Greg Howes is at the center of soccer in Tacoma and south Puget Sound. As the head coach of Tacoma Tide FC, the Tacoma Stars, and Director of Coaching at South Hill Soccer Club (Puyallup), Howes can provide a unique and comprehensive assesment of the state of the game in The City of Destiny and surrounding areas. Below is a recent Q & A with the multiple indoor soccer MVP and 2007 Sounders USL Championship match goal-scorer.
How would you describe the state of youth soccer in South Sound (Tacoma, Pierce County, etc.)
Greg:The state of youth soccer in the South Sound is good. Competition among local clubs is good and seems to be growing each year. South Hill Soccer Club is gaining momentum as we begin our Jr. Revolution Youth Development plan. The goal is to get to the younger players sooner and give them the best possible coaching/training techniques as possible. The staff at SHSC has improved and I am always looking to add reputable coaches to my staff. The one draw back in the South Sound area in my opinion is the vast number of clubs. This depletes the player and coaching pool for all clubs, thus spreading out the top talent and ultimately having a impact on the top competitive teams in the area.
How are things in South Sound at the premier youth level?
I would see the success of the Washington Premier Development Academy Club coached by Jimmy McALister as a good indicator of the growth in the area. It also shows that the Academy program is a great program for a club to offer. WPFC is the one of a few clubs in WA that offer a Development Academy program and it is a natural draw for the area's best players, especially for ages that are influenced by the USSF Academy program. With Jimmy and their staff and the talent pool they have I am not suprised by their successes. Those players and coaches are some of the best we have in the local area.
The Kitsap Pumas have arrived as a professional club in the PDL. What do you think the future can hold for pro outdoor soccer in Tacoma? What would the Tide need to do to make it at a pro USL level?
The main thing the Tide need to do to step up to the pro level, is to make sure the talent pool is there for us to compete with the other top teams in the area and the pro-tier of PDL. The PDL has always been a player development league and am a little dissappointed that they have allowed PDL teams to go "pro". That is what the USL pro tier is for. It really creates a non-developmental aspect to the league, as guys will go get paid and it leaves other teams in a tough position. Spend the money and probably lose money...or field a team that has a tough time competing with other teams in their division. I think if the PDL continues to allow this aspect to the league that the teams in those non-pro PDL will cease to operate, and then you lose the benefits of having proximity to, and rivalries with, other teams. If Kitsap has to travel great distances for every game I don't know if they would be able to stay afloat, considering the revenues that PDL teams bring in. We are evaluting what needs to happen to ensure the Tide can compete with all PDL teams.
The Tacoma Stars have a vision of going professional in 2010 in the PASL-Pro. South Sound has a long history with indoor soccer as you well know. Talk about the current Stars and also what you think it will take to get the club to the pro level and have success on the pitch and in the stands.
I am excited for the opportunity to go pro with the Tacoma Stars. We are looking at increasing our fan base this year with some promotional nights and some other creative marketing. With the following and legacy the Stars have in the area I think it is a good fit to bring high-level indoor back to the South Sound. Also playing in the winter helps, as the Sounders have created a product that thrives during the summer months. Success on the pitch is not as much of a concern as filling the stands. We have a very formidable team. Through community outreach and other programs we hope to create a south sound following. The Tacoma Stars Academy Program is proving to be a great vehicle to introducing players and families to the Tacoma Stars product, players and overall soccer expeirence. Brining in former and current pro's to play with our team (Leighton Obrien, Adam West, myself, and a few others who haven't committed yet but are close) brings credibility to the team and also creates ties to the Sounders. Many of us played for the old Sounders during their USL Championship years.
What is your overall feeling about soccer in South Puget Sound? What needs to be improved, and how soon can it happen?
We need cohesive team work and consolidation at all levels, pro/pdl/pasl teams, clubs within TPCJSA, and better communication between and training for our local coaches, which would be a bi-product of consolidating resources and clubs.
Comments
I agree with Greg. PDL is 'Developmental' by definition. The sooner pro clubs are out of it, the better.
The Tide need to either put up the money to go pro or quit complaining about it.
The only way the Tide 'can compete' in the PDL again is to stop hyping the basketball club so much and actually pay attention to the original TIDE, the FOOTBALL CLUB!
I don't think PDL level Tacoma Tide would be able to move up in their current stadium. It might be a fine place for a developmental club with no aspirations of making much money or building much of a fan base.
But, the combination of the out of the way location (near nothing really) and football lines, its hard to imagine a lot of people ever going there.
Even Kitsap seems to have a better situation with natural grass and a better centralized location.
I wonder when they are going to get a development program in South Kitsap since everyone knows that's where all the best players hail from.
SK struggles vs teams across the bridge every year. From club to high school. Puma fans forget that they had the tides best players from the tides 08 season. Because of $$$$. The pumas clearly have an advantage paying their plates and the rest of the teams can't or don't . The pumas should move up to usl-1 if they really want to play om even grounds. As far as skwolves comment... Your best players are from across the bridge.( or better yet across the pond.) I will be looking forward to next season and watching mark and alex tear up the pdl once again, and hopefully the tide can pick up the slack and make the playoffs.
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