CLUB HISTORY & MISSION
CLUB HISTORY
In 2014 Oklahoma City businessmen Dustin Hooker and Mr. Mark Moore identified the need for semi-professional soccer in Oklahoma City. The pair had been approached on numerous occasions by college players who expressed that there was nothing around for local amateur players to aspire to.
During the summer of 2015 the overwhelming need for amateur adult soccer in OKC birthed the OKC Pulse. With Dustin Hooker directing soccer operations, the Pulse began training to compete against various teams throughout the region. The Pulse would go on to get matches verse the FC Dallas reserve team, and eventually participated in a series of games in Tulsa against the Rayados U20 side from Monterrey, Mexico. It was in those months the Pulse proved to have the quality in their side to compete at the next level.
With the prior success, Moore and Hooker had reached a decision to grow the club. The new model would require a full re-brand and a larger ownership group to help oversee operations. While future planning was underway, the team began play in a provisional summer schedule as the “Fighting Imps.”
By fall of 2017, a complete partnership group was in place. With the addition of local businessman Mike Nelson, and founder of FC Wichita, Blake Shumaker, the group immediately began to evolve the club vision.
First, they decided the “Fighting Imps” name would stay and be a team nickname, but the club itself would brand to represent Oklahoma City as “OKC 1889.” The identity would pay homage to Imps players and supporters, while also broadening the reach beyond soccer fans and into the hearts of Oklahoma City residents.
On February 21, 2017, a press conference was held announcing that the new brand and its original title sponsor, Audi Oklahoma City.
CLUB MISSION
OKC 1889 FC was created with a vision to have a positive impact far beyond the soccer field. With our guiding ideology of “community first”, our promise is that OKC 1889 will always place the quality of life of our players, fans, staff, and community as our top priority.
Through the game of soccer, OKC 1889 FC will serve the community, encouraging local talent to reach heights they never thought possible. OKC 1889 FC will give proud, committed, dedicated Oklahoma players the opportunity to showcase themselves on a national stage and the chance to follow their dreams. The player environment is designed to give amateur players a professional experience, encouraging the self-respect, sacrifice, and high standards that will serve through not just a career in the game, but in a lifetime of leadership.
As a core grass roots soccer club, OKC 1889 will require all players to get out into the youth soccer community for appearances and soccer clinics. We hope to inspire the next generation to fall in love with the game of soccer, allowing the game to educate and teach life skills. OKC 1889 FC aims to help today’s youth fulfill their full potential as positive members of their communities.
Our future soccer leadership campaigns will impact many youth players by helping to recruit, train, and license adult coaches within the greater Oklahoma City area. All OKC 1889 FC players are required to take United States Soccer Federation coaching courses.
OKC 1889 FC’s core beliefs require RESPECT for the game, it’s players, it’s officials, and its spectators, at all times. We will win with dignity and lose with grace. We show zero tolerance for racism, violence, cheating, or drug abuse. We encourage our players to have fun playing the game, and to “be the leader that makes a leader”.