Seattle & WSYSA

[GOALSeattle]

"With the MLS coming to town, it was our job as the leading youth soccer association to strengthen our player base and programs in an effort to support both the team and the future of soccer throughout the state,” stated Todd McGann, Washington Youth Soccer Executive Director. “We knew that we needed to make an immediate and positive impact on all levels of the game and hiring someone with Darren’s skills and experience will allow us to do just that.”
In alignment with the philosophical beliefs and practices of the MLS, Sawatzky’s hire re-enforces the great strides already being taken by Washington Youth Soccer to reach out to the state’s numerous diverse soccer communities. This continued outreach will provide training to an extensive number of local players, including many diverse populations, and will ultimately strengthen the overall player base for the MLS in the future and continue the commitment to Diversity in our soccer community that both of these organization share.

[GOALSeattle]

http://mlsinseattle.com/article.aspx?id=1034

http://mlsinseattle.com/uploadedImages/Home/Articles/080306wsysa2.jpg

Both Andreassen and Sawatzky would like to see this development program produce players for Seattle’s MLS team. However, only a small percentage of the players passing through those ranks will get that opportunity.

“The others are going out to colleges and out into the world, and we want to be good citizens, good people,” Sawatsky says. “It’s going to be about developing the player, as a player and personally.”

Success for the program can and will be measured in several ways, both in the near and long term. Better players, better people and a better game.

Ultimately, says Andreassen, it’s about making soccer stronger.

“Exposure to Major League Soccer is better for all our players, statewide,” he says. “At the end of the day, we’re all trying to build a base where kids can directly connect to the world of soccer and just become fans of the game.”

[GOALSeattle]

More from Seattle MLS today:
http://www.mlsinseattle.com/article.aspx?id=1072

"This is an exciting time for soccer in this country, both at the youth and professional level, and the opportunity to become Youth Development Director is exciting for me as well.

It’s a unique program in that I was hired by both Adrian Hanauer and Washington State Youth Soccer. I have had a good relationship with Doug Andreassen, the WSYSA president, and I’ve gotten to know Adrian while playing for the Sounders and then joining the coaching staff before last season.

MLS teams are required to have a youth component, and I have talked a lot with Adrian about youth soccer in Washington. As the MLS Seattle team became a reality, this opportunity also began surfacing here in Seattle. Doug and Adrian talked to me about what my interest would be at many levels, and not long ago we all agreed on what this program would look like, including the role of director.

I am now working hard on the camp system and the other pieces for the youth portion of the MLS Seattle team."---Darren Sawatzky

See also:
http://soccerseattlestyle.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17&Itemid=2

[GOALSeattle]

Sounders FC explain their youth pyramid structure:

http://goalseattle2.blogspot.com/2008/06/talking-sounders-fc-youth-system-with.html