Forward Madison FC (USL League One)
Forward Madison FC was recently founded, back in 2018, who's big idea, was it? Who was involved in the founding of the club and what is the mission?
Forward Madison was founded by the Big Top Entertainment group in 2018 after doing extensive research in Madison to see if a soccer team would be viable. What they found was a prominent, growing soccer community that was primed to support and lift a team in the city of Madison. Peter Wilt jumped on board right from the start, working with the ownership group to devise a sustainable plan for soccer as well as lay the groundwork for a fantastic supporter’s group in the city. The mission of the club was to be authentically bold, flamboyant, and represent the city of Madison to the best of our ability. That remains the mission and goal of this club today.
The club's aesthetic is very appealing! How does the club balance merchandising and design with player management and team building? Was it always a part of the plan to be so fashion... "forward?"
Our merchandise is the bread and butter of the club. We treat it with the same level of priority as the team that we field on the pitch. Therefore, our ownership group has invested heavily in bringing on full-time talent in design and merchandising that can help propel the club on the national and international soccer stage through branding and kit sales. It was always a goal of the club to create merchandise that would stand out as different or innovative, but honestly, we didn't expect the international response of our merch until the Drip Kit dropped. That set the standard of design for the club and helped cement us on the international stage.
We have loved very nearly every shirt or scarf the club has developed! Who's in charge of that process and what can we expect next year?
We have an INCREDIBLY talented group of graphic designers and merchandise team members who design, develop, and put to market our shirts and scarves. Alyssa Bruce, Chase Egan, Noah Canlas, and Will Jenkins are all integral in bringing new, cutting-edge designs and ideas to market. Expect even bolder patterns that integrate modern fashion on shirts in the future...
You have a young coach in Matt Glaeser and while he's been around the lower leagues as a player and an assistant coach, who helps him build the squad? Does he tell the front office what he needs, and you try to get him the pieces or does he take what comes and makes it work into his philosophy?
Coach Glaeser, although he's young, is wise beyond his years. I believe that has a lot to do with his experience at high-level soccer organizations like Real Salt Lake and Sacramento Republic (who are currently still going in the Open Cup!). Matt learned a whole heck of a lot in his time at both organizations as well as his time being a professional goalkeeper for several seasons. His experience gives him a unique way of connecting with the players and creating a locker room dynamic based upon respect and family. The club hired Keith Tiemeyer to help Matt build his squad, along with assistant coaches John Pascarella and Neil Hlavaty. The technical team assess players and then works with ownership to secure those players for the club. The club trusts Matt and his staff's scouting and makes decisions that will result in the best possible outcomes on the pitch.
How did the club finish in 2021 and what were the goals for 2022? There's still plenty of season left, how close is the club to reaching those goals?
FMFC was truly in it until the very end in 2021, falling just short of reaching the playoffs. Multiple last-minute goals were the difference between not making the playoffs and making them last season, but the fans supported the team right until the last whistle sounded. The goal for the club is always to make the playoffs and win a championship, so multiple technical staff changes occurred between 2021-22 to ensure future success of the club. This season, the goal remains the same. The squad that we have right now is determined as ever to get into the playoffs and make noise like we've never done before. This city is primed to erupt for a playoff match, it's time to give the fans what they deserve.
For many teams outside of the top two tiers of soccer in the US, participation in extra competitions like the US Open Cup and European or Mexican exhibition games are big draws, how does the club view these competitions?
The club views the Open Cup and international friendlies as integral parts of every season. It's imperative for our fans to experience soccer at the highest level, which often means playing against competition at the highest of domestic leagues or internationally. We were fortunate enough to host SC Paderborn and Pumas Tabasco this season, both of whom are thought to be fantastic international soccer organizations. These matches give our fans a taste of how our club can compete against high-level competition as well as connect soccer cultures from around the world. The biggest crowd that we've had for an exhibition was Hertha Berlin in 2019. The stadium was jammed-packed, and the energy was off the charts!
Lastly, and certainly not least, aside from doing great things on the pitch, how does FMFC contribute to its community off the pitch?
I think the beauty of Forward Madison truly comes to light off the pitch with our community involvement. All our players make consistent community appearances at fundraisers, community outings, and gatherings with the goal of bettering our local community for the next generations of fans. We use the popularity of our merchandise to help raise money for important community causes like youth soccer through Millennium Soccer Club and Cap East Soccer club. We know we have a lot of fans abroad as well, which helped us devise a kit for the sole purpose of raising funds to help Ukraine in its relief efforts from the war. Our small club was able to raise over $43,000 for UNICEF's Ukrainian Relief through this kit. We have big plans on how we can help youth gain accessibility without barriers of entry for soccer, which we're excited to unveil soon.