Indiana Roots: Indy Eleven's Ring and Hyland in Action

After having several months off following a successful inaugural season in 2014, two Indy Eleven soccer players are back in action for the upcoming spring season.

Kyle Hyland, a 24-year-old from Bay Village, Ohio, and Brad Ring, a 28-year-old from Rockford, Illinois, are returning to the Indy Eleven squad in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Despite both players having setbacks toward the end of last season with injuries, Ring and Hyland want to continue on their success from the past inaugural season.

“Injuries are something that just happens in sports, you kind-of have to deal with it, it’s always tough,” said Ring. “You want to be out there competing and playing with your teammates, but you have to get by with it. Sooner or later you will be back out onto the field.”

If it weren’t for the support, dedication, hard-work ethic and successful soccer career behind both of these players, Ring and Hyland would never be out on the playing field for Indy Eleven. 

Brad Ring #4
Photo Credit: Indy Eleven Professional Soccer

Ring started playing soccer when he was around 4 years old. He played soccer, as a child, with his friends, dad and grandpa, who he looks up to as a role model.

Shortly after Ring graduated from high school, he signed to play college soccer at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana.

“I loved playing soccer over at IU, it was a great experience and one that I feel like prepared me well for the professional level,” said Ring. “My best memories from college are not on the soccer field. I just loved hanging out with my friends, building relationships with my teammates and coaching staff.”

After Ring finished his college soccer career at Indiana University, he played three and a half years for the San Jose Earthquakes in California and half a season in Portland, Oregon for the Timbers before signing with Indy Eleven in 2014.

What Ring enjoys the most about playing soccer for Indy Eleven is the passionate fan base which supports the team on and off the playing field.

Chad Irvine, a die-hard fan of Indy Eleven, did everything he possibly could to get involved with the team. This includes going to a select few games and standing in the team’s support group called the Brickyard Battalion.

“The atmosphere is incredible, especially in the Brickyard Battalion section,” Irvine said. “It is easy to learn the chants and support the team to have a good time.”

One game that stood out to Ring from last season was the first home win. It was one of the best memories because the team and the fans finally got the one home win that they deserved, he said.

Despite the incredible road which Ring has taken before playing for Indy Eleven, Hyland has had a very successful journey as well.

Hyland started playing soccer at the young age of 3. From there, he grew up loving the sport and quickly became attached to it.

Kyle Hyland #18
Photo Credit: Indy Eleven Professional Soccer

As a child, Hyland had several memories when it pertained to playing soccer.

“I would go out with my dad and we would kick the ball around in the yard or against the high school wall, which is what I did when I was a little kid,” Hyland said. “Playing soccer with a next door neighbor was fun as well, I really did not do any competitive things.”

Once Hyland grew older, his love for soccer continued. He ended up playing varsity soccer all four years at Bay High School in Bay Village, Ohio where he then graduated in 2009. After graduating high school, he was not completely finished with his soccer career.

“I dreamed of playing professional soccer ever since I was a little kid and college was the next go-to step,” Hyland said. “I did not get any calls to play for any big schools so I ended up taking the best opportunity which was to play for IUPUI.”

After coming off such a successful college soccer career, Hyland’s dream of becoming a professional soccer player officially came true in 2013, when he signed to play soccer for the Columbus Crew Reserves in Ohio.

In 2014, Hyland returned to Indiana where he then signed with Indy Eleven.

“When I signed to play for Indy Eleven it was exciting,” Hyland said. “They had a whole signing day for us and we were all really excited because it was a new team and organization in a city I look at as a second home.”

Hyland started playing for Indy Eleven soccer team in the spring of 2014.

On April 12, his outlook of being a part of the Indy Eleven squad changed. His teammate, Michael Ambersely, scored the team’s first goal of the inaugural season in the 43rd minute of the game. The Indy Eleven squad later that evening brought their inaugural game to a close, finishing the game in a 1-1 draw against Carolina.

“The first goal is probably my favorite memory of the 2014 season along with the first game,” Hyland said. “The excitement level was so much higher.”

Since both players have taken an incredible journey to get to where they are at now, Ring and Hyland have several specific goals they both would like to achieve as a team and an individual for the upcoming 2015 season, which will start on April 4.

“Hopefully, I can pick up from last year before the ankle injury,” Hyland said. “I hope to progress into a lot better player this year. I think I have a little bit more experience to become a better player.”

Ring, on the other hand, has a different goal.

“For me personally, it is just to play, keep playing and starting as much as possible. Also, to keep playing a lot to keep that spot, it is always tough because we have a lot of good guys on the team, so playing time is something that is going to be a position each player will be battling for,” Ring said. “As a team, our goal is to get into the play-offs.”

According to the team’s official website, Indy Eleven will kick off their 10-game spring season on April 4 at Atlanta. Other spring-season games include the home opener on April 11 against the New York Cosmos, April 18 at San Antonio, April 25 vs. Carolina, May 9 at Jacksonville, May 16 vs. Minnesota, May 23 at Ottawa, May 30 vs. Tampa Bay, June 6 at Fort Lauderdale and June 13 vs. Edmonton.