GM blog: Old Bhoys host FC Indiana tonight

As I sit down to type this, it is the final day of April. The Bhoys play a final pre-UPSL friendly match tonight with FC Indiana of the NPSL. The battle for I-65 in-state bragging rights as the best non-league squad is upon us. There have been some updates to the club’s fixtures list since the last GM blog, which was much more of a match recap, but the season has officially started. Our full roster should be joining us by next week, so it’s definitely a busy time for the players, coaching staff and GM.

Our inaugural foray into the U.S. Amateur Cup was to originally take place this past weekend — that schedule led to the modified date (and location) for the FC Indiana friendly. Unfortunately, and ultimately, the Old Bhoys opponent (Gunners FC out of Ohio) could not get schedules to align. Through coordination with the USASA Region 2 office and both clubs, it was decided that the Old Bhoys would move through this round via forfeit and advance to the regional quarterfinals of the cup. After the dust settles on some of Round 2, the Bhoys opponent for the next round is set: Michigan Stars of the NPSL. The fixture date is being worked on currently, but the match will be played in Indianapolis. Stay tuned to the club’s social media for exact match date and time. The winner between the Stars and Old Bhoys will advance to the regional finals, to be played closer to the end of May. 

Another competition for the Old Bhoys kicked off this past Sunday at Cardinal Ritter. Our entry into the Central Indiana Adult Soccer Association premier division started with a 0-0 draw. This is an eight-game schedule, running from the end of April through the middle of July. This is an important competition for the club and provides an opportunity to continue to focus on the Indianapolis area with regard to amateur men’s soccer. Our next match is tentatively scheduled for May 5. 

Lastly, our UPSL season kicks off on Saturday with an away trip to RWB Adria of Chicago. Adria returns another solid side this season and is looking to replicate its division-winning success from 2018 in the Central Division to 2019. We’ll communicate our projected starting lineup as well as bring you updates from the match this weekend. 

Following the April 30 friendly with FC Indiana, the Bhoys return to Cardinal Ritter on May 11 for their UPSL home opener; there may be another midweek fixture announced for the Amateur Cup regional quarterfinal…stay tuned. Tonight’s friendly is free admission; all other UPSL or Amateur Cup matches are just $5. Kids 10 and under, as always, are free. Tickets are available at the gate on the match day, or through our website: OldBhoysSC.com. 

This will be an exciting season for the UPSL in Indiana. Regional league rivalries are bound to bloom, and continuing our intra-league play with FC Indiana will be an exciting competition. Hosting non-UPSL sides such as Livonia City FC and Fort Wayne Sport Club will push us as a club forward. Along with our city and cup schedule, 2019 is going to be a big year. We want you along for the ride! 

While we’ve now received our kits and training gear, we’d be remiss to fail to mention that Old Bhoys HQ continues to welcome any and all organizations, businesses and individuals to join us in bringing high-level amateur soccer to Indy as sponsors and partners for the 2019 season (and beyond!).  It’s through the sport we at Old Bhoys so dearly love that we aim to grow our community; it’s important. And as we’ve said before, soccer at this level depends on this relationship. If you want to help, want your company logo on our gear, or believe in what we’re trying to accomplish at Old Bhoys, drop us a line: oldbhoyshq@gmail.com or @OldBhoysSC on Twitter. We’ll be in touch as soon as we can! We’d love to be able to give back in a relevant and meaningful way that raises interest in your organization as it does ours. The benefit of working at this level is that we can frankly customize any approach…if you have an idea for getting your organization’s name out in the community, let’s talk! 

As always, COYOB!

Follow Andy on Twitter: @Andy_H_1980.

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