Tacoma Tide FC release promo video

South Sound in the house!

Here comes the Tacoma Tide Football Club with a brand new video that features their sharp new crest and highlights their hopes and accomplishments in South sound semi-pro soccer.




The Sounders and Tide hope to play each other again in 2008. The clubs drew 2-2 in a thriller in Tacoma last July.

UPDATE: Our Boys at MLS Combine

Ciaran O'Brien (red, left) hustles during MLS Combine.
3rd Degree photo. / Andy Mead, YJCphoto.com

Buzz over at 3rd Degree has posted some final observations of the recent MLS Combine heading into Friday's MLS Superdraft.

He likes what he saw from Washington Husky Ely Allen and Federal Way native and Tacoma Tide midfielder Ciaran O'Brien. He came around to seeing the better parts of Kevin Forrest's game, too.

On Allen:
"A forward in college but I think he’s best as a high wing in a 4-3-3 or wide mid in a 4-4-2. He’s got terrific energy and has enough game to separate from a defender. Quick burst and first step. Fantastic motor he goes hard all game, great range."

On O'Brien:
"A class midfielder who plays better deep in the midfield. Great passer who reads the game well and can dictate pace of play. Great awareness. Got better as the combine progressed."

On Forrest:
"Wonderful work rate, energy, and tenacious as hell. He never, ever stops working or moving. He’s smart too, know where he’s supposed to be. The problem is he doesn’t have any way to separate from defenders. He spent the entire combine up top, I really wish he would have tried it wide in midfield cause I think he could be terrific there."

Olympia Soccer Shop Keeps Eye On Goal

Olympian Newspaper photo.

The Olympian has a nice feature today on a local soccer tore, the Wembley Soccer Shop:

Through a mutual friend, former college goalkeeper Gress found out about Hamilton's shop and decided to move to Olympia from Philadelphia to try his hand at marketing it. Gress enjoyed the business and has been playing and coaching the game in South Sound since joining the store 13 years ago as Hamilton's partner.

The business has grown over the years through networking. That means Gress making every coaches' and league meeting he can find to sell the shop's variety of merchandise including soccer balls, jerseys, shoes and accessories.

"We've grown (in sales) every year," Gress said. "It involves a lot of beating feet on brick."

"Our biggest asset is word-of-mouth advertising," Hamilton said. "Our biggest competition is not another brick-and-mortar store, but the Internet."

Read the entire article here.

Wolves comeback tops Stars

Seattle edged Tacoma 18-16 (9 goals to 8) in PASL indoor soccer action January 12th at Starfire Sports Complex.

After an early lead the Stars eventually fell on a hat trick by Seattle Sounder Leighton O'Brien.

We'll try to post some more of Jenni's photos later.

Ciaran O'Brien going 'Pro'

Ciaran O'Brien (right) launches a shot last season while with the Tacoma Tide. O'Brien was named all-league in midfield and led Tacoma in scoring.
Jenni Conner GOALTacoma.com photo.

Several Major League Soccer bloggers are reporting that local lad Ciaran O'Brien is going to skip his senior year of NCAA eligibility and sign as a 2008 Generation Adidas player and thus be eligible for the 2008 MLS combine and draft which follows.

(The timing sucks for Seattle MLS, as they don't have drafting rights this year. So O'Brien will likely end up with one of the 'other' 14 MLS teams to start his career.)

3rdDegree.net says that's what people at UCSB are saying about O'Brien.

From College to Pros jumps in with more info on O'Brien and the other player said to have already comitted to GA 2008.

Generation Adidas is a joint venture between Major League Soccer and the United States Soccer Federation aimed to raise the level of young soccer talent in the United States. The program, sponsored by adidas, encourages early entry (without college graduation) of American players into MLS. Until 2005, the program was sponsored by Nike and was called Project-40.

Watch O'Brien's free kick goal against Yakima from 2007:

Tacoma Tide beat Yakima Reds 5-0
Uploaded by sounderfan

Auburn hopes to score with soccer

Yes, but will they eat at "Big Daddy's" before or after?

The December 31st Tacoma News Tribune talks about an Auburn city plan to build an indoor soccer arena in their downtown area.


Can soccer moms – not to mention dads and youths – help kick-start downtown economic development?

That’s the hope of Auburn city officials, who are looking for a qualified developer to build an indoor youth soccer facility on a block of downtown property.

The city already owns most of the block and is willing to sell or lease it.

The connection between indoor soccer and economic development seems logical, said Auburn Mayor Pete Lewis, who is leading the city’s efforts to revitalize the downtown area.

“We’ve been looking at indoor youth sports,” he explained. “We want something for kids downtown … that can bring soccer moms downtown.”

Soccer parents mean foot traffic, and downtowns thrive on people who shop, walk and eat there, according to Dave Baron, the city’s economic development manager.

Stars dimmed in home opener

It is a short 10-game season in the PASL Northwest Division, but for the Tacoma Stars it already looks like it's going to be a long year.

Tacoma had no defense in their road opener in December 1st, giving up 12 goals and drawing Troutdale 24-24 under the new MISL scoring system.

Last night the Stars played their first home match and were outplayed by the Wenatchee Fire who came away with a 13-9 win (6 goals to 4).

Tacoma never led in the game and two 4th quarter tallies insured the visitor's victory.

So what's 'wrong' with this year's Stars? Lots of new faces, and so far anyway, a tendency to give the ball away too easily and not help each other on team defense.

About 200 fans showed up at the Tacoma Soccer Center. Tacoma is now 0-1-1 after two matches with 1 standings point.

The Stars will try for their first win on Saturday January 5th when they host the Central Oregon Steelheaders at the Tacoma Soccer Center at 7:00 PM. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for kids, 10 years or under get in free.

A few more home opener photos from GOALTacoma.com start HERE.
View the Stars season schedule HERE.