We recently received this note from the Seattle Wolves. We think it is a great idea and are happy to share a part of the Wolves Football Club that most fans never get to read about.
(BELLEVUE, WA, from Seattle Wolves FC) – The Seattle Wolves Football Club is committed to developing the professionals of tomorrow – on and off of the field.
25 of the greater Seattle area’s leading businessmen gathered last night at a private residence to meet with their summer interns and mentees, as well as other members of the Seattle Wolves PDL team and staff.
The event celebrated the first year of the Seattle Wolves PDL Mentor/Internship Program. The program is unique in that it pairs all qualified members of the Seattle Wolves PDL squad with a summer internship advisor or mentor.
While the players have been recruited to come to Seattle for the summer to play soccer, most of them will also fulfill internships specific to their major and career focus.
Brian Klein, member of the Wolves ownership group, aimed to pair soccer with career experiences. “Our players have been recruited from all over the country because they are some of the best young soccer talent in the US. They also have bright futures off of the pitch”, Klein commented.
The list of area businesses involved in the program is extensive. It includes GTS Development, LLC, Northern Lights Ventures, The Sienna Group, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, Freestone Capital, Steelhead Partners, Africa-10, and many more.
Klein and the Wolves have partnered with Hans Esterhuizen (Freestone Capital), who has coordinated partnerships between over 25 players and prominent Seattle businesses.
Wolves’ General Manager, Andrew Opatkiewicz was in attendance last night and commented, “As any smart student athlete will tell you, having dreams of playing professional sports after college is great, but planning for your future even outside of professional sports is ‘good business sense’.”
Opatkiewicz continued, “I have been continually impressed with this group of players. Not only do they have impressive skill on the field, but they are a group of very intelligent and motivated young men. Pay attention to their names, because I would be willing to bet that many of them will be very important in the years to come.”
The evening ended with many Wolves’ players sticking behind to assist in the clean-up. This included injured midfielder, Thiago Sa Freire, who’s right leg is impeded by a plastic boot protecting his injured ankle.
Sa Freire may not suit up in a match for the Wolves this summer, as he suffered the injury during his spring season at Stanford University.
However, Thiago will be a valued member of the Wolves community attending training sessions, receiving treatment for his injury, and participating in a summer internship on the Africa-10 project.
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