THE CLUB HISTORY

Over the last decade, Northwest United has grown from a small select soccer club to a recognized 501c3 organization and full member of the Regional Club League of Washington Youth Soccer. Through years of growing pains, ups and downs, and setbacks, clear vision and leadership has kept us focused on providing a valuable service to the youth of our community. From humble beginnings training at various grass fields in Skagit County, to partnering with Skagit Valley College for our premier home turf field, we haven't lost sight of what drives us: the goal of providing opportunities and service to our community. We stand now as a premier soccer club, helping young athletes achieve their goals and providing fantastic experiences for their families. Our ability to stand ready for the future is the result of thousands of volunteer hours and hard work from both our volunteer and paid staff.

Recently, due to expanding job responsibilities and a relocation, Monico Garza, the long time president of the Northwest United board, stepped down. Monico's tireless drive and focus helped shepherd our club from a few teams competing in the NPSL and PSPL to over three dozen teams that serve a greater number of youth, and provide pathways for youth to achieve whatever soccer goals they have. His passion to ensure our club was different, by building a culture based on responsibility, respect, integrity, and top notch soccer, has helped build Northwest United from a group of kids playing soccer, to a place where young athletes develop holistically. His contributions to and insistence on seeking excellence will always be remembered. Thank you, Monico, for the many years and countless hours you gave to the youth of our community!

Additionally, Colonel Betz has also stepped down as the club treasurer, as additional, national responsibilities in his professional career required more of his time. Without Colonel's steady hand, the club would not have achieved 501c3 status, nor been able to make the financial contributions to Skagit Valley College for the turf field we call our home. Northwest United is forever indebted to his ability to make tough choices, champion sound recommendations, and focus our long term strategy on what is most important: the well being and development of our players and the experiences of their families. Thank you, Colonel, for your many dedicated years in laying a foundation on which we can build the next decade in our community!

In recent years, we've had other valuable board members make contributions to our club, including:
• Matt Youngsman, who worked on fostering great relationships with parents and our community.

• Mike Schleppy, whose passion has helped turn our annual Firecracker tournament into a premier event serving hundreds of high quality teams (he still serves as Tournament Director).

• Krista Hynds, who reached out to dozens of potential sponsors in our community and helped foster great relationships with local businesses, so critical to the mission of serving our community.

• Stacy Chapin, who brought great organization to our operations and scheduling when we needed to manage multiple fields in an ever-changing training environment.

Though these fantastic individuals no longer serve on the board, we want to thank them for their lasting contributions to our club.

Northwest United stands ready to face the next decade, built on a solid foundation to serve our community. Our paid staff continues to make incredible progress toward our vision. Without them, we wouldn't be where we are. With our Director of Coaching Kristian Powell, Boys Director of Coaching Conner Moe, Girls Director of Coaching Joana Michaelson, and Club Administrator Marcos Vega, we are confident in the direction they are helping take our club. These knowledgeable, dedicated individuals continue to forge our vision, with players and their families at the center of all we do, building on the growth and lessons from the past. We're grateful for them and excited for you as our community. Let's make it through these challenging times together!