by Marie DeMars, NSC media intern
This blog is the fourth installment of a series introducing the teams of the PUMA vElite tournament. The vElite group aims to increase the caliber of competition at the USA Cup, and the teams are hand-picked and then invited to play during the USA Cup Weekend tournament.
Snohomish Youth Soccer Club established Snohomish United in 1989 as the competitive branch of the club. This year, they’re hitting the road to find out how competitive they can be in the vElite series at the SCHWAN’S USA CUP. They’re sounding pretty good to me.
Last year’s team was solid, according to Gary White, technical director for the club. “Snohomish United fielded over 35 select level teams this past season with over 3,000 players registered in the club and competing at all levels and leagues in the Washington Youth Soccer, SYSA & the PDL leagues,” he said in an e-mail.
It helps that they practice on a great field. Stocker Fields is their privately owned 50-plus acre grass soccer complex. There, they work on their own style of game. “We play an attractive passing/penetrating style, with solid defensive principles applied when necessary,” White said. “Our players are encouraged to express their creativity and flair on both sides of the ball, whilst working within a defined team structure.”
The team starts training late due to the players’ spring high school schedule, but they catch up fast. “Over the past recent seasons we have won 14 State Championships,” White said. And they don’t stop there. “Our goals for the season include beginning to look past youth soccer for careers and opportunities,” White said.
It might interest you to know that the only current homegrown MLS Seattle Sounders FC player played his youth career with Snohomish United. That would be goalkeeper Ben Dragavon. Catch the action at the Weekend vElite tournament of SCHWAN’S USA CUP.
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