The early 1980s marked the peak of the North American Soccer League (NASL). Back then, most of Seattle´s top talent came from exotic countries across ´the Pond´ (the Atlantic Ocean). Brilliant Brits Dave Gillette, Jimmy Gabriel, Steve Buttle, ´Rubber´ Roy Sinclair, and ex-England international Alan Hudson called the Emerald City their Camelot. At that time, the premier pro league in North America had a firm rule: At least three starters had to be locally born. In other words, Seattle needed a hearty homegrown Sounder or two. Striker Mark Peterson, along with defenders Ian Bridge and Jeff Stock, made the Sounder grade. Local star Brian Schmetzer was just a step behind. He finally got the call up for some precious minutes in 1982.
Local Honcho Schmetzer Leads Sounders
Schmetzer and the Sounders have come full circle with the native hero now coaching the Seattle squad. Under Brian, the Sounders were the first-ever MLS team to lift the CONCACAF Champions League cup. They continue to battle their perennial Pac NW rivals, the Portland Timbers. Another traditional nemesis, the Vancouver Whitecaps, often come crashing down from the north.
How does Seattle´s head honcho test the latest homegrown talent? “I’m not going to be afraid to throw a young player on there if one of the senior players has heavy legs, and you’ve got a couple extra subs, and a burst of young enthusiasm, energy. They’re going to try and impress the coaches—sometimes that’s a good thing to have in your arsenal,” Schmetzer told Ari Liljenwall of mlssoccer.com.
Bumper Crop of Homegrown Seattle Stars?
The latest crop of homegrown Sounder stalwarts includes Josh Atencio, Snyder Brunell, Sota Kitahara, and Dylan Teves. Atencio is only 21 and has already reeled in a ton of experience. Defending the Tacoma Defiance and Sounders, Josh the Bellevue native has notched 128 pro appearances totaling 7,363 minutes (that´s 81.81 games, just in case your calculator isn´t handy).
Brunell joined the Sounders in 2020 after sprinting out for local club Crossfire Premier. Since arriving on the Seattle scene, his contribution has increased immensely, according to Jessica Lazo. “He’s definitely ahead of his development in regards to where he should be in terms of what he’s learning,” Henry Brauner, VP of Player Development, remarked.
Also Read: Dortmund Turned it Around at Signal Iduna in the Second Half After a slow start Against Frankfurt
A prodigious product of the Sounders FC Academy, Sota Kitahara was signed in 2022. Sota became the 20th ´Homegrown Player´ in the team´s illustrious history. “It’s always nice to bring young players up to the First Team who´ve earned their way through our system,” emphasized Schmetzer.
Dylan Teves made the switch to the Sounders after a glittering four-year career at the U. of Washington, also in Seattle. Only Clemson clipped his Huskies at the final NCAA hurdle to finish second in the nation in 2021. Dylan´s accolades are way too long to fit in one paragraph. But he´s most definitely a homegrown Sounder.
At the end of the day around Puget Sound, homegrown Sounder means healthy, new, and skillful. After all, those Camelot-like conditions do indeed exist in evergreen Seattle.