(Grand Rapids Explosion, West Michigan Explosion)

Founded in 1995 as the Grand Rapids Explosion, the West Michigan Edge franchise has seen several changes over the years, starting with a change to the West Michigan Explosion during an ownership transfer that included current CEO Bob Dykstra in 1999.

In 2000, the club changed its moniker to the Edge and in 2004 added a W-League team. The changes in 2000 coincided with a shift in the team’s success on the field in a positive direction. The team, which previously had 13 wins in its first five seasons, finished 9-9 to make the postseason and then went on to post 13 and 11 wins the next two years, respectively.