The Tacoma Stars Shine On: PNW Soccer Fans Get the MASL Team They Deserve

This corner of the world has a spectacular soccer history, but the revival of the 1980's Tacoma Stars has been my favorite chapter thus far.

Hello beloved football family
I'm sure you all have noticed but I've been quite absent from the soccer scene lately. I've got a job, I'm still running Give for the Game and next month I leave for a 15 day stint in Greece assisting a Seattle based organization with relief work on Lesvos. I'll be traveling as a humanitarian with the sole mission of helping refugees passing through in any way I can.
On that note, Soccer Boss is being put on hold. I made two Tacoma Stars matches this season (hopefully three plus playoffs!!) but I've missed a whole Puma season, the growth of Olympic Force, a Sounders Season, and some days I glance at the Swiss Super League table and can't even remember the last time I looked. This is not a goodbye, but as I stand here at a crossroad in my life I want to say thank you to each and every one of you for what you have contributed so far.
To the players, thank you for your dedication to the game, your dedication to the fans, your love and enthusiasm. You make the game. For me soccer has never been about the sport, it's been about the people who play it. No matter where our paths have crossed, it's been an honor to witness a piece of your career and a piece of your story. Thank you for sharing that with me. I consider all of you dear friends and I wish you the best in whatever adventures life throws at you. I hope it brings you the same joy I witnessed every time you stepped on to the pitch.
Fellow fans, it's been a wild ride. There's nothing better than taking in a match with good friends. The fan community here is like my family. You've all stepped up to make me feel so supported and loved not just in the soccer-related areas in my life but in every challenge I've tackled. Because of friends like you, I've never felt alone. It amazes me how people who are all so different and under no other circumstances would even become acquainted have grown to be such great friends.
Coaches- I've seen a lot of you at work over the years and you are the glue that holds it all together. Many of you have gone above and beyond to make me feel welcome and to make your team available to me as a writer and photographer. I love these soccer players like family- I worry about them quite often and I want the best for them- it makes me grateful to know that they're in good hands.
So I hope you join me on my next adventure. I can assure you footy will be involved as will the regular doses of laughter and shenanigans. I'll see you all in the stands!
Much love

Why the Pumas Lost their Super Fan

It doesn't take a master of the beautiful game to see that. It takes someone with two eyes and not only a love for the game being played on the pitch, but a love for the players bringing that game to life. So, to all of the players who have suffered from the manipulation and webs of lies this club weaves for you, I am sorry from the bottom of my heart. I am sorry for not being upfront with you, I am sorry for sugar coating your experiences in my blog posts. I am sorry for what you went through and I am sorry for not taking action earlier. These words I am finally putting to paper should have been said a long time ago, and my optimism about what this club was becoming has been misleading to many. 

The Greatest Gift of Life is to Know Love

The soccer community on Bainbridge Island is one of the best you could ask for as a coach, a player, and a member of a soccer family (all of which I have been at one point or another). In sports, for every tragedy there are thousands of success stories. Every goal is a reason to cheer without inhibitions, every victory is a reason to smile, accomplishing your goals, getting scholarships, growing as people and as athletes; those are all things are celebrated within our tight and strong soccer community. 

It's been a little while since I posted anything, so as I make my first post in over a month, I want it to be meaningful. 

BIFC Hosts NSCAA Coaching Clinic

Thank You Fans!

Some incredible effort has gone into producing the fantastic atmosphere I enjoy every week at Puma matches. Orchestrated cheering, handmade commemorative pins, understanding ears to listen to my constant moaning and groaning about poor plays, wasted set pieces, a heavy telephoto lens or poor lighting conditions and most of all tons and tons of love have made the weekly matches a key part of my life. I also want to acknowledge the amount of effort that went into Man of the Match and Player of the Month awards last night (thank you for packing gift bags, making commemorative certificates, and collecting votes)- no other club in the PDL has a set of fans as fantastic as these fans at the Kitsap Pumas!

Kitsap Pumas 0-0 Portland Timbers U23s

After a hard start to the season with five games on the road, the Kitsap Pumas fully kicked off the 2013 campaign with their first home game at Gordon Field.

Small Club, Big Heart

In Pictures: The Little Moments That Make Our Club Special

Dedicated support of a small football club is no easy task. It takes dedication, it takes commitment and it requires you to pour your heart and soul into a group of players that are practically strangers for four months and hope and pray for all of you that the season ends on a high note. Why undergo this stressful operation year in, year out? Because in those short, chaotic and emotional four months, some of the best moments the beautiful game has to offer are born.

Chelsea 2-1 Benfica

Heartbreak in the Amsterdam Arena

Chelsea lift the Europa League trophy after Branislav Ivanovic finds the back of the net with a splendid header in the closing moments of the 2013 final in Amsterdam.

The End of an Era?

Ladies and gentleman, I am quite sure that at this point you are all sick of my metaphorical analysis and gentle opinions. Soccer Boss is not known for getting down and dirty with the tough stuff so I have brought in Victor Green, a very dear friend of mine who is a die-hard Manchester United supporter (yes, amazingly we are still friends as long as United and Basel aren't battling it out on the European stage) to voice his opinions on the current situation at Manchester United. The topic of Sir Alex Ferguson and his inevitable expiration date at the Red Devils is a bit touchy, it's one that football writers (mostly critics) either want to dig their claws into and tear to shreds or one that many of us, like myself, prefer to dance around out of respect for the man and all that he has done. Hearing these words coming from a United supporter mean so much more than when they come from a spectator, analyst or journalist. Here's Vic's take on Sir Alex's decision making and what it means for the club he loves.

Soccer Unites

Bento juggling in front of
a Hawaii sunset

Upon returning to the island of Kauai this spring after spending some time there last year I was thrilled to observe a thriving soccer community on what seems like an isolated jungle on a rock in the middle of the pacific.

Why Your Soccer Club Crush Should Be BVB

"Now anyone who has recently looked at a Bundesliga table is going 'Wait, hey Madi they're trailing Bayern Munich by an inhumane number of points and have sort of flopped domestically...' so what? That doesn't mean they can't play soccer that is sexier than Cristiano Ronaldo's Armani ads."

FC Basel 3-0 FC Sion

blick.ch

FC Basel came out of the winter break swinging as they look to close the gap between themselves, the reigning champions, and first place Grasshoppers FC. 

Murat Yakin's men put on a confident and solid display in front of the home fans at St. Jakob-Park coming out of the long winter break. Despite their failure to dazzle in a series of friendlies both at their training camp in Spain and following their return back to Switzerland, the FC Basel that was on the pitch today looked like the defensively sound and highly organized team that the fans know and love.

The Beautiful Bundesliga

Round 21 of the Bundesliga was full of excitement, goals and the occasional sissy fight. 

Rangers FC 1-1 Montrose

A stunning equalizer from David Gray in the 89th minute of play secured Montrose a hard-fought point at the Ibrox against Rangers FC. 

Kitsap Pumas Fall To A Strong South Sound Shock

The Kitsap Pumas put in all on the line in the closing quarter of their match up against the South Sound Shock but were unfortunately defeated 7-4 after nearly managing to level the scoreline. 

At kickoff only goal difference separated the two sides with the Pumas in the lead but now Kitsap are going to have to play hard for good results and hope that South Sound encounter a defeat in the last remaining fixtures of the 2012/2013 PASL season. The Shock are now at the top of the table with a three point lead.

FA Cup Action

Demba Ba: one of the signings in the January Transfer Window
mirror.co.uk

The first fixtures of the third round of the FA Cup kick off with some upsets and some predictable victories as teams get new January signings acquainted with their new clubs. 

What a Year! Bring on 2013!

It's been an incredible year for Soccer Boss! Here are some of my favorite and not-so-favorite-but-still-memorable moments!

Kickoff! FutbolforLife 2013

Want to kick off your new year right? Join us for the eighth annual Kitsap Cup tournament FutbolforLife benefiting children in Sierra Leone!

Kitsap Pumas 11-3 Tumwater Pioneers

Kitsap Pumas Dazzle in Exciting and Physical Home Opener