Our story

For over 30 years, co-founders Jerry Little and Dan Kapsalis have coached youth soccer and have seen all the developments associated with it - the good, the bad and the ugly.  Alarmed by the number of young athletes dropping out of competitive sports, Jerry and Dan wanted to bring back the “love of the game” while also delivering high-level skill development and focusing on character building.

They strongly believe that athletics provide lessons that transfer to real-life situations and offer opportunities for personal growth in our young men.  However, the reality of  youth sports today is that the cost to play club soccer limits access for families without financial means. So, in 2013, they founded a new type of youth travel soccer club in Indianapolis. The club, (originally named “Millennium Indy” until the summer of 2020), was created to be inclusive, serving all competitive players, including those who cannot afford to play.  Eliminating the financial barrier has created a special environment of high achievement within the game through socioeconomic and ethnic diversity.

The mission of Indy Phoenix FC is to create an environment that is both physically and mentally challenging, that stimulates our soccer players to reach their highest potential both on and off the field, and is low cost so that all athletes who are good enough to make our teams can afford to join, no matter their family’s financial situation

We are 100% volunteer run.  Coaches are former top soccer players themselves who dedicate their time because they love the game.  Parents and players can be seen lining our fields.  Fundraising is shared by our board, coaches, parents, and players and supported by our local community to help fund our club.

We’re different from other local travel soccer clubs because we also focus on:

Academic Excellence - Each coach expects a high level of academic performance from every player.  Grades are reviewed on a quarterly basis, and coaches help players develop a plan to improve and succeed as needed.

Community Service - Every year, each player is expected to fulfill at least 10 hours of community service targeting people and organizations that are in need.  We are creating servant leaders by increasing their awareness and fostering opportunities to make a real difference in the community.

Grace & Honor Through Competition - While it's likely that 99% of all players in the club will not become professional soccer players, the life skills of training at 100%, competing at a high level, and learning how to win and lose with grace as a team are immeasurable and critical to life - long after their playing days are behind them. We value and instill a respect for teammates, opponents, coaches, fans, the game and the players themselves.

While our teams do indeed compete at the highest levels in competitive club soccer, our experience has shown that Central Indiana is home to high quality tournaments drawing teams from Ohio, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky and beyond.  We limit out of state travel allowing families to save precious time & money.  As our more senior teams qualify for highly competitive regional leagues and we seek more exposure, there may be additional travel, but our teams generally do not play in out of state tournaments until they have beaten all of their local competition.

Our board, parents & athletes fundraise extensively to off-set most of the expenses of running a travel soccer club. Although additional player expenses may pop-up from time to time, generally here’s what you can expect:

Players Pay:

• $150 a year club fee
• Uniform costs (worn for 2 years) at 30% discount that is passed on to players. 
• All other accessories (warm-ups, etc.) are optional and have the same discount.
• If teams travel out of town for overnight play, we ask the parents to chip in to pay for the coach’s expenses.

Indy Phoenix FC will provide: 

• 4 tournaments a year (2 fall, 2 spring) for all teams through U13
• ​​​​​​​3 tournaments a year for U14 –U19, 1 Post HS, including College Showcases
• State, President, Challenge, & Memorial Cup Fees
• ​​​​​​​Referee Fees
• State Player Fees
• ​​​​​​​State League Fees

• Great Lakes Conference League and Referee Fees

All coaches and administrators are volunteers.