Tacoma Stars target 2010 return to pro indoor soccer

November 11, 10:03 AMSeattle Soccer ExaminerDavid Falk

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Marian Bowers is the owner / operator of the Tacoma Soccer Center and the Tacoma Stars Indoor Soccer Club of the PASL. (Jenni Conner)

The last time the Tacoma Stars took to an indoor pitch as a fully professional soccer club was back in 1992 at the Tacoma Dome. Eighteen years later they might go pro again. The Stars are playing a 'provisional' PASL (Premier Arena Soccer League) schedule in 2009 as they plan for a move to the PASL-Pro in 2010.

The world of professional indoor soccer is a much different one than when the Stars folded out of the national MSL in 1992 (The league at that time had changed its name from the more famous "MISL."). Today professional clubs play in much smaller arenas and the main national pro league (MISL) has fallen apart in favor of other attempts, mainly regional. You can still see familiar team names such as the Baltimore Blast (part of the newly revived MISL, circa 2009-2010 ) and San Diego Sockers (PASL) around and playing, but the days of giant crowds and TV audiences have waned. The revived MISL league website is here. The Extreme Soccer League (XSL) featured a few former MISL clubs, but is now idle.. View its recent website here. There was also the AISL, too. It is now idle as well.

The PASL has mulitple levels and features both the Wenatchee Fire, who were "Pro" last year and are now back down with the current Stars in "Premier," as well as a club (called the Skyhawks) playing out of Snohomish. For the Stars it is name recognition and nostalgia for the days of the Tacoma Dome and Preki and Zungul that lift them up above the other local clubs in the eyes and hearts of many Puget Sound indoor soccer fans. You can read much, much more about the original Tacoma Stars in the www.GOALTacoma.com Museum.

Stars in action. (Tacoma Stars club photo).

The Stars play out of the Tacoma Soccer Center, and in the PASL they have drawn very well over the last few years. Playoff matches have seen packed houses of over 700. The Soccer Center is not a truly professional arena, though. Indoor soccer lovers will have to take what they can get. It is a fun place to see a match, and you can stand right behind one of the goals as it is set right into the entry area of the Center.

The Stars will open their home schedule on Saturday night December 12th at 7:00 against Bend, Oregon. The club recently held tryouts and selected 25 players for the first and reserve teams. Multiple-season pro indoor MVP Greg Howes, a Tacoma native, will coach the Stars again this year.

March 2008 photos and video from PASL playoff match between Tacoma Stars and Seattle Wolves FC at Starfire's indoor fields. The Wolves have uploaded the whole match here.

Information from the Stars:

2009-10 Season Ticket packages include: 4 regular season home games, 2 Pro home games (for a total of six home games), and a free Tacoma Stars T-Shirt.

You can purchase your tickets online at www.soccercentertacoma.com and click on leagues or call the office.

Adult season ticket package: $30
Youth (11-18) season ticket package: $18
10 and under are free.

Tacoma Stars Schedule 
December 5th          8:00pm      Away @ Bellingham
December 12th         7:00pm      Bend
*December 19th       7:00pm      Away @ Cougars
January 2nd             7:00pm     Wenatchee Fire
*January 9th             7:00pm     Away @ Prince George
*January 16th          7:00pm     Prince George
January 17th             4:00pm     Bellingham
*January 24th           4:00pm     California Cougars
January 30th            7:00pm     Away @ Bend
February 6th            7:00pm      Away @ Snohomish
February 13th          7:00pm      Snohomish
February 20th          7:00pm      Away @ Wenatchee   
 
* Game against a PASL-Pro Team

Stars v. Snohomish Skyhawks in 2008 playoff thriller. (Jenni Conner)

The view from the bleachers at the Tacoma Soccer Center. (David Falk)

Stars current roster:

Jordan Steves
Jeffery Roland
Alex Megson
Kris Bowers
Michael Francis
Reda Douleqazal
Micah Wentzel
Adam Becker
Amos Freiheit
Sean Foss
Jeff Bader
Kevin Popich
Lukas Rydberg
Nic Mancaruso
James Mcdonnell
Mark Lee
Derek Johnson
Stephen Mohn
Kieth Reed
Quincy Rollins
Dominic  Dickerson
Andrew Tunison
Travis Pettibone
Joelen Wegerle
Charles Hassel
Aaron Anderson
Gary Deshaw
Chris Kintz
 
Says team owner Marian Bowers: "I think we may be losing Alex Megson and Mark Lee to Milwaukee. We may also be adding more players later on, we have been talking/training with the Sounders, but for now this is the list.
Regular season game day ticket sales are Adults - $5, Youth (11 to 18) $3; The two Pro games tickets will be Adults $10, Youth (11 - 18) $5."