Kitsap Soccer Club signs first player, unveils jersey, crest, corporate partners

Seattle Soccer Examiner was in attendance to day as the Kitsap Pumas shared some big news about the Bremerton-based professional club.

SEE OUR VIDEO and PHOTO GALLERY HERE.

Kitsap Pumas announce club crest and first player today in Bremerton. (GOALKitsap.com)

Bremerton, Wash. – It was a massive day in the brief history of the Kitsap Soccer Club.

Not only did the club announce the signing of its first player, it also brought forth, for the first time, the club’s official home jersey replete with the official team crest.

In the course of this spate of announcements, the club also announced key partnerships with local and global corporations.

The club also jointly introduced a new business to the Kitsap peninsula – the well-known soccer and all-sports retailer Soccer Nation.

Following weeks of tryouts and several months of global scouting, the club, in the space that will rapidly become Soccer Nation’s Kitsap retail store in the 4000 block of Wheaton Way, introduced defender Stephen Mohn as it’s first player.

Mohn is a former University of Washington standout and played last year with the Tacoma Tide of the United Soccer League’s Professional Development League.

“Stephen is a player we identified at our first meeting,” said head coach John Wedge. “He possesses all the things we aspire to in this team – tenacity, skill, speed and a keen attacking sense – plus, he’s a leader.”

“This is an honor,” said Mohn, “to be known as the first Puma ever. I’m glad to be here.”

Steve Mohn is introduced as the first-ever signed Pumas player. (GOALKitsap.com)

Jersey and Puma Agreement Unveiled: The club also introduced a three-year agreement with German multi-national apparel and equipment supplier Puma.

Following this news, club owner Robin Waite unveiled the team’s official home jersey – a classic “hooped” blue and white beauty adorned with the team’s official crest.

“All of us at Puma are excited about what Robin and the Pumas have already accomplished and are planning for the immediate and long-term,” said west coast director of sales Jeff Enquist. “There are very few clubs in North America with this sort of vision, experience and ability – we foresee a great partnership.”

The agreement with Puma followed intensive negotiations with every major soccer-specific apparel and equipment supplier in the industry.

Official Team Crest

The official Kitsap Soccer Club crest came to the club via a contest launched on the Puma’s website over the month of February. Entries came from across the region and from entrants aged 11 to 63.

The winning entry was designed and submitted by Joel DuChesne (“Doo- Shane.”)

“I’m really happy that the club selected my design,” said DuChesne, “I was going for something highly traditional and clean - that’s what this club is all about, in my opinion.”

“We were floored when Joel’s entry came it,” said Waite. “It struck so completely at the heart of what the Kitsap Soccer Club is all about – traditional, authentic, yet modern, clean and looking to the future. He absolutely nailed it.”

Joel was presented with not only four tickets to the club’s Opening Night match May 15 vs. the Tacoma Tide, but also a pair of full 2009 season tickets. Joel – a resident of Everett, Wash., immediately donated his tickets to the Bremerton Youth Soccer.

“I won’t be able to make every match – I’m quite a distance away,” said Joel, “so this way some kids or families that love the game here in Kitsap will be guaranteed seats.”

Joel DuChesne designed the Pumas' crest. (GOALKitsap.com)

Waite countered with an offer to Joel that he is welcome to attend any match of his own choosing - on the club.

DuChesne grew up in Snohomish County playing several sports as a child, including soccer. He played basketball at and graduated from Western Washington University. He married his wife, Carole, in France during the 1994 World Cup (which was played in the USA).

“Watching the matches with my wife's family and friends got me hooked on the sport,” said Duscharne “and I’ve been a fan ever since.”

Joel has two kids and one "on the way". He is currently a principal and creative director at Luminous, a web design + branding company located in Everett Wash. He also writes a fan blog for the Sounders FC (emeraldpitch.com). His favorite club outside the USA is Arsenal, and favorite player is Kakâ.

Soccer Nation: The club also handed over the proverbial microphone to another new venture landing in Kitsap – the soccer and all-sports retailer Soccer Nation – which is opening a new store in the same complex that houses the club’s headquarters.

Soccer Nation will fulfill the club’s equipment needs and will work in conjunction with its supplier, Puma. This includes official team uniforms, merchandise, balls, camps and clinics equipment and official team merchandise sales.

“This is a dream relationship for us,” said owner Tom Clayton. “The Pumas are a class organization. They have been most helpful to us as we expand our business. To be this closely tied to a professional club in such a great market as Kitsap can only mean good things for area soccer and sports clubs but also individual sporting goods consumers.”

Soccer Nation has pledged to offer “the most competitive” pricing on “the highest-quality” equipment available for all sports – not just soccer.

Coaches, administrators, parents and players are asked to contact Tom directly for prices and assistance at 206-919-9197.

“We are full-service. If you need something sports-related – anything – I’ll find it for you,” said Clayton.

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Stephen Mohn Fact File:

D.O.B.: July 24th, 1985

Nickname(s): “Mohner”

Position: Outside Back

Number: 7

Height: 6’0”

Weight: 185

Hometown: Kent Washington

High School: Thomas Jefferson

College: University of Washington

Years Professional: Rookie

Age began playing soccer: 5

First team: Totem Cougars

First soccer memory:

“I remember playing on a miserable Centrex (crushed red gravel) soccer field at Sunnycrest Elementary until I was about 10 or 11 years old. I wore some awesome blue knee pads to save my knees from gravel burns.”

Greatest soccer memory/achievement:

“I actually have two. One of my best youth soccer memories was the U-12 state championship when I played for the Federal Way Bullets. We went into a shootout and I scored the winning penalty shot to guide our team to a state championship.

“My greatest achievement is when I played for the University of Washington and I scored the game tying goal against Santa Clara in the second round of the 2006 NCAA playoffs to take the game into overtime.”

Life Goals: “I just started coaching soccer last season at Highline Community College and really enjoyed it. So coaching is something I would like to continue doing. Aside for soccer, I want to go back to school and get my masters in education and become a teacher.”