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Forward Madison FC entering important offseason
After making the playoffs n their inaugural season, Forward Madison FC missed the playoffs this year. (Courtesy: Forward Madison FC)

Forward Madison FC entering important offseason

MADISON, Wis. (BVM) — Forward Madison FC is entering the most important offseason the USL League One team has ever had. 

It may only be their second ever offseason, but there are some big questions that need to be answered before Forward Madison can begin to work towards improving on their 5-5-6 record and seventh place finish this past season.

The first is who will be leading the flock into the next season. It was announced on Oct. 26 via Twitter that there was a mutual parting of ways with head coach and technical director Daryl Shore. 

Shore coached the team in its inaugural season and had helped Forward Madison to a postseason appearance. He then coached them through a tumultuous COVID-19-shortened season in which Forward Madison had to play its games in Wauwatosa rather than at its normal home, Breese Stevens Field.

Forward Madison is looking for a coach that can lead the team to a successful future and help it achieve some of the long term goals the club has. The coach also has to be willing and excited to help with the community outreach that is so important to the club.

“I think Wisconsin has a lot of good soccer players playing here so it’s kind nice that we can help build that culture,” said Kuba Krzyzostaniak, the director of fan engagement and digital media for Forward Madison FC.

The club has regularly hosted clinics for youth athletes both in Madison and in Green Bay where it owns another team. Wisconsin has a strong soccer culture from youth clubs up to the four NCAA Division I programs that can be found in the Dairyland. Madison Forward wants to add to that and give Wisconsin youth something to aim for.

“I think it’s a huge help for youth soccer players to have pro players in their markets,” Krzyzostaniak said.

The goal is to give Wisconsin soccer players the ability to play professional soccer here in their home state from club to college to the pros.

“That’s the long term dream,” Krzyzostaniak said.

The players have also been helpful in achieving this goal and reaching out to the community. Led by captain Connor Tobin, the players help with clinics and this year in particular they have been doing Zoom calls instead of their normal community events. The community outreach has also been vital to the new club’s early success. 

“Our first year was all about inbedding in the local community and making sure that Madison knows it has a professional soccer team,” Krzyzostaniak said.

Which leads to the next question that needs to be answered this offseason. Due to COVID-19, Madison Forward FC was unable to play at Breese Stevens Field this season because of Dane County regulations and the club may not be able to play there this season.

“We know we can do it safely here, we already have a plan built out. It’s more about getting that approved by politicians,” Krzyzostaniak said.

Although they are proud to be Wisconsin’s professional soccer team, they are Madison’s team first and foremost. It’s the reason they use the Madison city bird, the plastic pink lawn flamingo, as their mascot.

“People in Madison are proud to be Madisonians,” Krzyzostaniak said. “There is a deep sense of pride in the city which is something we wanted to focus on.”

It has succeeded and even reached further than just Madison or Wisconsin. The club has seen a following from the national soccer community and has even sold jerseys in Japan and the United Kingdom.

“It’s pretty special for us,” Krzyzostaniak said.

Now the club can only wait to see if the county will allow it to play games in Madison. Until then, the focus will be on what the club can control: hiring a new coach and planning for a bounce-back season.

“We’re trying to be as positive as possible,” Krzyzostaniak said. “I think we do our best work when our backs are against the wall.