Tommy Fiszel ’19, ’20, recently started a new career with Sporting City Soccer as director of coaching — a job he’s dreamed of for the past several years.
Sporting City Soccer is a competitive youth soccer club and is owned and operated by Major League Soccer’s Sporting Kansas City.
Fiszel transferred to Newman as a sophomore from Southern Nazarene University in Oklahoma, ready to play for one of the best teams in the conference at the time. Since his older brother graduated from Newman the year before, Fiszel already knew several of his soon-to-be teammates and coaching staff.
He played for three seasons at Newman while earning his bachelor’s degree in business administration and then continued his education, earning his Master of Business Administration from Newman while helping to lead the Newman men’s soccer team as assistant coach in 2019-20 season.
But Fiszel’s coaching career actually began in 2016 with Sporting Wichita, leading his teams throughout the years to win multiple conference tournaments as well as regional and national championships.
His final year with the organization proved to be every bit as successful. After competing in the 2026 Major League Soccer (MLS) Cup Kansas Regional in Kansas City May 1-3, his undefeated U15 team became national champions of the MLS Next AD for the U15 age group. The tournament featured 32 teams from across the country.
Along the way, Fiszel built his corporate business skills at Cargill, where he was a contractor for Trade Compliance and eventually worked his way into the role of replenishment analyst for Walmart Case Ready.
“I would start my job at Cargill early in the morning so that after my workday, I could make it to my soccer commitments,” said Fiszel. “Soccer is my passion and it excites me to live the day-to-day of the sport.”
Fiszel said both his athletic and academic experiences at Newman allowed him to gain the confidence he needed to transition from one job to the other.
“Joining the corporate world, I was able to adapt to working with people from different cultures and willing to face the next challenge ahead. After five years working full-time at Cargill, I’m excited to begin a full-time career in the sport of soccer.”
Soccer has been a passion for Fiszel since he was a child. His dad started Sporting Wichita with him at four years old.
“I was the first ever player for the club,” said Fiszel. “When I was finishing my youth soccer experience as a player, I knew I would like to coach. My dad coached all my life and my older brother started coaching a few years before I did.”
Fiszel said he’s very proud of his 2026 Sporting Wichita team and how far they’ve come.
“What makes me most proud is to see how they grow. On the field, they have been very successful, but off the field they are very humble and great human beings. This team has been a blast to be a part of because there is no person above the team, and that’s what makes this team special.”
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