From MOD to Champions to Life Long Friends: A 12-Year Soccer Journey Comes to an End

The story actually begins even earlier for some of our players, who first became teammates at Sweet Pea Cottage before continuing their journey together through John Hay and Coe Elementary. These early bonds would prove instrumental in building the team chemistry that would define our success for years to come.

Our journey has been marked by evolution and growth. In 2017, the Tigers and Wolves merged, carrying forward the Wolves name. They joined forces with the Hornets in 2019, further strengthening our program. In 2021, we welcomed the Red Hawk’s team into our family, expanding our community even further.

One of our proudest moments came in 2018 when, after multiple nerve-wracking penalty shootouts throughout the tournament, we dominated the city finals with a decisive 3-0 victory over Ballard. But perhaps more meaningful than the trophies were the friendships forged along the way.

As other clubs' older teams began to dissolve, we opened our arms to players from Woodlands, Ballard, and – in a twist that would have once seemed unthinkable – even Magnolia! Our players dispersed to various high schools – Lincoln, Ballard, Bishop Blanchet, and Seattle Prep – but the soccer field remained their common ground, where they brought new friends to join our ever-growing family.

Even COVID-19 couldn't dampen our spirit. In fact, 2021 became one of our most memorable seasons, as three teams of different ages and genders transformed Big Howe into the unofficial "Social Club Queen Anne" every Wednesday. These sessions became a community gathering point, with friends regularly dropping by to join the fun (the presence of Coach Yarrow's U15 girls team that year might have had something to do with the increased attendance!).

As Seattle's youth soccer landscape evolved, we adapted, joining the WYS leagues and expanding our horizons beyond the city limits. Last season epitomized our competitive spirit when we won what we thought was a league-deciding final game. Though an administrative twist ultimately awarded the title elsewhere, our head-to-head victory over ‘champions’, Ballard, remained a sweet consolation.

Now, as we approach our final season together, we celebrate not just the victories and championships, but the incredible community we've built. From those early MOD league days to our current status as one of Seattle's longest-running youth soccer families, our journey has been about more than just soccer – it's been about building lasting friendships, showing resilience in the face of challenges, and creating memories that will last a lifetime.