Getting To Know Your MASL Opponents - St. Louis Ambush

Originally Founded: 1992

Championships: 1995 (NPSL)

Arena: Family Arena - St. Charles, MO

 





History:

St. Louis has a rich soccer history that goes back to the immigrant community known as "The Hill", where many of the famous 1950 United States' World Cup team came from. During the middle of the twentieth century, St. Louis became known as the soccer capital of the United States. It comes as no surprise then, that St. Louis has a rich history in the indoor game. Two brands have traded off over the years as the pinnacle of St. Louis professional soccer: the Steamers and the Ambush.

The indoor team that first captured the hearts of St. Louis was the St. Louis Steamers of the MISL. Founded in 1979, the Steamers were a flagship franchise for the MISL which would reach a zenith in the 1980s. The Steamers would break the indoor attendance record during the 1981-82 season at St. Louis Arena, with over 19,000 fans vs. Denver, and over 17,000 for an average attendance. Cardinal baseball great Stan Musial headed an ownership group that saw the Steamers rise. Off field success translated to on field success as St. Louis captured two division championships and fell just short in the 1982 finals. The Steamers would be no more by the late 1980s, as the MISL struggled to parlay those crowds in the early part of the decade into long-term success.

In 1992, the St. Louis Ambush were formed in the growing NPSL, with its multiple-point scoring system that awarded 1, 2, and 3 point goal lines (meant to encourage the more visually pleasing long-distance strikes). The Ambush too became a success on and off the field. Crowds often eclipsing 10,000 a match saw the Ambush reach four NPSL Championships, winning their lone title over Harrisburg Heat (also in today's MASL) in 1995. With the rise in popularity of the outdoor Major League Soccer in the late 1990s, the best players began leaving the NPSL. When crowds dwindled to under 5,000 a match in 2000, the Ambush folded a year prior the NPSL disbanding.

The Steamers were then resurrected in the new incarnation of the MISL in 2000, and held strong at an average of 5,000 spectators per match. In 2006, the Steamers lost the MISL Championship in heartbreaking fashion at a packed Scottrade Center and on ESPN2, on an overtime golden goal by the Baltimore Blast. The following year the Steamers would again be no more, and major indoor soccer was not present in St. Louis again until the Ambush were resurrected in 2013.

Today:

The Ambush are a well-run organization that mirror the Rampage in many ways. They too are run by a young owner who also owns an indoor football franchise, Andrew Haines. They too are social media savvy and do well at public relations. The Ambush's average attendance rose in their sophomore season to over 6,000 at the aptly named Family Arena in suburban St. Charles, right off the highway and a quick trip from CR (clocking in at just under 4 hours. No need to even go into St. Louis). This proximity sets up a natural rivalry with Cedar Rapids, but maybe more-so a
"soul brothers" alliance between fans, much like Chicago and Portland in MLS. The Ambush Army are a vocal and dedicated group of supporters that bring atmosphere to games in St. Louis. The kind of atmosphere that Rampage SC hope to emulate. Results on the field improved as well in their second year, going from 6th in year one, to 5th in the division last year.

Notable players/coaches:

Head Coach Daryl Doran is the Cal Ripken Jr. of indoor soccer. No one played more games at the highest level of indoor soccer in the US than him. As defensive midfielder and player-coach with the Ambush, Doran would win the 1994 NPSL Coach of the Year, the 1995 NPSL Championship and, the 1997 NPSL Defender of the Year Award. 

Midfielder Jeff DiMaria is the veteran presence, having played previously with the Steamers as well as the Colorado Rapids of MLS.

Forward Gordy Gurson of Buffalo Grove, IL was a three time All-American at Robert Morris and is the young goal scoring phenom who put up some impressive scoring numbers last year, en route to winning the 2015 MASL Rookie of the Year Award. He will be a handful for defenses around the league.