Indiana Blast was an American soccer team, founded in 1996. The team was a member of the United Soccer Leagues, played in the USISL and A-League (1997âÂÂ2004) until folding at the end of the 2004 season.
The Blast played their home games at Kuntz Memorial Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. The team's colors were white and blue for its last four years after four years with red and black as its colors. Peter Baah and Larry Harmon served as general managers.
Officially announced a press conference on September 30, 1996, the Blast signed its first player that November in goalkeeper standout from Yugoslavia and of MLS Mile Milovac and signed its second star player in Marc LeBere who came over on transfer from the Philadelphia Freedom after scoring 13 goals for Philadelphia, LeBere was a premier striker and expected to lead this new franchise in scoring. LeBere was a two time All-American in high school and a collegiate national champion. The club played its first match at Kuntz Stadium on April 25, 1997, a 2âÂÂ0 loss to eventual A-League champion Milwaukee Rampage in front of 2,886 fans. The team claimed its first victory on May 9, beating the Cincinnati Riverhawks 4âÂÂ0.
By August, the team's original owner, businessman Ferid Poturkovic, had sold the club to MorSports, Inc. On the day the sale was announced, the Blast beat the Chicago Stingers 2âÂÂ0 to clinch a playoff berth with their fifth consecutive victory to end the regular season. Two weeks later, the Blast came from 2âÂÂ0 down to defeat the Cleveland Caps 3âÂÂ2 and win a first-round playoff game. The Blast then defeated Chicago 1âÂÂ0 on August 22 to make it to the Pro League quarterfinals, where they fell 6âÂÂ0 to the Charlotte Eagles.
The 1998 season was the best in the club's history, as the Blast went 15âÂÂ3 in league play (17âÂÂ4 overall) and won the North Central Division's regular-season championship. The Chicago Stingers exacted their revenge for 1997's playoff defeat, though, as they beat the Blast 3âÂÂ0 on August 21, 1998, in a first-round playoff match. The year would end with the Blast winning "Organization of the Year" honors from the USISL and earning promotion to the A-League.
In its first A-League game, the Blast won away to Tennessee Rhythm 3âÂÂ1, but finished a mere point out of the playoff race with a 13âÂÂ15 record, having lost the final postseason spot to the El Paso Patriots by virtue of a tiebreaker.
Though the Blast struggled to a 9âÂÂ15âÂÂ4 record in 2000, they qualified for the playoffs and absorbed a 7âÂÂ0 pounding at the hands of the Minnesota Thunder in the first round. The club never qualified for postseason play again.
Original coach Jimmy McDonald stepped down after the 2000 season and was replaced by Bret Hall, who had coached the Chicago Stingers and Sockers to three consecutive championships. For health reasons, Hall was forced to relinquish his duties before ever coaching a game and he was replaced by assistant Ian Martin, the former head coach at Butler University in Indianapolis. Martin's only season at the helm resulted in an 8âÂÂ18âÂÂ0 record in 2001.
Former French professional and Mauritanian international Eric Descombes took over as player-coach for the 2002 season, which saw the team go 6âÂÂ18âÂÂ4, including a stretch of 16 games over two months in which it won just one match. A highlight was a 2âÂÂ2 draw against the Rochester Raging Rhinos in a nationally televised game on August 17 that drew a then-club-record 4,557 fans (a figure that would be topped on July 13, 2003, when 5,140 saw a 3âÂÂ2 loss to the Pittsburgh Riverhounds).
McDonald returned to the sidelines for the 2003 season, but it was the worst in the club's history, as they continued losing and controversy dogged the Blast from the season's start. McDonald resigned for the final time after a horrendous start and was replaced by assistant Mike Sanich. Before the 3âÂÂ23âÂÂ2 season was over, player Peter Baah had taken the reins. It would be the Blast's last season in the A-League.
A move to the Premier Development League for the 2004 season infused the club with young talent, but the results weren't much better as the Blast finished 5âÂÂ12âÂÂ1 under coach John Dolinsky (who was first replaced by player Mark Allen and then by Baah before the season's end). The team's final match ever was a 3âÂÂ2 loss to the Kalamazoo Kingdom at home on July 17, 2004. The final victory in club history came the night before, a 7âÂÂ3 home decision over the Kansas City Brass.
In its history, the Blast established quite a rivalry with the Cincinnati Riverhawks, as the teams met 25 times. Indiana won 12, Cincinnati 11 and there were 2 draws in the series. At the other end of the spectrum, Indiana went just 2âÂÂ15âÂÂ1 in 18 matches against the Minnesota Thunder. In eight seasons, the club won 67, lost 114 and tied 11 in league play.
vs Kalamazoo Kingdom, 17 July 2004