Five clubs, five questions for 2009: Kitsap Pumas

The Puget Sound region will see more high level soccer than ever before in 2009. "The Sound of Soccer" will be bursting with elite-level clubs starting with Sounders FC in Major League Soccer, and continuing on with Tacoma Tide FC, Kitsap Pumas, and the yet-to-be-named Seattle club in Premier Development League. Our fifth club will be Seattle Wolves FC in the PCSL.

Sounders FC will have a roster of full professionals. Kitsap Pumas will pay their players and seek up and coming pros. Tacoma Tide FC will rely on elite college players who are in their schools' off-seasons. Seattle Wolves will look to former pros, college stars and local high-level players.

Over the next few days I'll be asking five questions about each club and then commenting on the questions. The anticipation is for building for 2009 and for a soccer-flooded summer around the Sound.

Five questions for Kitsap Pumas

After years of looking in to bringing the USL Seattle Sounders to West Sound, Bremerton ends up with a Premier Development League (PDL) club that has Sounders roots from owner Robin Waite. The Pumas have big goals, including moving up higher in the United Soccer Leagues division scheme, and hosting pre-season tournaments. Here are five questions about the Pumas that I'll be watching to be answered in their debut campaign.

1. Will Bremerton and West Sound support pro soccer?

Season ticket sales are apparently going well, and the ticket prices of $10-$8-$5 can't be beat. In the Northwest Division of the PDL attendance averages have quite a range from 90 to 400 or more per match. Kitsap's higher ambitions also mean the club wants much bigger numbers than that in the stands. Will it happen?

2. Will some 2008 USL Sounders migrate to this new team?

After the dust finally clears from Sounders FC training camp, I wonder if some local Sounders will consider coming over to Bremerton to play this summer. The money won't be great, but it could supplement youth coaching salaries.



3. How will Memorial Stadium work for pro soccer?

The Pumas will be the only club of the five (that we know of) who will play on a grass pitch at home. It is well-kept and thick. The field is very narrow and long, though. There are also neighborhood issues involving parking, which seem ready to be solved. The old place will also need some paint and polish before kick off.

4. How well will West Sound media cover the club?

The Kitsap Sun has covered the Pumas pretty well so far. Local weekly papers from Poulsbo to Port Orchard have also run numerous stories. Kitsap has a local radio outlet, and a Comcast cable channel (BKAT) for local shows. There has been some talk that the Kitsap Sun may work with the Pumas to stream matches online.

5. Will Pumas be competitive in their first season?

The Pumas will have the advantage of being able to pay their players and thus also being able to bring guys in who have professional experience. In 2008 the only 'pro' club in the PDL NW were the Vancouver Whitecaps Residency. Vancouver finished second to the first-place, all-college / amateur Tacoma Tide. Vancouver beat Tacoma in the playoffs. The Pumas will also have the advantage of practicing while college players are still with their schools.

Visit: www.KitsapSoccerClub.com

NEXT: Five questions about Tacoma Tide FC.

'Waite' is over in Kitsap; Pumas will prowl Bremerton in 2009

Glass door entry to Kitsap Pumas offices.

See also: Kitsap Sun video

Bremerton, WA - The Kitsap Soccer club today announced fans have voted in the club name "Pumas" for the team that will kick off its first season in 2009.

Lucita Flores-Alvarenga, who voted for "Pumas" in the recent online name the club contest, was on-hand to receive the first two season tickets in club history. The announcement, held at the club offices, was attended by Bremerton Mayor Carey Bozeman, city council members, local soccer officials, fans, media and businesses.

Guests sign book as they enter before the announcement.

The club colors of blue, black and gold were displayed using a new logo for the club's mascot, "Pedro the Puma." An official club logo will be designed by Sungrafx of Silverdale, WA, and will be announced at a later date. The club will wear jerseys 'hooped' with blue and white, and blue shorts.

Shortly after the announcement the club sold its first six season tickets.

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Talk about the club & the name "Kitsap Pumas" in the GOALKitsap Forums!

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Kitsap Pumas will play in the Northwest Division of the Premier Development League of the United Soccer Leagues. Pumas will play clubs in Vancouver, Victoria and Abottsford BC, Spokane and possibly Yakima, WA, and Portland and Salem Oregon. Kitsap Pumas' closest rivals will be Tacoma Tide FC, who will play in the same division a mere 30 minutes to the south.

Pumas' offices full of excited supporters.

Owner Robin Waite and club Executive Director Ben Pecora spoke to the audience about the journey to founding, and then naming the club. Waite revealed hopes to host a "Kitsap Challenge Tournament" next season at the club's home, Bremerton Memorial Stadium. The tournament would feature out of state competition playing the Pumas.

Waite and Pecora are leaving in a few days for the United Soccer Leagues annual meetings. There the club will build its schedule and network with other clubs.

Robin Waite (left, owner) Lucita Flores-Alvarenga (ticket-winner) and Ben Pecora, KSC Executive Director.

Waiting game pays off

Robin Waite first looked into bringing professional soccer to West Sound back in late 2005. It was a bit less than two years after Seattle Sounders co-owner Adrian Hanauer's initial bid to bring Major League Soccer to Seattle had been edged out by Real Salt Lake and Chivas USA. As one of the owning 'partners' of the United Soccer Leagues Sounders, Waite was given permission to explore moving that club to Kitsap County. Initially Waite looked at the Kitsap Fairgrounds stadium site for a possible move. The county even spent money to look into design ideas to make the rodeo and car derby venue work for soccer.

Not the final logo: This is the mascot, Pedro the Puma. Waite says the final club logo might honor Chief Kitsap.

Later Waite took his search to Poulsbo, where he commissioned a stadium design on land he owns near the Wal-Mart complex and a satellite Olympic College campus. (See the GOALKitsap Museum page for more on this.) While Adrian Hanauer was successfully teaming up with new investors to bring MLS to Seattle, and thus doom the USL Sounders to extinction, Waite turned his focus to the largest city in Kitsap County, Bremerton. There he found willing city and school officials and a centrally-located venue in need of some TLC. Memorial Stadium has long been the home of the Bremerton High School Knights and the Olympic College Rangers. It has also seen semi-pro football when the West Sound Orcas played there a few years back.

Waite has been dealing with USL officials about how to 'transfer' the existing Sounders franchise while at the same time talking with Bremerton people about using Memorial. Waite's ambitions were high from the start: he wanted the USL Sounders to come over as-is and play in the top level of the league. That became a tough sell among other USL First Division club owners, some of whom reportedly balked at the idea of Kitsap being 'major league' enough for the still-minor league USL-1. In the end the league decided to grant Waite a Premier Development League (PDL) franchise in the third level of the league structure. Waite immediately went on record as saying his goal is to move the club up to the next-highest level (USL-2) as soon as other clubs on the west coast are ready to join the same division.



It's been quite a wait for both Waite and the Kitsap soccer fans who have been following the saga for over three years. In 2009 Seattle Sounders FC will kick off in Major League Soccer at Qwest Field. A few minutes west by air, but an hour by ferry, the Kitsap Pumas will also debut. Tacoma Tide FC sit ready to take on the Pumas in the 'Narrows Bridge Bell' rivalry cup next season.

East, South, West...Puget Sound has arrived as the 'Sound of Soccer.'

Big announcements ahead for Kitsap Pumas

The Kitsap Pumas professional soccer club is in for a big, busy spring. The club is preparing for their first-ever league match May 2nd in Spokane against the Spokane Spiders. It will inaugurate their debut season in the Premier Development League (PDL) of the United Soccer Leagues (USL). The Pumas have yet to announce any player signings, but rumblings are growing that soon we'll have some names to report on.

The Pumas are developing a connection with scouts and contacts in Great Britain. We've been told that as many as twelve player contracts may have already been issued, and that at least one local player has signed. Some of the contracts are out for players from the UK. The Pumas are high on a 20-year old Scottish midfielder who trained in the Rangers system. They also have their eye on a sturdy 21-year old English goalkeeper who went through the Wigan Athletic system. We've also heard that Kitsap have talked with a 21-year old English 'beach soccer' star. The names await the club announcement(s).

Last week Pumas' owner Robin Waite attended a Bremerton School District meeting in which he talked about his ideas for building a soccer stadium on land where East Bremerton High School once stood. The BSD gave Waite permission to study the idea more closely.

"I think what's intriguing about it is that it's a very valuable piece of property and we don't make a penny from it," board member Pat Jones told the Kitsap Sun.

Waite's idea "is definitely worth exploring, especially for free."

Waite later appeared in the Kitsap Sun to clarify the use of the land further: “The soccer stadium would be the driving force behind the complex,” he wrote. “There would still be room for an arena especially if there was shared parking.”

Kitsap will be revealing their chosen 'club crest' in the next few weeks, too. Fans were invited to submit crest / logo ideas to the club website in a recent contest. (See a few submitted designs here). The 'crest' is an important part of club tradition in the world of soccer. It becomes the 'coat of arms' clubs go to battle with. The Pumas' crest will use the official club colors of blue, gold, black and white.

The Pumas have already chosen their 2009 uniform provider and style. The 'kits' will be made by Puma, of course, and the shirt will be white with blue hoops. The graphic above gives a representation with possible combinations.

For more on the Pumas visit www.KitsapSoccerClub.com

Pumas will be authentic, right down to the grass

There were a mix of accents at the Kitsap Pumas tryouts today in Silverdale, Washington, but everyone spoke the game of soccer. Twenty-seven invited players were on hand trying to impress head coach John Wedge and his staff of coaches and player evaluators. It's another step in owner Robin Waite's effort to bring 'authentic football' to West Sound.

Dallas Jaussi, fresh off of his top-four finish in the recent Seattle Sounders FC SuperSearch was present, as were fellow trialists Oliver Wellman and Erik Sterling. Steve Mohn, a former UW and Tacoma Tide FC player, was a call-back from the open tryouts held last week.

On the sidelines Pumas Executive Director Ben Pecora exchanged comments with owner Robin Waite and watched the proceedings. Pecora expressed almost a sense of relief that the birthing process of the new club has reached the finding players stage. The sunny, warmer than usual day only added to the good feelings. Waite chatted about the turnout and suggested a few players currently still on trial with Sounders FC might be looked at by Kitsap, too. Vini Oliveira, the recently cut SuperSearch winner, was one of the possibles.

Players were divided up in groups to play full field and to perform speed and agility tests. The guys were used to what was being asked of them on the pitch, but the agility testing had more than one collision along the way.

The Pumas will kick off their inaugural 2009 PDL (Premier Development League) season in the USL (United Soccer Leagues) in May. The club will likely have a pre-season match or two in April as they gear towards league play.

I spoke with Ben Pecora about what fans can expect from the Pumas on match day at Bremerton's Memorial Stadium. His response is at the end of the tryouts video.

From their classic hooped blue and white kits right down to the natural grass they'll play on the Pumas desire to create the kind of 'football' experience you might find in the smaller towns in England or around Europe. The Pumas see these local tryouts, searching for men who live and play here, as a part of that vision.

View GOALKitsap.com's Gallery from today's Pumas tryouts

Visit www.KitsapSoccerClub.com

Pumas eye land for new stadium; join forces with 'The Soccer Dude'

The Kitsap Sun reports today that Kitsap Pumas are interested in leasing land where East Bremerton High School once stood.

(Robin) Waite (Pumas owner) said he expects the Pumas to outgrow Bremerton Memorial Stadium. “I expect our team to go from where it is now all the way to Division I.”

School board President Cynthia Galloway said she favored the idea of a public-private partnership that resulted in income.

School board member Louis Mitchell called it “intriguing” and added that the district would need to make sure it could enter into a development-type relationship. Jones added that the district was prevented by state law from developing the valuable old Manette school site.

In other Pumas club news the Kitsap outfit recently announced another business partnership.

Bremerton, Wash. – The Kitsap Soccer Club has finalized what club officials are calling “a major sponsorship agreement” with The Soccer Dude – a local firm based in Port Orchard, Washington.

The Soccer Dude has patented and manufactures player development tools for soccer players of all ages including its Speed and Agility Ladder Stencils, Soccer Dude Target Nets, along with other products. The agreement contains the added bonus that at every 2009 Pumas home match, The Soccer Dude will distribute 50 tickets to the next home match FREE to folks attending that current match.

“This is the best way we could think of to grow the game right here at home,” said Soccer Dude inventor and founder Scott Morgan. “Speed Ladder training develops the A-B-C’s of player technique – agility, balance and coordination. Plus, with our products the players train safer – there is no tripping on ropes or straps.”

The stencils can be used on virtually any surface – from dirt to grass - and the kits come in different sizes and skill patterns to fit virtually every training application.

“This is among the most innovative packages - for one of the most innovative soccer training products - we’ve written. We’re pleased to have Scott on board with us from the very beginning,” said club owner Robin Waite. “This is truly someone putting their money where their mouth is for the betterment of the game.”

The agreement includes direct tie-ins during club matches, camps, clinics and youth activities along with other community outreach programs.

For more information regarding The Soccer Dude, please call 360- 265-7892 or send e-mail to Scott at TheSoccerDudes@live.com. / WWW.SOCCER-DUDES.com.

To become an official team partner, to purchase tickets or for further questions, please contact Ben Pecora, Executive Director, at 360-377-6008 at the Pumas offices. www.KitsapSoccerClub.com

United Soccer Leagues officially announce Kitsap Pumas to PDL

USL News Release

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

TAMPA, FL -- United Soccer Leagues announced the launch of the Kitsap Pumas under the ownership of former USL First Division Seattle Sounders co-owner Robin Waite. The team will play in the Premier Development League with professional status beginning in 2009, making it the first professional sports franchise in the area.

Waite will operate the club, created via a transfer of franchise rights from the former Sounders team, on the Kitsap peninsula, a prominent population base in the Puget Sound region across from Seattle, Washington. Centrally located in downtown Bremerton, Wash., the club will play its matches on the pristine grass of Bremerton Memorial HS Stadium. Bremerton is the largest city on the peninsula, housing the massive Bremerton Memorial Shipyard.

The club, following a “Name the Team” contest last month, will feature the nickname of Pumas. Team colors are blue, gold, white and black. The team mascot was affectionately named “Pedro” by local soccer fans.

“We are proud to bring the Kitsap Soccer Club Pumas – the first-ever fully professional sports franchise on the Kitsap Peninsula – to soccer fans in the region,” said Waite. “This has been over a decade in the making – and we could not be more thrilled about the response of the community already.”

USL’s PDL is part of the United States Soccer Federation’s pyramid representing the fourth tier of the pyramid. The club has been placed in the Northwest division and will face clubs from Vancouver B.C., Victoria B.C., Abbottsford, B.C., Seattle, Tacoma, Spokane, Yakima, Salem and Portland, Oregon.

Memorial Stadium Improvements
Another important aspect about the club’s presence will be in improvements the club is making at the stadium itself. Waite, as a donation to the Bremerton School District, has installed a new scoreboard and will further contribute a video scoreboard, additional bleacher seating and other improvements over the term of the club’s three-year lease agreement. The video scoreboard will be the only one of it’s kind in the Puget Sound region – a true asset for the community – and not just relating to sports-specific uses.

Impact in the Community
Club leadership firmly believes that the presence of the Pumas in Kitsap will generate significant incremental revenues and awareness – not only on behalf of team partners, but also for the community and population itself.

Tacoma Tide, Kitsap Pumas, Seattle Wolves season tickets on sale

In the last few days both Tacoma Tide FC and Kitsap Pumas have sent out releases regarding sales of season tickets for their 2009 PDL (Premier Development League) campaigns. Seattle Wolves FC have released information about their combination PDL and PCSL (Pacific Coast Soccer League) club season tickets, which will give you 18 matches.

Tacoma Tide FC play in a great neighborhood in University Place, Tacoma. Curtis High School stadium is a very nice venue to take in a match. It faces the sunset over the Narrows, so bring your sunglasses.
Tacoma's season tickets are general admission and cost $70 for adults (10 matches) and $30 for students. The Tide also give you a *free* TFC yellow and blue scarf with each season ticket purchase. Club website details.

Kitsap Pumas are already setting themselves up as a 'throwback' to the days of pristine grass soccer pitches, hooped jerseys and village pride. The Pumas will be playing about 10 minutes away from the Seattle-Bremerton ferry landing in Bremerton.

The Pumas have priced season tickets at $90, $75 and $45 for the season, with options for reserved covered grandstand and family endline general admission. Club website details.

Seattle Wolves will have clubs in both the PCSL and PDL. In the recently announced club statement the Wolves are providing a real bargain for Tukwila-area soccer lovers. Both the PCSL and PDL seasons are included in a $49 season pass that will allow you to see all of both clubs' 2009 home matches at Starfire Sports Stadium (18 matches!). Club website details.

All of our local neighborhood clubs supply soccer in your own back yard at a price that allows family and friends to pile in the car and have a fun night out on the cheap. Purchasing season tickets is a great way to support soccer in your neighborhood.

This week: Sounders play four matches; Pumas hire coach, hold tryouts

It will be about as busy as a second week in February gets around the Sound of soccer this week. Sounders FC will stretch their 33-man pre-season roster to the limit with four training matches while in West Sound the Kitsap Pumas will have events on three separate days.

The Sounders will play the LA Galaxy Monday at 3:00 PM at the Home Depot Center in their first-ever pre-season match against an opponent. (Seattle Times preview) Tuesday at 4:00 PM at Oxnard College the Sounders will face another side in training, Chinese Super Club Shandong Luneng Taishan. Wednesday night at 7:00 PM Seattle will be at PDL side Ventura County Fusion. Friday at 7:00 PM the Sounders play the San Jose Earthquakes at Cal Poly SLO.

Last week: Matt Gaschk looks at how camp went last week on SoundersFC.com



The Kitsap Pumas will announce their first-ever head coach at a press conference Tuesday at 10:30 AM. On Wednesday the new coach will join the Pumas staff to watch USA-Mexico at Clearwater Casino in a gathering that is open to the public. On Saturday the Pumas will hold their first-ever open tryouts session in Poulsbo at 10:00 AM.

Kitsap Soccer Club Strikes On-Line Agreement with Brown Paper Tickets

Kitsap Pumas press release:

Bremerton, Wash. – The new, professional Kitsap Soccer Club has launched an on-line ticketing agreement with Seattle’s Brown Paper Tickets. This arrangement will allow the club to sell all of its tickets and ticket packages and ticketing needs for its inaugural season.

Brown Paper Tickets – “The first and only fair-trade ticketing service” - is a local firm headquartered in the Fremont district of Seattle.

Brown Paper’s partnership with the club represents the first alliance of Brown Paper Tickets and a professional sports franchise.

“We are quite pleased to announce this partnership,” said Pumas owner Robin Waite. “This is a Northwest firm with Northwest roots doing very good things right here in our own communities – plus they do the best job in the industry of keeping costs low and affordable for the fans. It’s a win-win.”

The firm was founded by William Scott Jordan, also the founder of an event listing website called EventNation.com in the 1990’s. The forums on EventNation gave event-goers the opportunity to discuss all aspects of live events, including experiences with different ticketing services. Watching the forum discussions, William saw a trend - people were unhappy with the enormous service charges tacked onto their ticket purchases, as well as the lack of customer service provided by ticketing companies.


Video: Kitsap Pumas announce club name in November 2008.

He decided to fix the problem, and in 2000, Brown Paper Tickets was born. The defining points of the business were, and continue to be, low service fees and excellent customer service. William wanted to create a service that would be accessible to everyone, and made the decision to never charge event producers to sign up or sell tickets - Brown Paper Tickets' service is completely free to event producers. The per-ticket service charge that ticket buyers pay is just $0.99 plus 2.5% of the ticket price, which is the lowest in the industry.

“Brown Paper Tickets is proud to be working with the Kitsap Soccer Club for a few different reasons,” said Carley Borgen, Director of Marketing for Brown Paper Tickets. “As a community-oriented organization, they align well with the goals of our company. We're excited to enter into our first professional sports franchise partnership, and the fact that they're local makes this even more special.”

Brown Paper Tickets boasts a 24-hour staffed call center for both ticket purchases and producer tech support, with online ticket sales available 24 hours a day. United States Postal Service First Class shipping for tickets is free of charge, but Brown Paper Tickets also offers Will Call as an option, and will soon be offering Print-At-Home technology. The service is scalable - producers can sell tickets to events for anywhere from 2 - 10,000 attendees or more.

Brown Paper Tickets operates as a Not-Just-For-Profit business. Not-Just-For-Profit companies realize that while it's good to have a profitable business, it's essential to give back to the community. One of the ways the firm gives back is by donating 5% of its profits to charitable organizations involved with human rights, children, animals, and the environment. Ticket buyers are given the ability to choose the category toward which they would like their percentage to go.

“This alliance allows us to meet key objectives regarding ticketing,” said club executive director Ben Pecora. “First, we now offer an ultra-low-cost option to folks wishing to purchase on-line. Yet, the most important aspect of our partnership is additionally two-fold: Brown Paper is a company with a commitment to the community and it is a local firm. The Kitsap Pumas hold these values highly and see ourselves in this exact light.”

2009 Kitsap Soccer Club season tickets are priced as follows:

• Covered Grandstand - $90
• Open Grandstand - $75
• End Zones and Family Seating - $45

For further information please contact Ben Pecora, Executive Director, at 360-377-6008 or Vicki Williams at the Pumas offices. www.KitsapSoccerClub.com

Around the Sound of Soccer for January 27th

The Major League Soccer and Premier Development League schedules should be out...tomorrow! Thus much of my summer will then be planned...Sounders FC, Wolves FC, Tide FC, Pumas...

The Kitsap Pumas are quietly making headway as they prepare for their first season. Chuck Stark checks in with the Bremerton bunch in today's Kitsap Sun. The Pumas will announce shortly that they'll be taking fan submissions for club crest ideas.

The newly christened Seattle Wolves FC PDL club that will play the Pumas and Tacoma Tide FC this summer are going to be in the amateur category. If you are keeping score that means Kitsap will be pro and pay players, while Tacoma and Seattle will stay amateur and look for college talent.

Sounders FC continue to get great coverage from local papers and KING 5 TV. Be sure to drop by the blogs at the Seattle Times (Romero) and Tacoma News Tribune (Ruiz).

More today on the Sounders acquisition of Patrick Ianni in the Times, P-I, TNT.

Rich Myre of the Everett Herald looks at Kasey Keller 'Bringing it all back home.'

Blogger Dave Clark talked with Steve Zakuani, SSFC's top draft pick.

Blogger 'Ness' looks at how the 2009 Sounders' roster reflects the world's game.

In England, Adrian Hanauer's Cambridge United club continue battles over their venue.

The SOUND of soccer: Wolves, Tide, Pumas schedules released

All on the same day? Yep. Today the United Soccer Leagues has released the 2009 Premier Development League (PDL) slate of matches. Now we know the home dates for Seattle Wolves FC, Tacoma Tide FC and Kitsap Pumas SC.

GOALSeattle.com has ALL of the home club HOME matches in our handy "Local Matches Calendar." Welcome to the SOUND of soccer!



Seattle Wolves FC make their historic debut in USL soccer on Wednesday May 13 at 7:00 PM when they host Tacoma Tide FC at Starfire. Kitsap Pumas make their historic USL debut two nights later when the Tide again play the spoilers in Bremerton on Friday May 15 at 7:00 PM at Bremerton Memorial Stadium. Tacoma's home debut is Sunday May 17 at 3:00 PM against Cascade Surge.

U-23 clubs from local rivals Vancouver and Portland come in to Seattle to take on the Wolves this summer, too. Portland Timbers U-23's come to Starfire on Wednesday May 20 while the Vancouver Whitecaps Residency visit on Saturday night June 20.



In all of that hailstorm of local matches, we actually have very few conflicts. Tacoma Tide FC have two matches on the same days as the Sounders. We'll see if they adjust. Kitsap Pumas are in Seattle to take on the Wolves the same night that the Sounders host Columbus Crew. That's mostly it.

Kitsap Pumas place ads, season tickets for sale online

It's always nice to see when a soccer club is willing to put a little money behind getting the word out about their club.

We do our part at GOALSeattle but in the end it is up to our clubs, both big and not so big, to make themselves known within their local communities.

Sounders FC are big soccer news all over Puget Sound, including in Bremerton where the Kitsap Pumas will kick of in 2009.

The Pumas are running ads in local West Sound newspapers announcing season tickets are on sale and that they'd make good gifts.

True enough. If you know a soccer fan in West Sound, you should think about going to the Pumas' website and ordering up a season ticket or two. The real thing on real grass awaits them.

You could be like me, pondering the upcoming schedules for Seattle and Kitsap and trying to do both.

Kitsap Pumas look locally for future talent

South Kitsap faced North last spring. Scouting local players will be a focus for the Pumas.

The Central Kitsap Reporter has a feature on the Kitsap Pumas and their efforts to weave the West Sound soccer community into the fabric of the new club.

“Our dream scenario would be to have the best young player in Kitsap play for us year one,” said executive director Ben Pecora, who has previous ties to Major League Soccer (MLS).

Pecora and club owner Robin Waite insist one of their top priorities in bringing pro soccer to Kitsap is to bolster the climate of youth soccer by partnering with the area’s clubs and school districts, and offering summer camps and coaching clinics, among others.

“We’re building this in as part of the fiber of the club,” Pecora said. “It’s a big part of what we’re doing. I think we’re unique in that regard even though we’re a new franchise.”

Read more about the Pumas in the GOALKitsap Blog archives.

Contest: design the Kitsap Pumas crest

From www.KitsapSoccerClub.com

“Design Our Crest” Contest Kicks Off Monday, Feb. 2, 2009

Bremerton, Wash. – One of the great traditions for a soccer club is the unveiling of its crest. Many of the greatest clubs on the planet have crests that have endured for decades – and in some cases, for over a hundred years.

The Kitsap Soccer Club (Pumas) will carry on this tradition and is looking to YOU - our fans - to make it happen — designing our crest!

“We want to get this community excited and involved in their team. We started with the naming contest, which had an overwhelming success. This now leads to the design of our crest, and more to come,” said Ben Pecora, Executive Director.

Requirements for the crest are as follows:

* The team’s colors (royal blue, gold, black and white) must be incorporated
* The crest must reproduce in greyscale (black and white)
* Deadline for submittals is midnight February 28, 2009
* Winner of the contest, to receive four covered grandstand tickets to the Pumas’ first-ever Opening Night match
* All designs must be originals


Our crest design is open to all ages and art teachers are encouraged to get your classes involved!

Please submit your entry to info@kitsapsoccerclub.com with the subject line “Crest Entry.”

We are set to kick off our inaugural season this spring, so don't let this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity pass you by!

For further information please contact Ben Pecora, Executive Director, at 360-377-6008 or Vicki Williams at the Pumas offices.

Kitsap Sun: Tryouts produce ten possible Pumas

Kitsap Pumas Soccer Club held their first-ever open tryouts yesterday and The Kitsap Sun and reporter John Becerra Jr. and photographer Larry Steagall were on hand to chronicle the event.

See the Kitsap Sun coverage here.

Becerra writes:

Eighty-three soccer players from as far away as Oregon, Idaho and Alaska turned out on a cold day to impress new head coach John Wedge, his assistants Andrew Chapman and James Ritchie and a cadre of volunteers enough to earn a spot on the team.

"It's fantastic," Wedge said of the turnout.

After a brief meeting with the coaches, the hopefuls ran through defense and dribbling drills, with the goalkeepers working on their own drills.

From that, the coaches determined the final 10 players that would move on.

Two of them are former area high school standouts in David Meherg and Zack Sampson. The rest of the names will be released later this week.

Meherg, a 2007 graduate of Olympic High School, was a four-year starter for the Trojans at forward. He was the Olympic League MVP and an all-state first team selection his senior year.

Photo credit: Kitsap Sun photographer Larry Steagall captures Pumas' head coach John Wedge giving instructions to trialists.

Kitsap Pumas hire John Wedge as first head coach

The Kitsap Pumas have hired local youth soccer icon John Wedge as their first head coach the club announced today.

Wedge has a long resume of coaching experience as high as the collegiate and semi-pro level. He is also the Washington State Youth Soccer Association District Four Regional Coaching Director.

Wedge then named his coaching staff, Peninsula College head coach Andrew Chapman as assistant and the club’s director of youth development, James Ritchie as his goalkeeping coach.

The assembly of this staff completes an extensive search by the club’s front office. The full coaching staff will be on-hand the next two weekends for the club’s first open tryouts for prospective professional players.

“We’re excited to have John on board. He may have one of the most extensive coaching resumes on the West Coast,” said owner Robin Waite. “When you add the energy, enthusiasm and pedigrees of James and Andrew, we may end up with one of the best staffs in the league.”

The announcement also allows the club to begin signing players. Ritchie has been in Europe on an extensive scouting junket that could yield immediate results.

“I’ve seen some very good players that have studied us and like what they see,” said Ritchie. “Contrary to some thought in this country about our sport, players very much want to come here.”

“This is a life-long dream for me – to coach at the professional level, in a great organization, in a great community,” said Wedge. “I cannot tell you how excited I am. Let’s get to work!”

Wedge, nicknamed “The Professor,” by fellow coaches across the country, has an extensive background coaching at all levels of the sport, has founded a club and an academy, has led teams to national championships and has run soccer facilities.

From Wedge's WSYSA bio:

Wedge has been involved with and supportive of Youth Soccer in the United States since 1979 in a variety of roles.

John is a native of West Yorkshire, England where he grew up playing, and then coaching, soccer. In 1978, John graduated from Trinity and All Saints College, Leeds University with a B.Ed. degree in Human Movement.

In 1979 John immigrated to New York City where he taught Physical Education and coached soccer at Tilden H.S. in Brooklyn . He moved to Seattle , where he coached at Shoreline Community College from 1980 to 1984, winning the Northwest Colleges Coach of the Year Award in 1982. He was Coaching Director for the Washington State Soccer League in 1984 and 1985 before becoming Head Coach of both the men's and women's teams of the Valley Cities S.C., a semi-pro club based in Kent.

While he was general manager of the Tacoma Indoor Soccer Center , John also coached the Tacoma Wings to a National Amateur Men's Open Indoor title in 1987. He was the Washington State Men's Open Coach between 1987 and 1989 and won the Washington State “Player of the Year” award in 1988.

Wedge returned to high school coaching with Federal Way between 1991 and 1996 and was named the SPSL's Coach of the Year in 1992. He was the head coach of The Evergreen State College Men's team in 1996 and 1997. He helped create the Highline Heat Soccer Club in 1997 and was its first Coaching Director. He was concurrently Coaching Director of the Shorelake Soccer Club in 1998 and 1999, and President of Coerver Coaching of Washington from 1997 to 1999.

Wedge is currently Program Director with the Bainbridge Island Youth Soccer Club. He is responsible for camps, clinics and developing curricula.

Wedge is a staff instructor with Washington Youth Soccer for whom he has conducted numerous coach licensing clinics since 1985. He holds a USSF “A” coaching license, a National Youth License, and the Premier Award of the NSCAA.

Photo credit: John Wedge coaching with the Bainbridge Island Youth Soccer Club

More Pumas: Sounders SuperSearch finalist Oliver Wellman to try out with Kitsap

Full Press Release posted on the USL website

Five clubs, five questions for 2009: Tacoma Tide FC

In the second installment of my "Five Questions" series I turn my attention to South Sound and the longest-operating same league high-level club in our region, Tacoma Tide FC. The Tide will be playing their fourth season in the PDL in 2009 with hopes of continuing their on-pitch rise while at the same time getting larger crowds.

No local club played more entertaining or winning soccer than Tacoma Tide FC did in 2008. The Tide won their first division trophy and also earned their first playoff win before falling to Vancouver in the regional final. Along the way TFC set records for goals and wins at home.

Five questions for Tacoma Tide FC

1. Can the Tide compete for the best local college players?

In 2006 when TFC was hastily born, after the demise of the Spokane Shadow, they struggled to get a squad together out of local elite college players. Since then the Tide have pretty much had the summers to themselves. They've seen star players from Washington (Raphael Cox, Steve Mohn, Beau Macaluso), Seattle University (Jordan Jennings, John Fishbaugher) and locals from out of state schools (Spencer Schomaker, Syracuse, Ciaran O'Brien, Santa Clara). Some very gifted players have worn the yellow over the years. In 2009 the Tide will see extreme competition for recruiting players as Seattle, Portland and Victoria join them in the PDL. Kitsap Pumas are also in, but have pledged to sign 'pro' players who have surrendered their NCAA eligibility.

Already one University of Washington star has committed to playing for Portland's U-23's. Freshman star forward Brent Richards will go south this summer. Brent lives in Camas, WA, which likely helped in his decision.

2. Can the Tide remain undefeated at home again?

The streak has to end eventually, but right now the Tide have not lost at home since July 14 of 2006. It is an impressive string that is up to 18 matches and includes a 2-2 draw with the USL Sounders in 2007. Tacoma didn't just win at home, they dominated in 2008 by outscoring opponents 36-5.



3. Where will 'home' be?

The Tide have played their first three seasons at Viking Field at Curtis High School in University Place, Tacoma. It's been a good venue for them, a small stadium with a no-hassle lease from a small school district. There is currently construction of a new Junior High next to the stadium, and it is unclear if that will affect usage of the stadium this summer.

4. Can they get a witness?

Tacoma Tide have played very exciting soccer with talented local stars, but have yet to capture much interest in South Sound. The fans have gotten increasingly noisy and supportive, but the numbers still remain at around 200+ average per match. I'm not sure if it is possible for a PDL squad to remain amateur and keep expenses down while at the same time drawing bigger crowds in Tacoma. The Tide have a nice business network through MVP Physical Therapy, and did a lot of work last year to increase awareness. Will it payoff in 2009?

5. Who will become Tacoma's biggest local rival?

The Tide's biggest rival right now is the Yakima Reds. This is likely to continue on into 2009 as Yakima made a miraculous 'back from the dead' recovery in late 2008 to find ownership to play again in 2009.

Now Tacoma have much more local flavor on the menu. Kitsap Pumas are just more than half an hour away over the Narrows Bridge in Bremerton. The mysterious yet-to-be-announced Seattle PDL club is a new I-5 rival. Victoria BC and Portland will also be on the schedule. So which one of these new clubs will develop into the fiercest rival for TFC? We've been starting a rivalry cup idea between the Tide and Kitsap, but that was before the sudden arrival of a Seattle club. Now it seems like any local PDL derby cup should include all three sides.

Visit: www.TacomaFC.com
Next: Seattle Wolves FC

Five clubs, five questions
Kitsap Pumas

Kitsap Pumas announce open tryouts Feb. 14 in Poulsbo

Bremerton, Wash. – The new, professional Kitsap Soccer Club will hold its first-ever open tryouts for prospective professional players, Saturday, February 14, 2009 at the North Kitsap High School Stadium (artificial turf) located at 18360 Caldart Ave. NE Poulsbo, Washington.

To pre-register, please visit the club website, www.kitsapsoccerclub.com. There, trialists will find and complete a medical and liability waiver and official pre-registration form.

The registration fee is $25.

Filling out the on-line form does not constitute full registration. Trialists must then submit their forms via e-mail, fax, postal service mail or on-site at the tryout itself.

Trialists will undergo a fitness and skills evaluation lasting approximately three hours.

Check-in begins at 10 a.m. sharp. The trials begin at 11 a.m. sharp.

Deadline for on-line registration is noon, February 13, 2009.

NOTE: It is strongly encouraged that trialists pre-register prior to arrival at the tryout. an on-site registration team will be on-hand from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Feb. 14^th.

For further information please contact Ben Pecora, Executive Director, at 360-377-6008 or Vicki Williams at the Pumas offices.

Kitsap Soccer Club Launches Official Website

Pumas press release:

Bremerton, Wash. – The Kitsap Soccer Club today launched its official website offering fans and partners the direct opportunity to purchase tickets, follow club developments, track player and coach signings and contact the club.

The address of the site is www.kitsapsoccerclub.com.

The site is the collaborative effort of club leadership, the staff at Silverdale, Washington's Sungrafx - the club's design team - and Demosphere, Inc., the nation's leading provider of web-based administrative tools for soccer clubs and other sports organizations.

"We encourage everyone to visit regularly, for as we build this franchise, there will be a steady stream of important announcements," said owner Robin Waite. "We are quite happy with how the site turned out."

"The site has a great look and feel but its functionality is what makes it such a great tool for the fans and the club," said the club's executive director, Ben Pecora. "We view the site as an extra staff member."

The Kitsap Soccer Club Pumas represent the transfer of the United Soccer League's former Division I Seattle Sounders, becoming the first-ever, fully professional sports franchise on the Kitsap Peninsula.

For further information, please contact Ben Pecora, Executive Director, at 360-377-6008

Five clubs, five questions for 2009: Seattle PDL

No local club is shrouded in more mystery right now than the Seattle Premier Development League (PDL) club set to debut in 2009. We learned about this new team when the United Soccer Leagues (USL) announced their 2009 PDL alignment. Along with the new club in Kitsap and the returning Tacoma Tide FC, the league threw the name of Seattle ('To be announced') into the Northwest Division.

Instantly the question became "who is starting this club?" Is it Seattle Wolves FC, who have just returned from the USL meetings with information about going 'pro' in 2010? Is it Seattle Sounders FC, who could use the club as a 'replacement' for a side in the just-closed MLS reserve league? Is it another group entirely?

Alas, we still don't know. However, I do have some hints that lead me to believe this new club will be run by Seattle Wolves FC. When asked about the new club, a person from the Sounders' side responded with "we've got enough to do building the parent club," while the Wolves said "No comment, but we'll have more to say on this very soon."

Five questions for Seattle PDL

1. Who owns you, and how will that affect your 2009 season?

If Seattle Wolves 'own' Seattle PDL, then it is a club destined to try for a higher league in the very near future. If Sounders FC 'own' Seattle PDL then it is a club destined to become a talented 'reserve side' for players to advance their craft and keep their edge.

2. Are you serious?

Will Seattle PDL be 'serious' about running a competitive club and trying to draw fan interest? Is that possible in Seattle at this level (USA 4th division)? Many years ago the USL Sounders had a 'Selects' side that played, and there was also the Seattle / Everett 'Bigfoot,' at basically the same level. The Sounders ended the Selects team when the finances became a drain. Not sure how/why the Bigfoot moved around and then folded.

If this new club is part of the Seattle Wolves, then it will be interesting to see how they juggle the commitment they've also made to play in the PCSL next summer.

Is it possible that this club will be *both* a Wolves club and a Sounders FC reserve side?

3. Will you be pro or amateur?

We are back to the ownership thing...or are we? It is possible that whomever owns and runs Seattle PDL the club could be 'pro' either way. The Sounders would want a pro side so they could slide players up and down from the parent roster. Seattle Wolves might also want to start pro in anticipation of 2010 and a leap to the USL-2.

4. Where will you get your players?

You'll need players, but you've got competition on all sides of Puget Sound. Kitsap Pumas are going to pay their players. Tacoma Tide FC will recruit college talent with amateur status. The PCSL Wolves will also have a roster of amateurs. If Seattle PDL goes 'pro' then that makes it all the tougher on Kitsap to sign players. If they go amateur, then Seattle college players might want to stay at home instead of fighting the traffic to Tacoma.

5. Will soccer fans warm-up to all of the possible rivalries?

Seattle PDL, you do know that you have a tremendous opportunity in 2009, don't you? You'll have rivals in Tacoma and Bremerton...but even more you'll suddenly be the 'placeholder' for the Emerald City in matches against the Vancouver Whitecaps (Residency) and Portland Timbers (U-23's). You'll be the local linchpin of "Cascadia Cup Jr." or something like that. Will that help you get some fans out to your games?

The mystery around Seattle PDL should start getting solved sometime in January. The PDL season kicks off May 1st.

Five clubs, five questions:
Kitsap Pumas
Tacoma Tide FC
Seattle Wolves FC (PCSL)

Next: Seattle Sounders FC