Forward Madison FC launched the 2022 Away Kit on Saturday, March 26th. This kit was designed by the Flock, Forward Madison’s independent supporters group, which continues the tradition of Flamingos Away kits being fan-designed. The kit was unveiled at the Flock Gala, a fundraiser for Forward Madison’s main supporters group.
Lead designer of the 2022 Away Kit and FMFC fan, Chris Fox, explains that this kit was contrived as a nod to historic football kits. “[This] look has been around since the 1900’s. I haven’t seen a club do a split kit that didn’t hit in their area.”
The 2022 Away Kit features a split pink and white design with dark blue sleeve caps. The design continues onto the collar as well as the back of the kit. The kit is now available in-store at Breese Stevens Field and online.
“Our supporters and our fans are what make this Club. The Flock is the best supporters group in the USL and we are fortunate for the engagement on match day and year round,” Forward Madison COO and Owner Conor Caloia said. “We are proud to be the only Club in the country that turns a kit over to their supporters.”
Perhaps the most important aspect of the kit is the way it positively affects the Madison community. $5 from every Away Kit sold goes to the Flock Soccer Foundation, who in turn support local soccer organizations like Millenium Soccer Club, Capital East Soccer, and the Wisconsin Warriors.
“If you can play, you can play,” Vice President of the Flock Soccer Foundation Grant Pieters said. “[This kit] is part of moving that mission along. We’re really happy that we’re able to provide these organizations with everything from balls to goals to scholarship opportunities or even a brand new wheelchair.”
To get a full picture of how funds from the Away Kit affect these great organizations, we invited representatives from Millenium, CapEast, and the Wisconsin Warriors to share their stories and the impact their organizations are able to make with these funds.
Capital East Soccer Club
Capital East Soccer Club, also known as CapEast, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit youth soccer organization located on the east side of Madison. The club serves over 600 players from U-6 to U-19 and hosts trainings, coaching education, and year-round programming for youth players.
“The main goal is to have every kid that wants to play soccer have the opportunity to,” CapEast coach Adan Pulido said. “[It] Doesn’t matter the skills, the opportunity is open for every single kid out there. That’s one of the main reasons I love the club, it’s a community. We are always together, always looking for the kids to have fun and develop their skills.”
Adan went on to say that CapEast is primed for a big 2022, with several camps and programs beginning soon. He hopes to continue the tradition of Forward Madison players coming out to interact with players at the camps, as it brings joy and inspiration to the players.
“You can see the sport and how it’s growing here. It’s great to see,” Pulido said.
Millennium Soccer Club
Millenium Soccer Club was founded in 2001 with the goal of bringing affordable and easily-accessible soccer to youth in low-income communities around Madison.
“It’s Saturday morning soccer where we go into neighborhoods so that we can remove barriers like transportation and the cost to play like more expensive clubs,” Millenium At Large Director Hayley Brisky said. “A lot of times there’s families with blankets and picnics. It’s just a real social, exciting experience.”
Hayley and fellow At Large Director Laura Lyons elaborated that the funds the Flock Soccer Foundation are able to provide through the Away Kit help Millenium Soccer Club offer additional programs for their players, like an indoor season during the winter.
“It’s very expensive because indoor in the winter is prime time here in Wisconsin. That’s why we’re thankful for the funds that your crew has helped provide,” Lyons said.
Now in their 20th year as a club, Millennium Soccer is excited to continue the impact they’ve made thus far.
“It’s incredible to see tiny people with already pretty incredible skills. To watch those skills transfer from kid to kid, family to family, generation to generation, it’s important to us. I mean, that’s growing the sport,” Brisky said.
Wisconsin Warriors
The Wisconsin Warriors are a wheelchair power soccer team based in Madison. The Warriors compete in the Champion’s Conference of the United States Power Soccer Association.
One of the Flock Soccer Foundation’s biggest endeavors in the past was the fundraising for a power wheelchair for Wisconsin Warriors player, Ollie.
“Raising the money for Ollie has been amazing. Having a fifth player allows us to have a sub, and he’s been able to develop even more as a player,” Wisconsin Warriors player Tyler Engel said. “Ollie’s been so enthusiastic and excited about everything and now he can play in a chair that allows him to keep up with the rest of us. Being able to see him develop over the last three months with [the new chair] has been amazing.”
Tyler explained that the Warriors recently played their first tournament of the year and have several more throughout the spring and then participate in the National Tournament in June.
“These were our first matches in two years, so now it’s about continuously improving,” Engel said.
Flock Soccer Foundation President Liam Geoghegan Smith put it best when asked about the overall impact the Away Kit makes on the local soccer community. “You have the responsibility to give back to the fan base and not just by having cool merch they can buy, but having something actually that goes into the community.”
