Pumas inherit perfect pitch-man

October 27, 11:49 AMSeattle Soccer ExaminerDavid Falk

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Lance McCoy knows how to keep a perfect pitch. The Bremerton School District groundskeeper received added and well-deserved attention last season when the Kitsap Pumas Soccer Club debuted at Bremerton's Memorial Stadium. I often saw Lance on the sidelines keeping track of the pitch, enjoying the Pumas, and taking photos.

"I have been a groundskeeper for the district since 1995," says McCoy. "We maintain 200 acres of district property including Memorial Stadium. A friend told me that there was an opening and I went for it.  I am responsible for scheduling and maintaining all of the school district grounds.  Work includes, mowing, trimming, blow down of all paved areas, aeration, top dressing of fields, pruning, weeding and barking beds, planting, design and installation of new landscapes, irrigation, fertilization etc!  We have a crew of 3.5 people for all of our work and they are top of the line people!"

McCoy's initial response to the announcement the Pumas would play pro soccer on his pitch was one of happiness. "I was hoping that the Pumas would consider playing in the heart of Kitsap County: Bremerton!   A few years back I set up an exhibition game with the Seattle Sounders and Oregon State University and the game attracted over 1200 paying fans.  Seattle University and the Hibernian Saints also played a friendly here with a nice crowd on hand for the match.  We have a nice soccer community here on the Olympic Peninsula and I thought they would support a quality organization like the Kitsap Pumas."

McCoy captures Matt Friesen going for the header.

The pitch saw eight regular season matches and one playoff match last summer. The Pumas generally practice offsite. "Our field is 31 years of age and is natural grass," explains McCoy. " As a sand based field of rye grass, it did well considering we had a lot of preparation going on for a major track renovation project of the stadium.  This included new drainage surrounding the field and some new sod work.  This work altered our normal mowing pattern and caused some stress to the turf, but it will rebound well for next spring." 

Pumas players gave Lance some positive feedback about the natural surface. "I heard from most of the players that they were pleased with the field and the overall ambience of Memorial Stadium as a whole.  I honestly believe that the majority of players would prefer to play a quality match on natural turf as compared to artificial.  We work hard to provide a safe environment for all of our participants and our Supervisor of Maintenance, Ron Carpenter, is a big supporter of the Memorial Stadiums needs!"

Lance McCoy hiking the hills in search of the perfect picture.

McCoy is also a very good photographer. He's shared some Pumas photos with Examiner in the past. He's been a photographer "on and off for 35 years.  Semi-professionally for two years." Some of McCoys most stunning photos are from recent hiking treks.  "I used to hike years ago, but I got heavily into soccer both as a player and as a coach and well......35 years later I am back to hiking," says McCoy. "I hike with a father and daughter team into some fantastic destination spots.  Our latest hike was difficult, and at times a bushwacker, to the beautiful Mildred Lakes in the Olympic National Forest.  It was very cool and crisp during our three day adventure and the beauty and remoteness of the place was like no other place I have hiked to." 

EXTRA: See some more beautiful photos on Lance's Flickr.com pages

"Naturally, I am composing photographs throughout the trips and I hope to one day compile my best works for a book of some sort.  It will be down the road.  I enjoy good company and hiking gives me chance to get in some good exercise and nothing beats the views and the fresh air of being in our spectacular Pacific Northwest nature spots!"

If you are wondering why so many of Lance's sentences end with an exclamation point, it is because he is really just that kind of a positive guy, one who exudes a cheerful exuberance about hiking, soccer, the Pumas and his job. The Pumas were very fortunate to inherit his skills as the perfect pitch-man.

Lance's friend Ara stepping out of a cave behind Murhut Falls which is located in the Brothers Wilderness of the Olympic National Forest.

More from the Pumas:

Eli Gordley re-signs

Bremerton, Wash. – The Kitsap Pumas today exercised its club option on forward Eli Gordley. The fleet 21-year-old becomes the eighth player added to the team’s Master Roster for 2010. 

Joining the Federal Way, Wash. native on the roster are defenders Mark Lee and Stephen Mohn; midfielders Aziz Dieng and Matt Friesen, and forwards Zack Sampson and Tony Kerr. 

Gordley had a solid season with the Pumas but was also plagued by injury for the latter half of the year, limiting his time and effectiveness. 

Over the 2007-08 European season, and prior to joining the Laredo Heat last pre-season, Gordley played for the Belgian  Fourth-Division side Royal Racing Montegenee.

“This is a big opportunity to do something big,” said Gordley, expected to fight for a starting position when Pumas training camp opens this winter. “I’m looking to put up more goals next season – I was nowhere near where I thought I should have been last year.”


Eli Gordley - 2009 USL PDL Season Stats (Kitsap):

GP  Pts  Min  G  A  S  F

11  3  465  1  1  6  9
 

Season ticket fundraiser for kids

2010 Season Tickets Now On Sale!: For nearly one hundred dollars for an adult pass and for ONLY $25 for a youth pass families, friends and relatives can afford to see all Pumas matches. While supplies last purchasers of the adult package will receive an official Pumas team scarf with purchase. 


Pumas Youth Sports Fundraiser Continues: Please feel free to pass this message on to all other area sports organizations: The Pumas have launched a youth sports fundraiser! This is a great way to build up needed resources for teams - and will afford your organization an outstanding opportunity to experience professional soccer right here in Kitsap.

This is a program open to all youth groups.

For more information, please contact Pumas headquarters at 360-377-6008.

Bremerton, Wash. – The 2009 defending Northwest Division Champion Kitsap Pumas today announced a groundbreaking fundraiser to benefit youth organizations across the peninsula – and beyond. The main tool is the club’s recently announced Season Ticket for Kids (only $25 for a full-season ticket for 2010). 

The new program works in this manner:

• The coach or the team coordinator registers with the Pumas front office by October 19, 2009
• Players and families then sell Pumas season tickets of all types
• Once a team achieves one hundred percent buy in (all players’ families make a purchase or sale) the coach of that team receives a FREE 2010 Pumas Season Pass
• The team/organization that sells the most tickets will receive the honor of escorting the Pumas onto the field at the team’s 2010 Opening Night and serve as ball retrievers at that match
• Also – and most important - each team will receive ten-percent of its gross sales as a donation to use however it wishes
• The program will run until Nov. 20, 2009

 
“The best thing we can do is expose young players to the game at the highest level possible – and this is a great way to do it,” said Pumas executive director Ben Pecora. “We can now offer a benefit to teams and our area coaches. It’s all truly a supplement to the kids’ development  - and a great deal of fun.”
 
 The Pumas’ youth season ticket is available to children, ages 4-12 – and for only $25. This ticket is good for all home matches during the club’s 2010 pre- and regular-season (playoff and U.S. Open Cup matches are excluded) - a minimum of 11 matches. 

Full season ticket packages for adults and teens are also now on sale and, while supplies last, each purchaser will receive either a discount or an official Kitsap Pumas team scarf.