President’s Selection: The Original Six
United Soccer Leagues was created in the fall of 1986 with five clubs in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico playing in the Southwest Indoor Soccer League, and a sixth set to begin play the following year. The Garland Genesis won the inaugural title 7-2 against the Lubbock Lazers. The league was also comprised of the Albuquerque Outlaws, Amarillo Challengers and Oklahoma City Warriors. Marcos’ team, the Austin Sockadillos, began play the following year while he focused on launching the league. These six teams paved the way for the league to grow to 17 teams in its fourth season and the addition of an outdoor league in 1989.

The Lubbock Lazers netminder helped lead the side to the championship game in the league’s inaugural season and the championship two years later at the end of the 1988-89 season, earning the championship MVP award. He was honored as the Goalkeeper of the Year the following season. A regular All-Star, Swissler was a member of the SISL All-Star team that toured the former Soviet Union in 1990. He played all seven years of the Lazers existence in the league.