Des Moines Menace

        2008 marks the Des Moines Menace’s 15^th season as Iowa’s premier soccer team. With the support of a passionate and loyal following, Menace Soccer is committed to providing fans with fun, family-friendly entertainment. Through its youth programs, the Menace organization continues to grow the game of soccer here in the central Iowa community.

Part of the Premier Development League
        Playing in the Premier Development League (PDL), the team focuses on the training and advancement of amateur soccer players who aspire to play professionally. With more than 60 teams across North America, the PDL is an entry level of the United Soccer Leagues (USL). The Menace is part of the Heartland Division of the PDL’s Central Conference.   The team competes against divisional foes from Boulder, Colo., Kansas City, Mo., St. Louis, Mo., and Thunder Bay, Ont., Canada.
        The USL is similar to professional baseball’s minor leagues, with its own equivalents of Single-A (the PDL), Double-A (USL-2) and Triple-A competition (USL-1). Though it is not directly affiliated with Major League Soccer (MLS), the USL serves as a top talent pipeline for MLS teams.

Achieving succes
        The organization takes pride in its track record of developing winning teams and top-level talent. Since the team’s inaugural 1994 season, the Menace has reached the PDL playoffs eight times, advancing to the final four three times. The Menace’s banner year came in 2005, a season punctuated by a dramatic win over the El Paso Patriots to claim the PDL Championship. The Menace’s list of successful alumni boasts nine former players who have played in the MLS and several others who have advanced to the USL’s higher levels. Click here to for more details on Menace history through the years.

Ownership & Front Office
        Kyle Krause, CEO and President of Kum & Go L.C., acquired majority ownership of the Menace in 1998. The Menace organization’s offices are part of the West Des Moines office building that houses Kum & Go convenience stores, Liberty Bank, Solar Transport and Amici Espresso. For contact information for the members of the Menace front office, click here.

The Menace coaches
        Casey Mann, a former Menace star who led the team to the 2005 title in his first season as head coach, is the Director of Coaching for the Menace’s youth programs in addition to his role as the PDL head coach. Tomas Boltnar, a player/coach who was the league’s most valuable player in 2002 and 2003, assists Mann in coaching the PDL team. Mann, Boltnar, and a team of highly qualified coaches create the foundation of the organization’s youth programs.

Development at all levels
        The Menace Soccer Foundation, a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, encourages the interest and participation of youth soccer. The foundation consists of the Junior Menace, Youth Academy, Super-20, youth tournaments, and camps and clinics. For beginners ages 4-10, the Junior Menace develops the fundamental skills and love of soccer. A higher level of competition is found in the Menace Youth Academy, which is a select year-round program that focuses on improving players ages 10 and up in a fun and challenging environment. For more advanced soccer athletes ages 17-20, the Menace fields a team in the Super-20 League that allows players to compete at an even higher level of competition, while serving as reserves for Menace PDL team. The Menace also hosts four annual youth tournaments for boys and girls, U11-U19, as well as various camps and clinics to provide even more opportunities for soccer athletes to improve their skills throughout the soccer season.