MLS Seattle Sounders FC

Sounders FC Agrees to Youth Affiliation with Northwest United FC

Published on May 8, 2018 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Seattle Sounders FC News Release


SEATTLE, WASH. - Seattle Sounders FC today announced its latest youth agreement with Northwest United FC. Previously known as the Skagit Storm, Northwest United has been at the core of the Pacific Northwest soccer community for years and, in the past decade, has grown into one of the largest clubs within the Pacific Northwest. The club serves players from Skagit, Island, Snohomish and Whatcom Counties, with over 30 participating teams.

The official partnership with Sounders FC allows Northwest United players and coaches unique opportunities such as education, an exclusive, integrated curriculum and technical support, ID camps and more, while Northwest United serves as a scouting base for Sounders FC Academy programs, identifying young, high-level talent north of Everett, Washington through to the Canadian border.

"We take a lot of pride in the strength of our academy," said Sounders FC General Manager & President of Soccer Garth Lagerwey. "We're pleased to add Northwest United FC as an official partner, which only adds to our ability to find and train the best up-and-coming talent, which benefits our organization as a whole."

Going forward, all Northwest United teams will wear official Sounders FC partnership badges on training and competition kits. In addition, the Northwest United junior academy is being renamed the Northwest United Junior Sounders Program, and the U-9/U-10 teams will benefit from the use of Sounders curricula, training sessions, high-level coaching and competition to prepare them for opportunities to be identified for the Sounders Discovery Program.

"Throughout the years, Northwest United has always been dedicated to providing our players with the best opportunities and high-level coaching," said Kristian Powell, Director of Coaching at Northwest United. "Our success in that area led us to an informal relationship with the Sounders in terms of player recruitment and providing players for their academy in the past, so we're thrilled to now become an official affiliate. This allows us to further the potential of our players to an even greater degree, preparing them for the high standards of professional soccer, as well as building the administrative side of our club."

"We are delighted to add NWU as our most recent club partner," said Sounders FC Director of Player Development Marc Nicholls. "We share the same ideas regarding player development and the promotion of talent, as well as the impact of soccer from a community aspect. With the direction of Kristian Powell and a progressive board it is no surprise that NWU has grown from strength to strength."

News and information about the Sounders FC Academy, Northwest United and other affiliates, as well as Academy schedules, rosters and staff, can be found on the Sounders FC Academy website via the following link: SoundersFC.com/Academy

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