvements to improving and enforcing procedures and policies and adapting to leadership transitions. Despite these challenges, Scott has fostered a positive culture change, ensuring the facility delivers top-tier experiences for its visitors.
“I’d been in the sports facilities industry for a while. I was really impressed to learn about SFC, so I started pursuing the company,” said Rodgers. “This facility felt like a great fit for me because I had prior experience with large governing bodies, such as USSSA and US Soccer, so this gave me an opportunity to expand that relationship and run a facility.”
Scott was honored with SFC’s Venue Individual “Grit” Award for his efforts. Speaking about the achievement, he said, “One of the key obstacles was dealing with visitors who weren’t familiar with event procedures, but balancing modernization efforts with budget constraints required persistence and careful planning.” His ability to lead through change has left an indelible mark, making the Space Coast Complex a premier destination for athletes and fans.

The Power of Teamwork: Alize Farhat’s Contribution to Culture
At the core of SFC’s collaborative ethos is the work of Alize Farhat, who received SFC’s prestigious Support Center “Teammate” award. Recognized for her dedication to fostering relationships and building a supportive workplace culture, Alize epitomizes the principles of communication, empathy, and collaboration. Her efforts go beyond event management, as she actively streamlines processes and supports her colleagues to ensure collective success.
“Our culture has shaped my growth in so many ways,” she said. “Professionally, I’ve refined my event management expertise, focusing on understanding the needs of our team, clients, and the company. Personally, I’ve improved my interpersonal skills and gained confidence. SFC has encouraged me to take initiative, value feedback, and continuously push for excellence.”
Alize’s focus on teamwork has strengthened bonds within the organization and driven growth across teams. Her impact highlights the importance of nurturing a positive and inclusive environment where everyone can excel. “I’m most proud of the trust and relationships I’ve built within our team.,” she reflected. “Our success stems from a shared dedication to collaboration, mutual respect, and creativity.”
A Commitment to Excellence
The stories of Ryan, Scott, and Alize demonstrate the values SFC holds dear—grit, leadership, and teamwork. Their collective achievements illustrate how these principles drive the organization’s sustained success and enable it to deliver meaningful experiences for communities across the country. The 2024 Leadership Summit Awards recognize these individual contributions and celebrate the strength of SFC’s broader mission.
2024 Venue Awards Recipients:
- SFC Venue Relationship Award: Rocky Top Sports World
- SFC Venue Accountability Award: Elizabethtown Sports Park
- SFC Venue Service Award: Morristown Landing
- SFC Venue Newcomer Award: Rhythm & Rally Sports & Events and The Courts Cape Coral
- SFC Venue Innovation Award: Paradise Coast Sports Complex
- SFC Collaboration Award: Cyclone Ballparks
- SFC Performance Award: Caporella Aquatic Center
- SFC Venue Industry Leader Award: Legends Event Center
- SFC Venue “GRIT” Award: Virginia Beach Sports Center
- SFC Venue Excellence Award: John T. Rhodes Myrtle Beach Sports Center
2024 Venue Individual Awards Recipients:
- SFC Venue Individual Rookie of the Year: Christian Prieto from Cyclone Ballparks and Rachel Scully from SportONE Parkview Icehouse
- SFC Venue Individual Innovation Award: Summer Barfield from Legends Event Center
- SFC Venue Individual Food & Beverage Award: Melvin Thompson from Chesterfield Valley Athletic Complex
- SFC Venue Individual In-House Programming Award: Marina Wells from Pelican Bay Aquatic Center and Preston Ray from SportONE Parkview Icehouse
- SFC Venue Individual Hustle Award: Alex Michel from Cedar Point Sports Center and Kyle Walton from Legends Event Center
- SFC Venue Individual Teammate Award: Beau Dahlke from Sand Mountain Park & Amphitheater and Sarah Brackins from Morristown Landing
- SFC Venue Individual “GRIT” Award: Scott Rodgers from USSSA Space Coast Complex
- SFC Venue Individual Sponsorship Sales Star: Mark Sharpe from AdventHealth Sports Park at Bluhawk
- SFC Venue Individual Performance Award: Justin Kijowski from Cedar Point Sports Center
- Away Team hotel Night Award: Andrew Kurtz from Elizabethtown Sports Park
- Sponsorhsip Incentive Award: Shannon Ealy from Hoover Met Complex
- Performance Incentive Award: Mark Beale from John T. Rhodes Myrtle Beach Sports Center
2024 Support Center Awards Recipients:
- SFC Hustle Award: Whitney Holland
- SFC Innovation Award: Cristina Jensen
- SFC Teammate Award: Alize Farhat and Ryan Schmidtke
- SFC Rookie of the Year Award: D’Mitri Williams
- SFC Impact Award: Jamie Baumgartner
- SFC “GRIT” Award: Marcie Crawley
- SFC Ramp Up Award: Randy Payne
- SFC MVP Award: John Wolfe