FieldHouse Sports in Bow announced that it will conclude operations as an indoor sports complex at the end of the month when its current winter session concludes.

“In recent days, an agreement has been finalized which will result in the transfer of the property occupied by FieldHouse Sports,” an email to customers sent Monday stated. “Following the completion of this session, the facility will cease to operate as an indoor sports facility.”

The facility has been locally owned and operated since 1997 and has hosted a variety of athletic opportunities for the Bow and Concord communities, serving athletes as young as age 3 and people older than 60.

“A lot of kids grew up there,” said Bow School District Athletic Director Mike Desilets. “It will undoubtedly have an impact on these kids. Where do they want to travel? How far do they want to go to find another place? I know there’s new places popping up, but it was certainly nice to have one that was local.”

The 70,000-square-foot indoor sports complex is owned by Craig and Diane Jensen, according to public records. The property at 12 Tallwood Drive is valued by the town of Bow at $3,063,800. A new owner was not identified.

“We would like to thank everyone who has participated with us over the years and for being an essential member of our indoor sports community,” the email stated. “Winter Session #1 indoor soccer leagues, programs, skills clinics, and rentals will be completed as scheduled over the course of the next few weeks.”

No further specifics were provided, and FieldHouse Sports declined to comment beyond the email that was sent out.

The facility has one multi-sport field used for indoor soccer, basketball and volleyball, as well as three pro-size indoor turf fields.

FieldHouse Sports was a member of the New Hampshire Soccer Association, which essentially served as an administrative liaison, handling background checks and insurance coverage for the various indoor soccer leagues that played there. 

“What they’ve meant to the community and the area of Concord and Bow for families for generations has been huge,” said Ed Royer, the NHSA’s director of operations.

Added Anne Fichera, the NHSA’s executive director: “Now we’re going to have people traveling further south into New Hampshire to play at other indoor facilities. Something that’s readily available for them right in their backdoor now is not going to be there. It’s definitely a huge void.”

Fichera noted that FieldHouse was one of the only organizations they’ve partnered with that’s an indoor facility. Recently, similar spaces – NH SportsDome – have opened up in Hooksett and Goffstown where the NHSA also operates. They’re hoping to fill some of the void that’s opened in the Concord and Bow areas because of FieldHouse’s closure.

In addition to indoor leagues for various age groups, FieldHouse also rented its spaces for team training and practices during the offseason. All of that will come to an end in mid-to-late January when the current winter session wraps up.

“I think it’s too soon to know the impact at this point, but I know a lot of our student-athletes participate in their camps and their leagues,” Desilets said. “I know that a significant number of them have participated in something at FieldHouse in the very recent past.”

And now the coaches are being sent into scramble mode, trying to find places for their teams to play moving forward.

“The news broke yesterday. Put us all in a scramble,” Patrick Millette, a coach for one of the U12 soccer teams said Tuesday. “We’ve been distracted trying to find another place to play.”

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