SWISA SOCCER CLUB:

Honoring Tradition, Building a New Future

For generations, the Southwest Indiana Soccer Association (known to most as SWISA) has been more than just a travel soccer club. Since its earliest days, it has stood as a community hub for young athletes in Evansville and the surrounding Tri-State, offering opportunities to play at a high level while building friendships and life skills along the way. Families who grew up on the sidelines now return as parents, passing on the tradition.

SWISA’s track record is impressive. As one of the oldest travel clubs in the region, it has consistently fielded competitive boys’ and girls’ teams from U9 through U19. The club’s developmental Academy has also played a pivotal role, giving younger players their first real taste of structured training. Here, the emphasis has always been on technical development, sportsmanship, and fair play—values that remain at the heart of the program even as soccer itself evolves.

Much of this success is rooted in the club’s coaching staff. SWISA takes pride in offering players access to highly qualified coaches who bring not only years of experience, but also a shared philosophy of putting player development first. The combination of proven coaching credentials and a genuine passion for mentoring ensures that every player, from Academy to U19, receives consistent, toplevel guidance.

Now SWISA is entering a new chapter. Under the leadership of President Thomas Carter, the club is positioning itself for growth and renewed purpose while remaining true to its roots.

Carter is no stranger to Evansville’s soccer community. With years of coaching experience at both SWISA and the Evansville Youth Soccer League, and as the former president of EYSL, he has dedicated himself to creating environments where kids not only improve as players but thrive as people.

During his five years as President of EYSL, Carter and his team expanded youth participation from fewer than 500 to more than 1,200 annually. That surge in numbers was the result of creating a league that felt safe, supportive, and fun for every child who stepped on the field.

His philosophy is straightforward: player experience comes first. Winning and skillbuilding matter, but neither means much if kids lose their love for the game. “My vision isn't new,” says Carter, “but I feel the leadership in our soccer community has perhaps forgotten why we do this.

We're here for the players and families that trust us to help shape them into better community members. We're not here for egos. Do we love to win? Absolutely. But, we also love to fail. Learning to fail means learning to grow. And, growth is really why we're here; that's our why.”

Blending Tradition with Vision

Carter’s arrival marks an exciting moment for SWISA. The club is looking ahead with clear goals: reinforcing its technical training programs, strengthening its Academy pipeline, and deepening ties with the community. The mission isn’t simply to produce great players—it’s to produce well-rounded individuals who carry lessons from soccer into every area of their lives.

“We have consistently been recognized by tournament leaders, referees, opposing team leadership, and even opposing parents on the sidelines as being great stewards of the game. That our players, parents, and coaches are graceful during both wins and losses. That we truly lead in being great people. Is it every time, every match, every tournament? No. But, we recognize that every part of life is a work in progress and pushing to be better stewards and leaders is part of that process. So if a team goes from 2 referees noticing the difference in the fall, to 6 referees in the spring, to a message from a travel tournament director about 2 of our teams being thoughtful and cheering opposing teams on at the awards ceremonies... It means we're on the right path.”

That balance, between competition and personal growth, has always set SWISA apart. And under Carter’s guidance, it will remain the club’s defining feature. As he often asks his players: “Are we better today than we were yesterday—as players and as people?”

“The balance between the two isn't hard to see,” he highlights. “If you take a look at the players at the beginning of the fall season, you'll see some rough around the edges kind of play and attitude. But give those parents and players a few months in the program, and by spring, it's a totally different team at every level. We take kids from the grassroots soccer community and help build them to elite level players, students, and people. It's not just us though. We get the parent's buy-in. In a world full of instant gratification, we get players and parents alike to believe and trust the slow and arduous process of hard work and rising to high expectations.”

One of the most exciting aspects of this new era is the renewed focus on building pathways. Not every child who joins SWISA will go on to play college or professional soccer, but every child will leave with skills that matter. Discipline, communication, leadership, and resilience are baked into every training session. Carter and his coaching staff believe those qualities are just as important as technical drills or tactical strategy.

The SWISA Legacy

What makes SWISA unique is the continuity it has built over time. Some of their coaches once played under the SWISA banner. Parents who grew up cheering at games now watch their own children wear the crest.

“Looking back on what we once were and where we are today, there is a stark difference. We used to be where everyone wanted to play,” Carter reflects. “SWISA was synonymous with greatness in all facets of club soccer and its members. I remember when I was in middle and high school, if you didn't play for SWISA, you didn't really play.”

And now? “And now we're starting the process of getting back to those roots. Making everyone feel that our name still means something. Getting back to our legacy of greatness is my goal by making sure our SWISA family is proud to bear the SWISA crest and brag to their friends that this is where they belong.”

That kind of generational connection doesn’t happen overnight, it’s built on trust, consistency, and a commitment to keeping the game accessible.

With Carter at the helm, the future looks bright. The club will honor its long history, but it won’t shy away from growth or change. It’s an approach that respects tradition while recognizing the needs of today’s families and athletes.

At its core, SWISA has always been about more than soccer. It’s about community, opportunity, and the lifelong values that young athletes carry with them long after they leave the field. Under new leadership, the mission remains clear: to develop players, nurture people, and ensure that the legacy of SWISA continues for generations to come.