Sounders FC Rave Green 5k Run

Sure, driving around Tukwila is great, but have you tried running around Tukwila? Well now you can, and with thousands of other people, and for a good cause, and with Sounders FC swag! Join your fellow Sounders FC fans for the 2022 Seattle Sounders FC Rave Green Run right here in Tukwila. It’s a flat, fast, and family-friendly 5k that takes you through Starfire Sports Complex and concludes with a Finish Line Festival full of awards, music, and sweet giveaways! Plus you get a one-of-a-kind 2022 Rave Green Run race shirt to prove to all your friends and family that you’re athletic! All proceeds benefit RAVE foundation, the official charitable arm of Seattle Sounders FC. Run fast for a good cause! 

When: Sunday, September 11th
Where: Starfire Sports
Time: 10am
Cost:

  • Early Bird Registration through August 1st: $35
  • Regular Registration August 2 – September 9: $40
  • Late Registration September 9 – September 10: $45
  • Race Day Registration on September 11: $50

 

The Sounders Return to Starfire

Guest bloggers, Robyn Stevens & Becca Rust, detail their experience attending a Seattle Sounders match at Starfire Sports. But not just any match, round 32 of the U.S. Open Cup—the oldest ongoing soccer competition in the U.S.

There’s something quintessentially Pacific Northwest about driving to a sporting event with the sunroof open, only to be met with a full-on downpour during the match, followed by clear, brisk night skies for overtime. Naturally, no one, from the fans to the players, were about to be deterred by a little rain. 

Neither of us knew much about soccer, and even less about the venue, Starfire Sports. But as soon as we arrived, fans and employees alike were all enthusiastic to share their passion with us, informing us along the way about the traditions, rules, and history that accompany the experience of a Sounders game at Starfire. There were food trucks and concessions, a live DJ, a beer garden looking out over the pitch, performances by Sound Wave (the official Sounders band), and even glimpses of some local wildlife—most notably a bunny who ran onto the pitch, disappointed to be fooled by the high-quality synthetic turf. If only he realized that five of the 12 total outdoor pitches are in fact grass, and he just happened to hop onto the wrong one.

Before the match began, we explored around the campus, learning about the various fields and all the different events they’re used for: youth teams, Sounders practice pitches, and adult indoor soccer leagues. There’s a cafe and restaurant in the athletic center, with good pizza and a variety of beers on tap. We learn that the players come out through a tunnel, where you stand close enough that you could high-five them as they make their way onto the pitch, and that here, getting an autograph from your favorite player after the game is a breeze. 

Waiting in line to pose with the recently-won CONCACAF Cup, we spoke with an old-school Sounders fan from Spanaway, Joseph Lieu, who loved Starfire games because “it’s much better and way easier to meet players than at Lumen Field. There’s more room to stand and meet and talk to the players one-on-one after the game. That’s how I met the entire team 8 years ago.” It is because of growing up going to Starfire games that Joseph is now going through school to become a sports photographer. 

A group of exuberant fans boasted to us about who had traveled furthest for the event, citing Port Orchard, Silverdale, and even one as far as Burlington, who had driven over an hour and a half to watch the Sounders. Chris Matala, however, didn’t have to travel nearly as far. Chris works in Tukwila, and is a frequent visitor for Starfire. “It’s fun to see the Sounders play here, to have pros on the field because most of the time it’s kids on the field. But those kids, they have more passion than the pros, because they are trying to get to the pro level.” We asked if they had favorite places to go out after the game, and they said that with all the great options, they couldn’t pick just one. Ryan Bennett piped up; “Tukwila has a lot to offer!”

When the match finally began, the crowd grew silent, and stood ceremoniously, raising their hands wide. The players walked proudly onto the pitch in two lines, and the ritual began. Clapping in unison, the crowd rhythmically grew louder and faster. And then the players were off, electrified by the intensity of the crowd. 

The Emerald City Supporters (ECS) fan club showed up in force. A quarter of the stands made sure the crowd never missed a beat with their chants and cheers. They had huge flags waving and bolstering the players tirelessly during the game. The crowd was rowdy and rambunctious like you want at a Sounders game, but remained family-friendly. 

Most of these players aren’t the Sounders’ typical starting lineup. Because of the nature of this tournament, it’s a great opportunity for coaches to put in newer, or B-string, players to get more time on the pitch. Still, plenty of recognizable names were out there, including local Kelyn Rowe. Kelyn grew up playing at Starfire as a kid, and described it as “cool, nostalgic to be back” on his (truly) home turf. It’s been about five years since the Sounders last played a match at Starfire, and it’s obvious the players have missed it. Forward Fredy Montero said, “It’s always fun to play with a crowd that is close, and we can hear every single one of them screaming and having fun.” The attendance at Starfire that night was 3,773, and while that may not seem like much to a Lumen Field regular, that’s nearly a packed house for the 4,000-seat Starfire Stadium.

The Sounders opponent for the night, the San Jose Earthquakes, managed to score twice before the Sounders came back with an answer. The rain started to drizzle, and we took it as a sign. The Sounders returned again to tie it up with just a few minutes left in regulation. During the action, we had the good fortune to meet Mark Bickham, one of the founders of Starfire Sports. Mark warned us that in this tournament, there are no ties. So when at the end of the 90 minutes (plus stoppage time) the score was still 2-2, we were in for an extra two 15-minute halves. By then the rain was coming down like only Western Washington rain could, but despite the overtime and the stoppage, fans stayed glued to the game. Slide tackles became involuntary, and splashes of rain gave players little halos when they headed the ball. Where the crowd noise used to rise as a player moved toward the San Jose goal line, now the crowd was excited just to see them cross midfield. The roar of the crowd never let up, outmatched only by the periodic rumble from a passing “Sounder” train, seemingly cheering on the team in its own right. 

Flash-forward to the end of overtime and neither team managed to score a goal. This meant  time for penalty kicks—each team gets five penalty kicks, and whoever has more at the end takes the game. The rain had let up by this point, but the 2+ hours of play had taken their toll on the players. But their determination seemed to be in equal measure, as they ended the 10-total penalty kicks still locked in a tie.  Next stop, “sudden death.” Each team kicks, and if one gets a goal and the other misses, it’s all over. Both teams go through player after player, making every goal in perfect synchronicity. Each player can only kick once, and they do. After 10 players from each team have taken their kicks, the Sounders and San Jose Quakes have each only missed one, two and a half hours after they took the field, at 9-9. The last players to attempt the kick are the goalies; who previously had been trading off guarding the net, now turn to face one another. The Sounders keeper, Stefan Cleveland, shot first. Unfortunately, unable to make the switch from saving to scoring, his kick was low and the San Jose goalkeeper Matt Bersano dived on the ball and made the save. Then they switched, Bersano squaring off against Cleveland. The crowd inhaled together. 

Bersano scored, ending the brutal shoot-out. Had Cleveland saved it, we would have continued penalty kicks, starting back at the top of the lineup. It was a disappointing end, though one could not have asked for a more exciting or intense game. Nevertheless, the crowd cheered for the Sounders’ tough battle, confident that all players had left everything they had on the pitch that night. 

Afterwards, we joined in on the post-game press conference. Sounders Coach Brian Schmetzer was proud of how well his team played throughout the match, despite the final score. Asked how he felt being back at Starfire, he instantly replied: “Loved it. Loved it. Ya know, when we scored the first goal you could just sense the crowd, there was a little bit of rain […] I loved it. I thought it was great.” Also, he was asked how many times he’d experienced a shootout that long in his career, to which he said:
“Never. Never.”

U.S. Open Cup at Starfire: Sounders vs. Earthquakes

The U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 returns to Starfire on May 11 with a repeat of the 2017 matchup between the Seattle Sounders and the San Jose Earthquakes. The Sounders are eager to add another win to their dominant 23-6-4 record for Open Cup play during the MLS era, including 3 tournament championships. And Starfire is just the place to do it, with 21 of their 23 Open Cup wins happening right here in Tukwila. 

The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup – the oldest continuous soccer competition in the United States and the third-longest domestic cup competition globally – is open to all United States Soccer Federation (USSF) affiliated teams. With its four Open Cup titles, Sounders FC is tied with the Chicago Fire FC for the most titles among MLS clubs. The tournament was suspended from 2020-2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kickoff is set for 7pm on Wednesday, May 11 at Starfire Sports.

Game will be streamed on ESPN+.

 

The NEXT era of Tacoma Defiance at Starfire

The recent shake-up on the Seahawks roster got you concerned? Never fear—there’s another professional sports team with a community of die hard fans ready to take you in. And did we mention it’s just around the block?

The Tacoma Defiance are gearing up for their 8th season as a professional American soccer team, coming off of their most successful run since the organization’s debut back in 2015. With roots in Tukwila, the Tacoma Defiance are the reserve team for Seattle Sounders FC that provide the surrounding community with an exciting alternative to tier 1 sports that’s far more accessible and affordable for the average attendee. Many Sounders stars got their start wearing the Defiance jersey, like Jordy Delem, Josh Atencio, and Danny Leyva.

The fan base has grown steadily over the years, sticking with the team through thick and thin, cheering on their favorite players at both Starfire and Cheney Stadium. Last season, Sam Adeniran took fans on quite a ride by breaking the team record for most goals in a single season, landing a total of 13. Now, the team is making headlines once again with their recent announcement to join the inaugural season of MLS NEXT Pro.

The newest professional men’s soccer league in the U.S. and Canada, MLS NEXT Pro is the missing link that completes a pathway to the pros for rising stars. The league is also a great way to invigorate communities and introduce the youth to healthy lifestyles. As a commitment to this initiative, ticket sales for all Tacoma Defiance matches held at Starfire for the 2022 season will benefit RAVE foundation—the official charitable arm of Seattle Sounders FC that uses soccer as a way to support local communities. 

The exciting new era begins this March as the Tacoma Defiance along with 20 other clubs battle it out to be the inaugural MLS NEXT Pro champs. 

A total of 10 games will be played at Starfire this year. Catch their first match March 27th vs. Real Monarchs at Starfire Sports Complex. 

View their upcoming schedule and buy tickets here

Tacoma Defiance MLS NEXT Pro League at Starfire

Catch the inaugural season of MLS NEXT Pro, a new professional men’s soccer league, right here at Starfire and cheer on our local club — the Tacoma Defiance. There will be a total of 10 matches this season at Starfire Stadium, between March 27 and September 18.

All tickets are just $15 and are available online in advance or at the door. Ticket sales directly benefit the RAVE Foundation, the official charitable arm of Seattle Sounders FC.

The schedule is designed to work alongside each club’s respective MLS team. Here’s the lineup of who’s coming to Starfire:

    • March 27 @ 12:00 pm – Tacoma Defiance vs. Real Monarchs
    • April 2 @ 7:00 pm – Tacoma Defiance vs. North Texas SC
    • April 17 @ 3:00 pm – Tacoma Defiance vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2
    • May 1 @ 3:00 pm – Tacoma Defiance vs. Houston Dynamo 2
    • May 15 @ 7:00 pm – Tacoma Defiance vs. Real Monarchs
    • June 18 @ 7:00 pm – Tacoma Defiance vs. Colorado Rapids 2
    • July 17 @ 7:00 pm – Tacoma Defiance vs. Minnesota United FC 2
    • July 30 @ 7:00 pm – Tacoma Defiance vs. St. Louis City 2
    • August 20 @ 7:00 pm – Tacoma Defiance vs. Sporting KC II
    • September 18 @ 4:00 pm – Tacoma Defiance vs. Timbers 2

2021 Seattle Sounders FC Rave Green 5K Run

On Sunday, September 19, join your fellow Sounders FC fans at the 2021 Seattle Sounders FC Rave Green Run. This 5K course through Tukwila’s trails, parks, and Starfire Sports Complex – the Sounders training ground ­– is flat, fast, and family-friendly. Finish line festivities include race awards, music, and giveaways. Dress in all your best Sounders gear and let’s run!

Former Sounder Zack Scott is running, can you beat him?

Register Today!

Regular Registration: August 2 – September 16, 2021
$35 per participant

Late Registration: September 17 – September 18, 2021
$45 per participant

Race Day Registration – September 19, 2021
$50 per participant

All proceeds from the Rave Green Run benefit RAVE Foundation, the official charitable arm of Seattle Sounders FC. RAVE Foundation builds small fields for free play and uses soccer as a vehicle to inspire youth and strengthen communities. Learn more at www.ravefoundation.org.