Times: Former Players Endorse Schmetzer

Sounders fans salute Schmetzer in this 2006 photo.
(GOALSeattle.com)

From today's Seattle Times, a visit with some former Sounders who like the idea of Brian Schmetzer being involved with Seattle's Major League Soccer Sounders.

"He's done a wonderful job for that club, so I think in some capacity they'll keep him around," Burpo said. "Whether as a head coach or assistant or whatever they deem to be.

I'm with Preston. Brian simply must be offered a prominent role within the new franchise.

Also from Today's Seattle Times: Sounders have form to follow for inaugural season. In the Everett Herald: UW Women's soccer kickin' it at home. In the Tacoma News Tribune: Titanic trend on Beamer Pitch. EPSN: Columbia's Reiser is a sight to be seen

Fansite interviews Tod Leiweke

SoccerSeattleStyle.com has posted an interview with Tod Leiweke, Paul Allen's go-to guy within the Sounders FC camp.

"Adrian Hanauer and Joe Roth are very focused on the development of the team," says Leiweke. "We (the Seahawks) are pledged to filling out the business side of the team. We worked hard on the branding of the team; creating the mark; and working to get the broadcasting job done with BELO. We got Kevin Calabro to call the broadcasts, our sponsors group is now working on team sponsorships and our game presentation group will soon kick in. We have a great delineation of responsibilities with Chris Henderson, Adrian and Joe. We are getting along fabulously. We all know what needs to be done."

College Round-up: Late goal gets tie for Dawgs

The GOALSeattle 'fancam' was on hand Sunday as UW drew 2-2 with nationally ranked Cal Bears. Here Taylor Cochran (#25) and George John celebrate Casey Cunningham's goal that drew the match level 2-2 in the 72nd minute.

The University of Washington Huskies scored a goal in the 72nd minute on a header from defender Casey Cunningham and went on to draw tenth-ranked California 2-2 Sunday at Husky Soccer Field. On Friday UW edged Stanford 1-0.

UW Daily reports on both matches: Huskies take down Stanford; tie Cal

The UW Women lost a close 1-0 match in third-ranked Portland on Friday.

UW and California players get tangled up in 2-2 Sunday draw.

The Seattle University Men came home after extended road tours only to fall 2-1 to Cal-State Bakersfield.

The Redhawks Women won their third straight match and sixth overall when they bested Eastern Washington at Championship Field Sunday.

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The Seattle Pacific Falcons Men lost their first league match at Billings on Saturday.

The Falcon Women blanked Central Washington 3-0 on October 1st.

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Western Washington Vikings Women edged CWU 2-1 in Bellingham on Saturday.

The Viking Men went all crazy on Colorado Christian Cougars on October 1st when they set numerous school records with a 10-0 victory.

Freddy Montero buzz growing

10/15 Update: Columbian website repeats 'Sounders own 65% of Montero'
10/6 Update: Montero is a 'player of interest' says Hanauer

Are Sounders FC looking into bringing young Colombian striker Freddy Montero to Seattle in 2009?

This article says Freddy Montero to Sounders FC is a done deal. Here's the entire translation.

Montero, who to the date takes 11 goals in the (Colombian First Division), would leave in December to the United States to add itself to the discipline of the Seattle Sounders.

Just in: GOAL.com builds off of initial speculation.

After a bit of searching it turns out that Freddy is linked with a move from Deportivo Cali to Steau Bucharest. In that linked thread, a mix of Spanish and English, are secondary reports that MLS has offered Cali money for Montero's transfer.

Montero has a dream of playing in Europe, and he sees MLS as a possible way to get there.

A few roughly translated quotes from Montero:

“The MLS option has much to offer”, declared Freddy Montero.

“I have many desires to play football outside of Colombia, like all professional players”, said the striker, who talked about three possibilities to move beyond his native country.

“Everything depends on the possibilities that it has to play… In Argentina and Mexico a great “display cabinet” is had, but also it is certain that the MLS is exporting many players to Europe."



“This moment which I am living with the Cali had dreamed it and I only hope that the things continue coming out until end year well. It offers much confidence to know that the made work is granting the opportunity to me to play outside. Now the commitment is greater, for the good of my companions, the club and to continue helping them".

Futbolred: So that it would consider advisable to play in the MLS?

F.M: “I do not have any problem, if the possibility occurs. It is as much going to be of benefit for the club as for me. I know that in any decision that takes my family it is going to me to support.

Romanian side Steau Bucarest already have three Colombians on their squad and recently said they will not talk about Montero rumors with the press, but will concentrate on the players they have and the season they are playing.

Deportivo Cali recently stated that Montero would be with the club through their current season.

Vote for "Kitsap Kayaks" by October 25th

(You'll pardon my extra enthusiasm about this. It is a dream come true that a level of pro soccer is coming to my 'neighborhood' for the first time! Living in west Puget Sound I've followed the Seattle Sounders (east) and Tacoma Tide (south) over the years. Now a club is coming to the county I actually live in! Just what I need...more soccer to follow!)

What do you think of this design idea?

I encourage fans who will be supporting the Kitsap Soccer Club in 2009 to go to www.KitsapSoccerClub.com, hit the "Click here to name the team" button, select "other" from the menu, and write in "Kayaks."

Above you see a possible modern interpretation of a club logo.

GOALKitsap.com likes "Kitsap Kayaks," so does Chuck Stark of the Kitsap Sun.

Get on board the 'boat!' Vote "Kitsap Kayaks!"

(If we really want to get pushy, we'd also like the club colors to be Red, Black and White, after the Kitsap County Official Crest and Seal.)


Read more about this home-grown effort to build pro soccer in West Sound here.

Around the Sound of Soccer for October 3rd

Here's some of what's happening Around the Sound of Soccer for October 3rd, 2008:

The Seattle Soccer Show talks about the end of the USL Sounders in this week's episode.

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In Bremerton talk is about the new PDL 'Pro' franchise coming in the form of the Kitsap Soccer Club. I blogged some name ideas which the Kitsap Sun's Chuck Stark picked up on. Mati Bishop has blogged about what could develop out of the arrival of the Kitsap Club and possible upward moves by Seattle Wolves and Tacoma Tide.

Today I went looking for visual inspiration for Kitsap Soccer Club logos.

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The Seattle University Redhawks Men (Saturday, 12:00 Noon against Cal State Bakersfield) and Women (Sunday, 1:00 PM against Eastern Washington) play rare home matches this weekend.

The Washington Husky Men host Stanford tonight at 7:00 PM and California Sunday at 1:00 PM.

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The Western Front reports on the Viking Men's recent scoring outburst.

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Former Sounder and Seadog Eddie Fernandez was named head Boy's soccer coach at Archbishop Murphy.

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The Tacoma Stars have posted an initial roster of 20 players in their talent pool.

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Taylor Graham of the Sounders was nominated for Defender of the Year in the USL-1.

Redhawks stepping up this season

Maryann Boddy leads the Seattle University Redhawks Women as they play a transitional NCAA Division One schedule in 2008. So far, so good for Redhawks soccer.

(Seattle University photo)

So far, so good for the Seattle University Redhawks Men's and Women's soccer clubs as they step up this season to play mainly NCAA Division One schools.

After primarily Division One schedules, the Redhawks Women are Win-5 Lose-3 Draw-2 while the Men are W-6 L-2 D-1 (not counting a exhibition loss to the Washington Huskies).

These are remarkable numbers given that the Redhawks have played a combined 17 road matches and only two at Championship Field on the Capitol Hill campus.

The men will be home this Saturday October 4th at noon to play Cal-State Bakersfield. The Women host Eastern Washington on Sunday October 5th at 1:00 PM at Championship Field.

Maryann Boddy has been blogging for www.GOALSeattle.com about this transition year for the women. You can read her entries here.

Junior Ian Walsh leads the Redhawks Men with five goals. Junior Jamie Coe, from Duvall, Washington, is the Women's leader with five tallies as well.

Don't cry for the Sounders...

...they are going to Argentina!

So says Match Gaschk in today's Seattle P-I story about the transition from USL to MLS.

Hanauer indicated the club isn't likely to sign more players until after the USL Sounders return from an October trip to Argentina. Schmetzer said nobody on the club should consider themselves out of the running.

"Any coach that comes in here, whether it's me or any of the other candidates, would be crazy not to give a lot of consideration to the guys that are here on the squad," Schmetzer said. "I think everybody in this group has a legitimate chance of coming to a preseason camp and making an impression on the coach."

Two goalkeepers, one goal at Washington

Photo by Tim Willis / UW Daily.
After junior Rylan Hawkins (left) spent most of last year injured and unable to play, Hawkins and sophomore Stephen Fung are sharing more time in goal for the Huskies.

Sheena Nguyen of the UW Daily continues her excellent coverage of the Huskies with a look at the goalkeeping tandem in the Washington nets:


Fung’s laid-back attitude stems from having growing up playing soccer in Hawaii.

“The team I played for started me out as a forward and I sucked at it,” said Fung. “I wasn’t really athletic ... [and] I was a clumsy kid so I got stuck at goal.”

He might not have fully realized his potential as a goalkeeper at first, since he began tending the net at only eight years of age, but he has developed into one of the team’s greatest assets today.

“Stephen’s very strong at shot stopping as well as his play along the line,” said Washington coach Dean Wurzberger, “So we’re very confident.”

Kitsap Soccer Club launches name the team contest

First official Kitsap Soccer Club press release:

Bremerton, Wash. – Today, a new, professional soccer club is born in Kitsap County, Wash. Located primarily across Puget Sound from downtown Seattle, Kitsap is home to over 300,000 residents. The new franchise will be the first-ever, fully professional soccer team to call Kitsap its home – and most likely the first-ever fully professional sports franchise based on the peninsula itself.

“The franchise has been approved by the USL commissioner and we have secured a fantastic home at Bremerton HS Memorial Stadium. What we need now is for the people of Kitsap help us name our team,” said owner Robin Waite. “This is only the first step of many – team name, team colors, sponsors, suppliers… It’s a very long list – but this is indeed a very exciting time for all of us in Kitsap.”

To submit entries, please log on to www.kitsapsoccerclub.com now. The club will accept submissions until midnight Oct. 25, 2008.

For additional information, please contact Ben Pecora, Kitsap Soccer Club, 360-377-6008.

I've blogged three write-in suggestions here.
Kitsap Sun: Pumas? Kaisers? Name the New Soccer Team