American Indoor Soccer Association (1984-1986)
Tombstone
Born: 1984 – AISA founding franchise
Folded: October 1986
First Game: November 4, 1984 (L 12-11 @ Columbus Capitals)
Last Game: April 10, 1986 (L 4-3 vs. Louisville Thunder)
AISA Championships: None
Arena
Wings Stadium (5,123)
Opened: 1974
Marketing
Team Colors:
Ownership
Owner: Ronald Creager
Attendance
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Source: 1997-98 National Professional Soccer League Official Guide & Record Book
Trophy Case
AISA Goalkeeper of the Year
- 1985-86: Victor Petroni
Background
The Kalamazoo Kangaroos were a minor league indoor soccer club that played for two season in the small, Midwest-based American Indoor Soccer Association from 1984-1986. Kalamazoo was one of six founding cities in the league. During the winter months, the ‘Roos shared Wings Stadium with the Kalamazoo Wings of the International Hockey League.
The Kangaroos continued to sign players in preparation for the 1986-87 campaign over the summer of 1986. However, the club’s hopes of staging a third season reportedly hinged on raising operating capital through a public stock sale. When the stock offering failed to get off the ground in time, the AISA moved the Kangaroos franchise to dormancy status in October 1986. While the transaction left the door open for Kalamazoo to return to the league in the future, the team was never heard from again.
In Memoriam
Former Kangaroos owner Ronald Creager died on December 18, 2000 at age 55.
Links
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One Response
About 10 years ago, I was working on a book called “It Ain’t Over Till…” basically a FUN WHILE IT LASTED idea. I had done some research on the Roos (by the way, they had a GREAT logo!)and got ahold of a guy (and I can’t remember his name), but he was running an indoor sports training facility in Kalamazoo. I asked if he had any interesting things about the Roos to tell me, he said that he could give me a few anecdotes. He gave me one that blew me away…”Well you know the Jeters were season ticket holders”. That was impressive to me. “In fact Derek played on the field when he was in elementary school”. I asked how he knew it was Derek Jeter and his family. “They were pretty well known in Kalamazoo even back then, being an interracial family.” I always thought that it was a pretty cool story and if I ever met Jete, I would ask him if he remembers going to the Roos games.