the club was founded on 1 may 1909. it was founded by teenagers between 16 and 18. the official foundation of the club was in 1912. from 1921 to 1949 sturm won the styrian championship 11 times. during german occupation the club played his first season in the highest division, the gauliga ostmark, but was relegated the same year. 1949 sturm entered the national league as first team which came not from vienna. in 1981 the team had the first success, it finished second in the league and reached the quarterfinals of tne uefa cup.