With the MASL season now going full throttle, we were fortunate to steal a little time from CEO and Co-Owner of St Louis Ambush, Shelly Clark. When we reached out with a few questions about what makes her team tick, she was generous and provided some great insight about the professional arena soccer team in St Louis, MO.

One of the things we love to find out about clubs is their founding - who started your club? What was the mission or vision and has that changed over time?
The rebirth of the St Louis Ambush was originally created and started by Andrew Haines in 2013. He was involved with the organization through the 2015-2016 season. I became majority owner during the 2016 2017 season which is when we really began to embrace the idea of being a family, a community.

Mission Statement:
To provide a family friendly & affordable professional indoor soccer experience for our community.

Core values:
Family. Community. Passion. Dedication. Tradition.

Family. Our organization functions as a tight-knit family, transcending the roles of player, staff, volunteer, business partner, and fan. This signifies our commitment and involvement, extending beyond the field into every aspect of life.

Community. Embracing the notion of a “hometown”, our aspiration is to stand as commendable role models and make a positive contribution to the cities we call home.

Passion. Our players embody sincere intensity, enthusiasm and a genuine love for the sport, welcoming those aspiring to grow, excel, and pursue their own achievements.

Dedication. Ownership is committed to constructing a championship-winning team on the field, while also creating a vibrant, family-friendly atmosphere within the community.

Tradition. St. Louis is the Soccer Capital of America, and our dedicated efforts continue to honor this esteemed legacy by expanding upon the strong groundwork that has been laid

Historically, who is your biggest rival? What is the most important game you’ve ever played and who do you look most forward to playing against this season?
Our biggest rival is our I-70 playing partner, the Kansas City Comets. They typically play them six times per season and historically they have had the upper hand but in recent years we have turned those tides around.

Who are your biggest or most important players or coaches of all time? Record setters and trailblazers?
There is a rich history of soccer in Saint Louis. If you go back to the golden era of the Saint Louis Steamers you are likely to hear names like Jamie Swanner, Daryl Duran, and Slobo Ilijevski. On today's team you are likely to hear names like William Eskay (one of the fastest players in the MASL), Robby Kristo (a local St Louis homegrown player) and Paulo (a native of Brazil, and arguably one of the worlds best Futsal keepers who has transitioned to indoor soccer).

Do most of your players play both or are they dedicated to playing indoor professionally?
A majority of our players are dedicated exclusively to playing indoor professionally. However almost all players participate in random tournaments and some play outdoor to keep in shape during the offseason. The MASL started hosting a player combine that attracts talent from across the United States and Mexico. The past two years we have participated in the combine and drafted a total of 6 players. A few have been offered contracts with the main team.

How do you keep the lights on? What are the most important marketing strategies?
There are 3 main revenue streams for the organization: Ticket sales, Partnerships (sponsors) and Camps/Clinics. Our games provide not only “soccer entertainment” but a full 2 hours of entertainment that even soccer fans can enjoy. Our DJ plays tunes throughout the game, we have contests, selfie cams, and halftime shows that keep fans (both young and old) engaged.

How does your club connect with your community outside of the arena? What do you do that makes a difference?
We participate in dozens of community events throughout the season, and during off-season. We support over 200 charities in their events which help support and give back to our community annually. We speak at schools, host clinics, and encourage youth to stay active. We host blood drives, visit hospitals, serve on the boards of charities, and work with animal shelters to better our community. We believe in giving back, and being engaged.

Want to know more or get involved?
Follow St Louis Ambush on Instagram HERE
And give them a follow on “X” Twitter HERE