Our Mission
The mission of the club has evolved since those early days, from a group of guys just looking to keep playing after college, to a full program built to develop players in a real professional environment.
Here at the Midwest Hooligans, we provide a professional environment for players to develop their game at the highest level and become professionals on and off the field. While teaching the youth of the community the game that we love. With Passion, Pride, and Purpose we continue to grow the game of soccer in our community.
About the Hooligans
The Midwest Hooligans were founded in early 2020 during the start of the pandemic. What began as a simple conversation between Auston Bruder and his wife Tori about finding a place to play after college quickly turned into the beginning of something much bigger. With limited soccer options locally and a group of high-energy players who weren’t tied to one single town, the goal became clear, build a team with real identity, real standards, and real purpose.
That identity came to life in one sentence. As they searched for the right name, Tori said, “Well, you guys are just a bunch of hooligans.” And just like that, the club was born.
The name Midwest was chosen intentionally. From the beginning, the team was made up of players from different areas, and no one knew how far the idea could grow. What started as a Sunday team needing a place to communicate schedules, results, and updates, Auston created a Facebook page and Tori designed the first club crest. The response from the community was immediate, and the Hooligans started to gain attention well beyond the players involved.
In the summer of 2020, the Midwest Hooligans were approached by Jack Strassweg, owner of Indiana Fire South Academy, with an opportunity to take the team to the next level. An agreement was reached, and the Midwest Hooligans officially joined the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) becoming the first official outdoor semi-professional soccer team in Evansville, Indiana.