INDIANAPOLIS – Braden Tamosaitis won’t be in uniform on Saturday night for Indy Eleven, but the energy the club’s most recent signing will bring to the side matches the level of anticipation ahead of its inaugural USL home opener against FC Cincinnati at Lucas Oil Stadium (7 p.m. ET | Match Center).

“Braden is a fantastic signing and a passionate supporter,” Indy Head Coach Martin Rennie said. “He brings an abundance of energy to the squad and we’re happy to have him on the team.”

The 13-year-old Tamosaitis has undergone 25 surgeries for spinal bifida in the past few years, but over that span has also been a member of the University of Indianapolis Men's Soccer team. Tamosaitis learned that he would be signing a one-day contract with “Indiana’s Team” during his 13th birthday celebration with a special video message sent by Rennie and signed in an official ceremony on Friday afternoon at the venue.

While Tamosaitis will be part of what’s expected to be a large home opener crowd that will also include USL President Jake Edwards, the sense of anticipation among the Eleven’s players for Saturday’s game has also built during the past week. Coming off a 1-0 win against the Richmond Kickers in its first outing of the season, Indy is aiming to add another three points against what is set to become one of its biggest regional rivals in the USL in Cincinnati.

With more than 1,000 FC Cincinnati fans expected to make the 110-mile trip to the first meeting between the new foes, it promises to be a game to remember for all concerned.

“Yeah, you know, I think when we joined the USL we were pinned automatically as rivals against Cincinnati due to the success they’ve had on the field and in the stadium with their atmosphere,” said Indy midfielder Brad Ring. “We’ve been the best attended team in the NASL for years, so I think we were automatically pinned as rivals. It’s a game I think everyone’s looking forward to.”

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Ring is the lone member of Indy’s first squad in 2014 to remain with the teams as it enters its new era, and against the Kickers came on as a second-half substitute to help lock down the win at City Stadium. The number of newcomers to the Eleven’s squad means there will be quite a few new faces for the Brickyard Battalion and Slaughterhouse 19 to welcome on Saturday, including the likes of Jack McInerney, who scored the only goal against the Kickers, and fellow forward Soony Saad.

For Rennie, who’ll lead the team in front of its home fans for the first time as well, the anticipation for what lies ahead is “very high”.

“I think the excitement grew and grew last week when it was our first game of the season,” said Rennie. “I can see it up even higher again. I think our players are looking forward to playing in front of their own fans, a lot of them it’s their first time, so I think they’re very excited about it.”