Snohomish United’s technical director Scott Uderitz, center, announces the club’s USL League Two team name and logo to the audience of Snohomish Youth Soccer and United players, parents and supporters at Haywire Brewing Wednesday, Dec. 3.
Photo by Michael Whitney.
SNOHOMISH — The Snohomish United soccer club presented its upcoming pre-professional league team’s name, jersey and logo last week at Haywire Brewing to a full house of 150 or more kids, parents and supporters.
The club is joining the USL League Two as an expansion team in the Northwest Division. The USL2 is the first rung of pro soccer.
Snohomish’s team will be the Snohomish United and carry the overarching club’s colors of red, white and black.
Former pro player Hamza Haddadi will lead the USL2 effort as head coach. In a prerecorded video shown at the event, Haddadi said he’s excited to be part of the team.
The USL2 team starts its season in May. The season should be about 14 to 16 games, half of those at home, the club’s technical director Scott Uderitz said.
The club dates to the 1970s as Snohomish Youth Soccer, and today has more than 1,600 youth players, of which 600 play in premier youth soccer, said its director of coaching Anthony Sardon.
Uderitz said the USL2 team is a culmination of their growth.
“It’s a big deal for the kids,” said Ricky Guzmán, who coaches girls 15 and under and under-12s. For kids, having players to look up to will “make them dream big,” he said. At 12 and 13, they’re starting to think where they’re going to go in soccer, so “the picture is there.”
Snohomish United will be the only youth club in the state to have this caliber of adult team, Uderitz said.
Tryouts will begin shortly to formalize the roster. Uderitz said the club has their eye on some players who they’d like to bring into the team.
They will play home games at the youth club’s epicenter of the Stocker Soccer Fields off of Lincoln Avenue.
The club will put up temporary bleachers in an ‘L’ shape on the field’s west and south sides to seat 800, Uderitz said. A beer garden holding 200 fans will be positioned behind the north goal net.
Snohomish’s Haywire Brewing, facing Rainier Street, will be the team’s title sponsor and beer garden supplier.
“We like being part of the Snohomish community,” said Haywire co-owner Bryant Castle, who owns it with wife Shannon Butler.
Haywire anticipates hosting pre- and post-game events for game days, sometimes with player meet-and-greets.
