United German Hungarians Soccer Club transformed into Trifecta Sporting Club under new ownership
By Samantha Bambino
The Times
For six decades, the club of the United German Hungarians was a local staple in Feasterville. Located at 4666 E. Bristol Road, the 17-acre space was chock-full of soccer, culture and history, not to mention favorite annual events such as Oktoberfest.
So when Cindy and Joe Proll learned the group had penned an exit plan and wished to sell the facility, they took action. Sharing a similar sentiment to many area residents, they didn’t want to see the space demolished and turned into housing. They wanted to preserve it.
Cindy and Joe took ownership in late October 2018, and have since been giving the club a “little love,” slowly but surely transforming it into the Trifecta Sporting Club — a multi-sport training facility with soccer, lacrosse and rugby fields, in addition to an indoor catering hall and bar.
While the space was strictly private under the United German Hungarians, the Prolls decided it should be open to everyone in the community. Club-neutral, Trifecta invites all athletic associations to utilize the space, which Cindy said is a “game changer” for the area.
“There’s really a need,” she said. “It doesn’t exist.”
The Prolls have been working diligently to gauge the needs of the community to determine what they want to see in the space. Current projects include the installation of turf on the fields, in addition to the construction of a Southeastern Pennsylvania soccer hall of fame, which Cindy said is nonexistent at the moment.
Until then, dozens of soccer and dance trophies earned by the United German Hungarians over the years, the oldest dating to 1934, are proudly displayed along the walls of the club’s bar area.
“It’s a mingling of information and understanding the impact the world of athletics can really have,” Cindy said.
Her and Joe’s mission is to create a Cheers-like space, where new generations of players can come to Trifecta and say, “that’s my dad’s trophy” or “my grandfather used those batting cages.” Most of the memorabilia was discovered in downstairs lockers, tucked away from sight.
“It needs to be among us,” Cindy said.
They also want to uphold the atmosphere of camaraderie at the bar. According to Cindy, it was always tradition for both the United German Hungarians and their opponents to converge in the space, sometimes standing six people deep, to forget about the competition and enjoy each other’s company.
In a game room next to the bar, which features foosball and ample seating, a number of youth trophies are on display. With a door that leads directly to the outdoor stadium, Cindy said it’s the perfect spot to eat, drink and mingle while a game is going on.
Back inside, a large catering hall that comfortably seats 320 guests boasts bright, natural light, a sparkling disco ball, and a spacious, hexagram-shaped wooden floor, which Cindy explained is the formation in which the German Hungarians dance.
Additional highlights of Trifecta include a separate seating area that holds 80 people and can be used for private parties, a downstairs training room where athletes can stretch and warm up before games, and an outside bier garden.
Despite the new name and ownership, Cindy stressed that many things about the club will remain unchanged. The German Hungarians will continue to host cultural meetings there, and community favorites such as the annual Oktoberfest will still take place. At the same time, Trifecta has a slew of new events in the pipeline, the most recent being a New Year’s Eve celebration.
For the Prolls, who are balancing this undertaking while working full-time jobs and raising three children, it hasn’t been easy. They’re often asked, “why are you doing this?” The reason is simple — they want to ensure this historical space is available for the next generation of athletes.
Visit facebook.com/Trifecta-Sporting-Club-164357814284646 or call 215–357–9851 for more information. ••
Samantha Bambino can be reached at sbambino@newspapermediagroup.com
