PUYALLUP, WA— The badge of Steelheads FC is on the club’s new black shirts. Those shirts have seen action on the pitch. A goal has been scored. The building blocks of a soccer club are stacking up together one by one.
There have been so many firsts since Snohomish County Steelheads FC announced its existence back in early 2017. A name, a crest, colors, volunteers in a sort of ‘online’ front office. Much bigger things are yet to come, but no one should let the 11-1 scrimmage loss to Washington Premier South Sound FC (“Shock”) on Sunday night April 9 get them down. Looking back on it, SnoCo FC rushed things a bit because the club wanted to get its name out there with Evergreen Premier League sides. So even before open tryouts or a single practice a group of guys came south and gave it a go against one of the more successful EPLWA clubs.
Photo Gallery: Steelheads FC take the pitch for the first time
Even if the first-ever friendly comes “out of order” in terms of open tryouts and actual practices, it still got SnoCo FC its first run-out along with a few memories, and well-wishes from the host Shock. It is what it is, and some good can be taken from it.
There were moments for the new club, especially in the first 25 minutes when the passing was crisp and legs were strong. Andrew Escalante scored a goal worthy of being the club’s “first ever.” Other players had their moments. Yes, at one point it was 1-0 Steelheads.
But the main thing to come out of the night is this: The Badge is on the Shirt.
Snohomish County Football Club has taken the pitch. In the name of a place and with love of the sport as their guide, 13 guys put on black shirts with orange numbers and Steelheads FC crests over their hearts. They fought as long as they could. They played clean. They never lost hope.
It’s going to take more players, more talent, more organization…and time…for Steelheads FC to get to where they want to go.
But the journey has begun.
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