American Indoor Soccer League

Infobox sports league

current_season=2007-08 AISL season
sport=Indoor Soccer
pixels=92px
founded=2003
teams=2
country=USA
champion=Rockford Rampage

The American Indoor Soccer League or AISL originally considered itself a minor indoor soccer league. In the 2005-06 season, they recognized themselves as a major soccer league.

History

Founded in 2003, the AISL's headquarters are based in West Springfield, MA, but the media relations office is based out of Cleveland, OH. The league currently has five teams actively playing. The 2005-06 season started with promise, starting with 6 teams, but the New Mexico Storm and Detroit-Windsor Border Stars decided not to play in the AISL just before the season got under way. In 2006, the league announced the membership of the Canton Crusaders, but the team's membership was revoked after the ownership was unable to fulfill its financial obligations.

AISL Teams

Active

Notable names

*Connally Edozien formerly of the Nigeria national football team's youth system and New England Revolution. Edozien has played in the USL with the Rochester Raging Rhinos and is on contract with the Carolina Railhawks.
*Oscar Albuquerque current owner of the Rockford Thunder franchise played for Canada's 1980 Olympic qualifying team and in the National Professional Soccer League.
*Dayton O'Brien formerly with the University of Memphis, O'Brien was drafted by the Columbus Crew in 2006. O'Brien signed with the Memphis Mojo for the 2006/2007 season.
*Everson Maciel of the Western Mass Pioneers signed with the Massachusetts Twisters for the 2006/2007 season after good season in the USL Second Division earned Maciel a spot on the USL 2 All League Team.
*Michael Todd of the New York Surf was selected by the Kansas City Wizards in the first round of the 2007 MLS Supplemental Draft.
*Gary Flood of the New York Surf was also selected in the 2007 Supplemental but in the second round by the New England Revolution.

ee also

*Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL)

External links

* [http://www.aisl.org AISL Homepage]