| PDL Wolves link up with Crossfire |
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| on 02 Dec 2009 | |
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Wolves link up with Crossfire Monday, November 30, 2009 SEATTLE, WA -- The Seattle Wolves Football Club made a significant announcement regarding the direction of the organization. Effective immediately, all club operations will transition underneath the Crossfire Premier Soccer Club umbrella. This declaration comes following a highly successful inaugural campaign in the USL Premier Development League, as the Wolves posted an 11-4-3 overall record en route to a postseason appearance and the Northwest Division final. The evolving partnership with Crossfire underlines the Wolves' dedication to player development, as Crossfire is one of the premier youth organizations in North America. Based in Redmond, Crossfire is Washington State's only Nike Premier Club. The organization's origins can be traced back to 1968, and since that time the club has developed athletes for collegiate soccer, the US National Team, and ultimately professional careers in the United States and abroad. Similarly, the Seattle Wolves Football Club has bridged the gap between premier amateur footballers and top-flight professionals since the club's inception in 2002. The club has grown from its origins as a recreational side by rising through the lower divisions of American soccer to achieve ascendancy in the United Soccer Leagues. When asked about the club's transition to Crossfire, Seattle General Manager Andrew Opatkiewicz stated, "We are thrilled with this decision. Crossfire mirrors our own ambitions to truly develop the game from the ground up in this country, so in many ways becoming one with Crossfire is a natural progression." Indeed Seattle fielded numerous Crossfire Premier products in 2009 Premier Development League play. University of Michigan standouts Chris Blais and Alex Klein were strong contributors to the club's on-field success, as were Santa Clara's Brandon Zimmerman and UCLA's Fernando Monge. All of these players came from the Crossfire ranks, and the fans can expect to see this trend continue in the PDL come 2010. According to Opatkiewicz, "Crossfire was a valuable partner to the Seattle Wolves FC in 2009, and now that the two organizations are united, the implications of this relationship will only strengthen our prospects on the pitch." He continues, "The Crossfire players made an immense impact on our side in 2009, and I look forward to seeing these athletes train in the offseason along with other Crossfire additions." The club will now feature under the name Washington Crossfire, and the team will operate out of Crossfire Premier’s 60 Acres campus. Further details about this pivotal transition will be forthcoming, but for now all members of the organization are excited to begin a new chapter in the club's unique history. |
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