St. Joe Kickers Sport Club

08/13/2024

Congratulations to Mission Impossible: Champions of 7v7 Outdoor 2024 Coed Mittelliga!

08/01/2024

The schedule is set for Sommerfest this Saturday. You can find all of the games and keep track of the results and standings at
https://www.stjoekickers.com/indoor-soccer-schedule

Doors open at 9:15am and games will start at 10am. Matches will be held on the East and West Fields throughout the day. Each team will play three pool games, after which the first and second place teams in each division will play each other for the division championship at approximately 3:30pm. The teams in this year's event are:

OPEN DIVISION
St. Joe Kickers
FC BiH (Bosnians of Grand Rapids)
Pelonchas FC (Buchanan)
El Junke (Dowagiac)

COED DIVISION
Pumas (South Bend)
Slackerz (Berrien Springs)
Mission Impossible (Berrien Springs)
Leads United (South Haven)

Plan to join us for some great German food and beverages, and of course, Gemütlichkeit!

07/31/2024

Make sure to join us this Saturday for SJK's 57th annual Sommerfest soccer tournament. Eight teams will participate in this "summer rules" event that features no offside and 7 v 7 competition. Games begin at 10am and food and drink will be available in the clubroom all day.

Sommerfest is an outgrowth of SJK's 15th anniversary tournament that was played at the Sportsmen's Club in 1968. Although the event could not be held due to Covid in 2020, we count "57" since we had a 10th anniversary tournament in 1963!

07/20/2024

The St. Joe Kickers will host two introductory soccer referee classes on Sat., July 27 and Sat., Aug. 17, 2024. Here are the sign-up links:

7/27: https://learning.ussoccer.com/.../10000006/details/20002275
8/17: https://learning.ussoccer.com/.../10000006/details/20002276

Please consider this if you are able! This is a great way to be a part of the game. We are facing a severe referee shortage.

07/02/2024

Although the club will be closed this Thursday for Independence Day, we will be back open 11:30am on Friday for a Germany vs. Spain watch party! Kickoff is 12 noon. Come join us for fun, drinks, and Gemuetlichkeit. The only German takeover we want to see locally will hopefully happen Friday afternoon!

06/13/2024

Lots of soccer in the next 24 hours: Tonight at 7pm, SJK Blau will host Velociraptors; tomorrow at 2:30pm we will have a watch party for the Germany vs. Scotland match. The club room will be open both days for food and drinks (feel free to bring a dish to pass).

06/10/2024

Tomorrow is the last day to register for SJK's coed outdoor league! If you are planning on making a team, do it now!! Registration is available at SJK website.

06/08/2024

Soccer Sunday tomorrow. Drop-in soccer at 9am; Pathfinders vs. Cass FC at 2pm; SJK Weiss vs. Pumas at 4pm; European league games on the big screen in between. The club room will be open for drink and snack purchases!

06/01/2024

Hope to see you for a German victory (?!) today!

05/30/2024

Good luck to Premier and Blau tonight. Premier travels to South Bend to play Tornados at Invaders Field at 7pm. SJK Blau hosts P&R FC at 7pm. The club room will be open for drinks (and eventually food) at 6:30pm.

05/29/2024

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL WATCH PARTY @ SJK. This Saturday. Club room open at 2:30pm; game at 3:00pm. No admission -- food & drinks. Hope to see you there!

05/22/2024

We are happy to announce that the St. Joe Kickers has been recognized as one of Moody on the Market's 2024 Best Places to Work. Established in 1953, St. Joe Kickers is the original soccer club of Southwest Michigan. For 25 years, SJK was practically the only place in the area for Fussball. And as the sport burgeoned in the late 1970s to a more mainstream American population, the Kickers were crucial in establishing the youth and interscholastic programs that took off in the 1980s by providing coaches, referees, and other critical infrastructure that have made the sport what it is today. Today the Kickers is one of the only remaining "old school" soccer clubs in the state, providing not only teams, but also the vital "gemuetlichkeit" factor of a social community with its own facility that almost all other extant soccer clubs no longer have. Congratulations to all who have made our success possible!

https://www.moodyonthemarket.com/moody-on-the-market-announces-best-places-to-work-awards-for-2024/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3kcnqB54TpK5XIDsO3JFiouyAQ5c_WdxQU41eTGxCYSUrIlNfj-FWkQ6Y_aem_AbJbCVPUTsBuN0ONO3Z69QK6cWLPUC_Qrfn-iGkeKQa2obn63D-wLZRxfMu0_25D4UCIaeCRunds-yP1YDRqJP4t

Zack East, Awards Director for Moody on the Market, unveiled the winners of the 2024 Best Places to Work awards Wednesday morning on WSJM. He says, “This prestigious recognition celebrates the outstanding companies in our region that

05/18/2024

Friendly reminder: the St. Joe Valley dog agility trials are being hosted by SJK, so drop-in soccer will be outsside tomorrow morning, 9-11am.

05/17/2024

It was a very successful Thursday for SJK teams. In Bridgman, Kevin Phillips and Jordan Matthews each scored once, leading SJK Blau to a 2-1 victory over P&R FC: their first win over that club since June 7, 2018. In Arden, SJK Premier registered their biggest win, ever, against a short-handed Chesterton RFA Legends squad, 6-2. Seth Walters scored four times, while Mauricio Aguirre and Patrick Tovar added one goal each. It was Premier's first victory over the Legends since July 22, 2018.

The next game for a Kickers' team is this Sunday, when Weiss travels to South Bend to play the Velociraptors at 4pm at the Jr. Irish Fields. The next SJK home game is Thursday, when Premier hosts Cass FC at 7pm. Also next Thursday: Blau travels to Jr. Irish Fields to take on Hop Station at 7pm.

05/17/2024

Here is the link to the Blossomland Soccer League website. Thanks to Simon Blackwell for making this site what it is today! We always appreciate pictures. I am hopeful that some of the older members or former players would be willing to share past photographs. We have many younger members that would love to see how things were in the "good old days."

05/09/2024

Watch Party, June 1, at SJK for UEFA Championship. Clubroom will be open at 2:30pm. Kickoff is 3pm.

04/24/2024

SJK 2024 schedules now posted at Kickers website:

04/24/2024

The SJK Veterans recorded a 6-2 road win against the Kalamazoo Vikings last night. Hamid Alade-Lambo scored four goals, while Ian Bossert and Matt Pulford added one each. The Veterans are now 2-0 and return to action at the Arden Field next Tuesday at 7pm when they take on the Kalamazoo Bulldogs. The clubroom will be open and drinks will be available.

04/22/2024

It was great to see Pete Nyce's SJK Weiss team practicing yesterday for the upcoming Blossomland Soccer League season. SJK Weiss kicks off the year next Sunday when they travel to South Bend to play the Cyclones at Jr. Irish Field at 2pm. SJK Blau and SJK Weiss still have a few open roster spots, so if you or a friend may be interested in playing, make sure to contact us for further information!

04/19/2024

Mark your calendars for August 3, which will be this year's Sommerfest Soccer Tournament. Games will start at 10am and food and drinks will be served all day. The Kickers have hosted this tournament since the 1960s. The photo below is from 1979.

04/18/2024

SJK 2024 HOME SCHEDULE
Tues., Apr. 16 - 7:00pm - Veterans vs. Kalamazoo Phoenix
Tues., Apr. 30 - 7:00pm - Veterans vs. Kalamazoo Bulldogs
Thurs., May 2 - 7:00pm - Blau vs. Cass Pumas (Rescheduled to 7/14)
Sun., May 5 - 2:00pm - Pathfinders vs. Cass FC
Sun., May 5 - 4:00pm - Weiss vs. Blau
Thurs., May 9 - 7:00pm - Premier vs. Pathfinders
Tues., May 14 - 7:00pm - Veterans vs. Kalamazoo Old Dog
Thurs., May 16 - 7:15pm - Premier vs. Chesterton RFA Legends
Thurs., May 23 - 7:00pm - Premier vs. Cass FC
Tues., May 28 - 7:00pm - Veterans vs. Kalamazoo United
Thurs., May 30 - 7:00pm - Blau vs. P&R FC
Sun., June 2 - 2:00pm - Pathfinders vs. Chesterton RFA Legends
Thurs., June 6 - 7:15pm - Premier vs. Chesterton RFA Legends
Sun., June 9 - 2:00pm - Pathfinders vs. Cass FC
Sun., June 9 - 4:00pm - Weiss vs. Cass Pumas
Tues., June 11 - 7:00pm - Veterans vs. Kalamazoo Vikings
Thurs., June 13 - 7:00pm - Blau vs. South Bend Velociraptors
Sun., June 16 - 2:00pm - Blau vs. Weiss*
Thurs., June 20 - 7:00pm - Premier vs. South Bend Tornados
Tues., June 25 - 7:00pm - Veterans vs. Kzoo Cheeky Geezers
Thurs., June 27 - 7:00pm - Blau vs. South Bend Hop Station
Sun., June 30 - 1:00pm - Pathfinders vs. Premier**
Sun., June 30 - 3:00pm - Weiss vs. P&R FC**
Sun., July 7 - 2:00pm - Pathfinders vs. South Bend Tornados
Sun., July 7 - 4:00pm - Weiss vs. South Bend Cyclones
Tues., July 9 - 7:00pm - Veterans vs. Kalamazoo Amigos
Thurs., July 11 - 7:00pm - Premier vs. Pathfinders
Sun., July 14 - 2:00pm - Weiss vs. South Bend Velociraptors
Sun., July 14 - 4:00pm - Blau vs. Cass Pumas
Thurs., July 18 - 7:00pm - Blau vs. South Bend Cyclones
Sun., July 21 - 2:00pm - Pathfinders vs. South Bend Tornados
Sun., July 21 - 4:00pm - Weiss vs. South Bend Hop Station
Sun., July 28 - 1:00pm - Blossomland Cup Division Two Final
Sun., July 28 - 3:00pm - Blossomland Cup Division One Final
Sat., Aug. 3 - 10:00am - SJK Sommerfest Soccer Tournament
*Father's Day Game
**SJK Annual Picnic

04/17/2024

The SJK Veterans opened the men's soccer season with a 6-0 victory over Kalamazoo Phoenix: a team which the Old-Timers tied and lost to last year. Alade Lambo scored four goals, Matt Pulford one, and Ian Bossert one. Sixto Lorenzo achieved the shutout with the help of defender Wes Barker, who made a sliding "fullback" save off of the goal line after the keeper was beaten. The Alte Herren travel to Portage next Tuesday to take on the Kalamazoo Vikings at 7pm.

04/10/2024

The St. Joe Kickers opens a busy 2024 home schedule next Tuesday when the Veterans host Kalamazoo Phoenix at 7pm. The Oldtimers will play at home every other Tuesday, and will travel to Portage or Kalamazoo for their Kalamazoo Area Soccer League away games on alternate Tuesdays.

SJK will host three teams in the Blossomland Soccer League - those games start in May. The Premier squad remains in the First Division while SJK Blau and SJK Weiss will play in the Second Division. Additionally, First Division Niles Pathfinders will also call our Arden Field "home" for the 2024 season.

The Club Room is open for all matches, and drinks will be available for purchase. The full-sized field will be located right in front of the beer garden, so come early to get the best fence-row seats! All teams and fans are invited to come in after the match and celebrate their victory (or commiserate in a loss or tie!)

SJK 2024 HOME SCHEDULE
Tues., Apr. 16 - 7:00pm - Veterans (6) vs. Kalamazoo Phoenix (0)
Tues., Apr. 30 - 7:00pm - Veterans vs. Kalamazoo Bulldogs
Thurs., May 2 - 7:00pm - Blau vs. Cass Pumas
Sun., May 5 - 2:00pm - Pathfinders vs. Cass FC
Sun., May 5 - 4:00pm - Weiss vs. Blau
Thurs., May 9 - 7:00pm - Premier vs. Pathfinders
Tues., May 14 - 7:00pm - Veterans vs. Kalamazoo Old Dog
Thurs., May 16 - 7:15pm - Premier vs. Chesterton RFA Legends
Thurs., May 23 - 7:00pm - Premier vs. Cass FC
Tues., May 28 - 7:00pm - Veterans vs. Kalamazoo United
Thurs., May 30 - 7:00pm - Blau vs. P&R FC
Sun., June 2 - 2:00pm - Pathfinders vs. Chesterton RFA Legends
Thurs., June 6 - 7:15pm - Premier vs. Chesterton RFA Legends
Sun., June 9 - 2:00pm - Pathfinders vs. Cass FC
Sun., June 9 - 4:00pm - Weiss vs. Cass Pumas
Tues., June 11 - 7:00pm - Veterans vs. Kalamazoo Vikings
Thurs., June 13 - 7:00pm - Blau vs. South Bend Velociraptors
Sun., June 16 - 2:00pm - Blau vs. Weiss*
Thurs., June 20 - 7:00pm - Premier vs. South Bend Tornados
Tues., June 25 - 7:00pm - Veterans vs. Kzoo Cheeky Geezers
Thurs., June 27 - 7:00pm - Blau vs. South Bend Hop Station
Sun., June 30 - 1:00pm - Pathfinders vs. Premier**
Sun., June 30 - 3:00pm - Weiss vs. P&R FC**
Sun., July 7 - 2:00pm - Pathfinders vs. South Bend Tornados
Sun., July 7 - 4:00pm - Weiss vs. South Bend Cyclones
Tues., July 9 - 7:00pm - Veterans vs. Kalamazoo Amigos
Thurs., July 11 - 7:00pm - Premier vs. Pathfinders
Sun., July 14 - 2:00pm - Weiss vs. South Bend Velociraptors
Thurs., July 18 - 7:00pm - Blau vs. South Bend Cyclones
Sun., July 21 - 2:00pm - Pathfinders vs. South Bend Tornados
Sun., July 21 - 4:00pm - Weiss vs. South Bend Hop Station
Sun., July 28 - 1:00pm - Blossomland Cup Division Two Final
Sun., July 28 - 3:00pm - Blossomland Cup Division One Final
Sat., Aug. 3 - 10:00am - SJK Sommerfest Soccer Tournament
*Father's Day Game
**SJK Annual Picnic

03/28/2024

Congratulations to SJK Legends: Champions of SJK Indoor Soccer Sessions One & Two!

03/19/2024

St. Joe Kickers Juniors and Can-Amer team. How many do you recognize?

03/14/2024

Today's photo features Bodo Henkel punting the ball off of the House of David's baseball infield. He is braver than I wearing shorts on that pitch! I believe that is Horst Lohrke in the background. Flat caps on keepers used to be as ubiqitous as goalkeeper gloves are now.

03/08/2024

Very happy birthday wishes go out to founding member Herb Lohrke on his 90th birthday!

02/29/2024

Finally, a real "home" field:

02/28/2024

Most goals scored against a Kickers' Premier team? It happened just three years ago . . . : (