Dodge City, Kansas had previously had an
indoor football team in the
Dodge City Law, which played through 2017 in
Champions Indoor Football (CIF) before returning in 2021 as a replacement team for the
Oklahoma Flying Aces, which had dropped out due to "unforeseen workman's compensation insurance issues." The Southwest Kansas Storm were announced as a CIF expansion team on September 30, 2021, with the
United Wireless Arena being named their home venue. They finished the regular season with a record of 5–5 and lost 27–21 in the opening round of the playoffs to the
Omaha Beef. Valerie Heston became the team's general manager for the 2023 season. Venson continued as their head coach as the Storm went 3–7 and reached the playoffs as the sixth seed, losing in the first round to the
Gillette Mustangs by a score of 40–35. After the 2023 season, it was announced that Venson would be replaced by Gary Thomas, a former coach at
Dodge City Community College, as head coach of the Storm. On September 4, 2024, the Storm jumped from the ill-fated AFL to the newly created
Arena Football One. On September 19, 2025, the Storm held a press conference to announce their move to the National Arena League. League rival
Salina Liberty announced its move to the NAL earlier that day. Both will be able to reestablish rivalries with the
Omaha Beef,
Sioux City Bandits and
Amarillo Warbirds. ==Notable players==