The Kickers' genesis was a team formed in 1953 and represented Alberta inter-provincially several times including winning the 1974 Challenge Trophy and held exhibition matches against professional sides such as Edmonton Drillers.

[9] The team went through tremendous financial difficulty during the season, which included them trading 1987 league MVP Nick Gilbert to the Toronto Blizzard in exchange for a draft pick and cash.

[6] However, the team did not fare much better than their predecessors, playing to crowds of under a thousand people, and in July made a public appeal for 700 supporters to each contribute $200 to keep the club afloat financially, in order to complete the 1989 season.

[8] The club managed to finish the season, although they had stopped paying their players and remaining staff in August.

[citation needed] The team managed to finish third in the West Division, qualifying for the playoffs, where they were defeated by Edmonton in the first round.