Image credit: USAi Old Bhoys
INDIANAPOLIS — The boys aren’t old, but the Bhoys are.
The USAi Old Bhoys are gearing up to take the pitch this year in the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL), an amateur adult league that’s essentially the highest level of men’s soccer below the NPSL and PDL. The Indy-based club will become Indiana’s only member of the UPSL. Founded in 2011, the league boasts over 150 teams.
The Old Bhoys will feature an abundance of local flair and play their home matches at Cardinal Ritter High School on the city’s near northwest side. The club unveiled its 2018 schedule Tuesday.
“I’m excited to get fully kitted out and see this team take the field in May, representing themselves and the broader community in a way everyone affiliated with the team can be proud of,” said USAi Old Bhoys GM Andy Hayes. “I’m confident we’ll build something really awesome — and local.”
Some of the club’s notable matches include a May 5 UPSL opener at home against Carpathia FC and an April 25 preseason friendly with nearby Lafayette, Ind.-based NPSL side FC Indiana. Season ticket information is expected to be announced tonight, with one of the options including a limited-edition scarf.
Season ticket info will drop by midnight tonight. Working on getting the order side worked out. DM or let @Andy_H_1980 know if you’re interested. Also working on special items to give those who buy season ticket #WeAreOldBhoys #IndySoccer #oursoccer @LadyVictory11
— USAi Old Bhoys (@USAiOldBhoys) March 8, 2018
While the Old Bhoys are newcomers to the UPSL, they’ve actually been around the block.
“The club’s origins — we, as a team, play under the USAi umbrella — go back several decades,” Hayes explained. “As far as the concept of this UPSL side, essentially a locally comprised team, this idea dates back to late 2015, early 2016. I felt that a team starting in a lower division than the Indy Eleven, comprised of local amateurs who want to give back to the local soccer community and/or have the dream to advance their playing careers filled a gap in the soccer landscape.”
Hayes added that the Old Bhoys’ roster is nearing finalization and will soon be announced. Steve Bushre will manage the squad. The team’s already confirmed players reported to the training grounds for their first outdoor practice March 5.
As for why the Old Bhoys went the UPSL route, Hayes cited a variety of factors.
“The UPSL’s economic model, Premier League of America (PLA) merger (creating the UPSL Midwest Conference), footprint, competitiveness and player development focus all contributed to why we wanted to join the league,” he said. “I had developed a good relationship with some of the folks of the former PLA and that spawned some additional conversation into how big this conference and joining the league could be. Additionally, we are the only UPSL team in Indiana. Hopefully that’s not the case next year. Additional factors such as the potential for a longer, full calendar year of playing and working to develop internal (if not external) promotion/relegation made the offering unique.
“In fall of 2017, (Ben Rode of Oakland County FC) advised me of the potential for the UPSL to align with and form the UPSL Midwest Conference. At this point, I realized it was now or never if I wanted to build a team and give this a go. We were officially accepted into the league on Nov. 17, 2017, and have been trying to figure it all out since.”
So far, so good. And with an emphasis on community, growing the game, and bridging the gap between amateur and pro soccer, the USAi Old Bhoys seem to have just the right recipe brewing in their figurative cauldron for what they’re aiming to achieve.
“That’s what we’re trying to do: keeping community, integrity and respect as the pillars in all we do,” Hayes said. “I want 7-year-old kids knowing they can make it to this level. It’s attainable and not a crazy pipe dream!”
Follow Kevin on Twitter: @KJboxing.
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Photo credit: Robbie Mehling/Soc Takes 
Photo credit: Robbie Mehling/Soc Takes
Photo credit: Robbie Mehling/Soc Takes 
Photo credit: Robbie Mehling/Soc Takes
Photo credit: Robbie Mehling/Soc Takes 
