The early history of the Swarm Football team is a fun one.  In its inaugural season, the Swarm participated in the very competitive, Midwest Football Alliance, or MFA.  In 2017, the league was comprised of teams from Kansas City, Omaha, Sioux City, Des Moines and St. Louis.  The team kicked off its existence against the soon-to-be National Champion, Kansas City Bulldogs.   Four weeks later, 500 people attended the Swarm’s home opener, once again, versus the Kansas City team.  In week five, the Swarm claimed their first victory over the St. Louis area, East Central Missouri Eagles.   After season one was complete, WR Tanner Johnson was selected as a 1st Team All-Star player and MLB Michael Smith, was selected as a 2nd Team All-Star.   Johnson, led the league in Kick Returning that year.

     The 2018 season was very similar as the rural based Swarm, struggled to compete with the big city teams.  The team once again posted victories against the Eagles and the Kansas City Marshals.  In year two, LB Brad Shoemaker, LB Thomas Major and DE Alex Parrack were selected as 1st Team All-Stars, while RB Demarko Wright, RB Dillon Triplet, WR Tanner Johnson, OL/DL Michael Smith and P Weston Baker were all selected to the 2nd Team.  Johnson, led the league in Kick Returning for the second straight year.  2018 also marked the first season of regular season game broadcasts by UclickTV.

     In 2019, the roster continued to develop and grow and featured some exciting new players.  MLB Derek Lannigan was a 1st Team All-Star selection, while RB Dillon Triplet, RB Justin Woodall, DE/OL Cecil Bratton, and LB Haylon Jacobs were all selected to the 2nd Team.  UclickTV also broadcasts the Swarm games for the second year in a row.  Following the 2019 season, the Swarm Football Team was invited to participate in the SPFL Winter Pigskin Classic, at U.S. Bank Stadium.  The players enjoyed the experience of a lifetime, capping of the 2019 season with an exhibition game in the home of the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings.

     2020 will live in infamy as the “Covid” year, for may people around the world.  With most leagues shutting down operations, the Swarm found a place to play in the United Champions Football League, in a delayed season that finally began in July.  The Swarm made their first playoff appearance, in the shortened-Covid season, but were eliminated in the first round by the eventual champions.  For most, the 2020 Swarm season, was the distraction that people needed while enduring the lock-downs, shut-downs and ever changing “Covid Guidelines.”  That was most noticeable at a week four home game against the Iowa Warhawks.  After several schedule changes, the lone home game of the season was moved and went unadvertised.  Over 100 people either attended or set up a backyard barbeque to enjoy the game.  Head Coach, J. Saucedo, hit a milestone coaching his 100th semi pro football game in 2020.  To conclude the season, OL/DL Michael Dysart, WR Rob Hohenfeldt, TE David Hershberger, RB/DB Mason Thompson, and LB DeAndre Times all represented the Swarm Football Team at the 2020 UCFL All-Star Game.

     In 2021, Covid-19 still held a lingering grasp on world-wide operations.  Stadiums were available at certain times and not at others, protocols at some stadium required mask wearing and temperature checks while other did not, and shipping delays held back uniforms and equipment for many teams across the country.  But the Swarm had a fast 3-1 start participating in the (MRFL) Midwest Regional Football, spring league, for the first time.  Coach Saucedo’s Swarmin’ 35 Defense finally lived up to expectations, giving up team rushing yards of only -2, 36 and 36 in the first three games.  All victories.  It was a fun, big play style of football until they met the eventual champion, MRFL Chiefs.  The game was a tough defensive struggle limiting the vaunted Chiefs passing attack, while unable to get the Swarm offense in scoring positions.  The game eventually ended in an 8-6 loss for the Swarm.  Then the reality of Covid struck at home, making it’s way through live’s of Swarm Management.  Head Coach J. Saucedo fell critically ill for two whole months, as the family endured three ambulance visits and a rush to the hospital in Liberty.  Wife & Cheer Director, Jessica Saucedo, struggled with the respiratory effects of Covid, while the kids only tested positive with no symptoms.  With the team management down, operations went unfullfilled and dealines were missed that deeply affected the 2021 season.   League management’s understandable lack of experience working through a pandemeic, reacted with many mis-steps that caused additional disruptions that rippled throughout the league.  And so the Swarm completed their fifth season, gaining valuable experience overcoming unusual challenges. 

     With steady program development over the last five years and back-to-back Covid altering years, “Your Northwest Missouri Home Team”, has made the move west.   With 50 games played and 21 all-star selections produced in five years in a town of less than 10,000 people, expectations will be raised in St. Joseph.  With all of the success and development from community participation and media development, imagine what can be accomplished in a market more than seven times the size of our originating town.  Chillicothe was a great place to begin and develop, but it is time for the program to take the next step and grow to the higher levels of midwestern football teams.  Hello St. Joseph!  We bring you a turn key operation that is only a little growth away from being a top contender.  Let’s see what we can do together!

And so we did, in 2022!  With recruitment of local St. Joseph area athletes, the level of play offered by the Swarm Football Team rose drastically, winning 10 games in 2022.  With no stadium contract and unsure about available leagues in 2022, the team fought through a 15-game double season, entirely on the road.  The team achieved winning the MRFL Championship in the Spring season and losing in the Heartland Football Association Playoffs versus the defending National Champion Minneapolis Warriors.  Several Swarm, Team Records, were broken in 2022, including points scored in a game (62-0) versus the Southern Iowa Tigers, and Five Shutouts on the season (Militia, Chiefs, Giants, Tridents & Tigers).  After a four-months off, the Swarm ended the year with a 42-12 victory over the Warrensburg Watchmen in the St. Joseph Charities Holiday Bowl.  The year ends with massive excitement about the trajectory of the program.