New grassroots soccer clubs are cropping up all over the place – this one is being grown in beautiful Sequim, Washington which is about two hours northwest of Seattle. Founder and community member Joost Besijn was kind enough to tell us all about his project, what it means to the community, and how newcomers North Pen FC will fit into the Western Washington Premier League in Spring 2020.

How long have you been thinking about starting NorthPen FC and is this your first foray into building a soccer organization?

I've been wanting to play at a higher and more organized level in the region since about 2018 but I started seriously considering it and working towards that goal in October 2019. This is my first foray into building a soccer organization but I do have experience as an event organizer.

What is the mission of the club? What are the essential needs in year one and what will be the markers of success?
The goal of the club this year is to establish ourselves and lay a solid foundation from which to build on in future years. This means building a relationship with the community, the sponsors, the league, and the various cities within our region. Additionally, year 1 will be all about building our team on and off the pitch, players as well as staff.

NorthPen FC’s badge really captures the majestic beauty of their surroundings on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State.

When you're staring fresh you get to pick all kinds of firsts; what led you to your badge design? What kit provider did you use and why? Did you look around the nearby leagues to decide on your aesthetic? If you could have any sponsor on your shirt, who would it be and why?

All the firsts are both exciting and a tad bit overwhelming. We had a friend of a friend design our badge and we were given our jersey design for free by SkadiSoccer, a designer from Canada who was mocking up drafts for us just for the fun of it. Our main sponsor is Henery Hardware from Port Townsend who will be on the front of our jersey. They are a great community focused store and without them this would not have been possible. Another sponsor is MS Floors from Port Angeles who is also community focused and they have been instrumental in helping us provide kits free of cost to our players.

Most teams in our region have some connection to youth soccer first, does NorthPen FC? If not, is that on a list of things to add in years to come?
We currently do not have a connection with youth soccer and I don't have that in mind for the future. There are many other clubs in the region who can provide that and I would not wish to wade into those waters as well. Northern Peninsula FC is unique in that it is an adult soccer club. I would like to explore the idea of a women's only, or at least a co-ed team though.

Skadi Soccer graciously designed and will be producing these totally original kits for NorthPenFC.

Soccer support is wild in the Pacific Northwest; many fans can simultaneously be MLS season ticket holders and also support their local sides. Are you actively seeking supporters? Is your business model dependent upon the sales of scarves and hats; how will you fund your team?

We are seeking supporters for sure; I think that is one of our main goals this first year. Luckily, we will not be entirely dependent on the sales of our merchandise or ticketing but it is something we hope to generate revenue from so that we can keep the costs at a minimum for our players as well as pay a fair stipend to the coaching staff.

Nationally, the grassroots soccer landscape is booming - do you see that and want to participate in the social media fun or is NorthPen FC more about just creating a place for the local players to get some footy in?
I was honestly not aware of the immense grassroots community out there! It has been great to see the level of support our social media accounts are getting and it makes me very excited to see where this will go!

For more information about the WWPL: https://westernwashingtonpremierleague.wordpress.com/

The Western Washington Premier League is headed into their second season in 2019. With this comes expansion and one of the teams joining the league is BeSea FC out of Bellevue, Washington. I had the chance to talk to the man who will be running the club, Eduardo Millán. As the head coach for both Highline High School and Bellevue College, Millán is already pulling double duty, but he is still excited for this new adventure. Check out my interview with him below!

Who’s idea was it to start the club?

Everything started with an email I received from the league a few months ago. The league was looking for teams to join their league and after giving it some thought, and discussing with my coaching staff and my family, I’ve decided to move forward with this idea.

What does BeSea mean?
The idea for BeSea FC came about after much thought, and many other names in between. I wanted a name that people could identify with, a name with personality and strength. What better than combining two of the biggest cities in the Northwest – Bellevue and Seattle? BeSea means to be powerful and fearless like the sea. To me it represents growth, evolution, dreams, competitiveness, all anchored down with deep rooted values and the highest standards possible.

When / How will you look for players?

The soccer community in the Northwest is well connected, and somehow we all know of each other. Our goal is to find collegiate players, alumni players, high school graduates, and anyone who is open to learn from one another and become a better soccer player and a better person. We are going to ask coaches to invite their players to our tryouts, we are going dive into social media (Facebook, and Twitter) looking for players, and obviously asking players to bring a friend or two to join the team – hopefully.

What made the club decide to join the WWPL?

The league seems to be very competitive and it has a good a vision of where it wants to go. In order to push our players and coaches to the next level, we need to compete with the best.

What will the club mean to the Bellevue community?

With time, we hope to be a well-known team in the area, not just because of the game itself, but also because of what we do off the field for our communities, for the youth and businesses in the area.

Do you guys plan to work with the community to help charities?

Absolutely! Our goal is to help and assist others whenever possible.

What is the best way for fans to get involved and/or following the club?

We are still working on the details for this. We need volunteers and people that want to see this project grow. We have many open opportunities for those great minds to come on board. We also hope to build strong partnerships with local businesses and companies that can help the project reach higher places.

What is BeSea FC’s main goal?

The goal is to provide players the opportunity to play soccer in a supportive and rewarding environment that emphasizes player development in a competitive way. We are an elite team looking for many talented players out there that go unseen, some may need a second opportunity; we want to expose as many of these players to colleges in the area or professional opportunities.

Do you already have an idea of how you guys want to play tactically?
We want to outnumber our opponent in key areas of the field, be able to move the ball with fluidity, and be efficient in the attack. All of these while giving the opposition the least amount of opportunities to score.

- Aarik Long