VANCOUVER, WA — (September 4, 2013) The Evergreen Premier League (EPLWA) today announces that Vancouver, Washington has been chosen as the location for its 8th member soccer club. Vancouver Venom FC has been accepted into the new soccer league and will begin play in 2014 along with seven other teams. The Venom will be owned and operated by Barrett Goddard.

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“Having coached in the Vancouver and Clark County area for almost 20 years, I have gained a full appreciation for the soccer community here,” says Goddard. “Vancouver is a deep, soccer-rich town with a passion and developed knowledge for the game. There are some wonderful soccer players, coaches and soccer families in Clark County. I am excited to bring semi-pro soccer to the local soccer community to thank them for being so supportive to me and my family through soccer over the years.”

The Venom are in early discussions to play at McKenzie Stadium on the campus of Evergreen High School. The venue was recently upgraded with a new Field Turf playing surface and features two covered stands that can accommodate nearly 6,000 fans. The final “look” of VVFC is still under consideration. Currently the club is planning to wear some combination of Black, Powder Blue and White. A crest will be revealed at a later date.

“I grew up in the Seattle area and always knew MLS would be a huge success there,” says Goddard. “On a smaller scale, semi-pro soccer can be a huge success here in Vancouver. Our group will have an opportunity to create something special here with the Vancouver Venom.”

Goals are already lined up for the border-town club. “Getting the word out and making the team financially viable in the first few years are my two main concerns. It is going to take a local grass-roots effort to develop the proper fan base for this team.”

On the pitch, Goddard has a record of success as a coach and team developer. “Developing a player base that the local soccer community can embrace and support is both a challenge and a great opportunity,” he says of the task ahead. “I have experienced this a few times with club and high school teams I have coached here and they have been some of my greatest soccer experiences. I am excited to get that going with the new team!”

Goddard submitted a detailed operations plan to the league. The EPLWA Club Entrance Committee was impressed with the outline. “Picking the 8th club has been a challenge because so many good applicants went the extra mile to impress us,” says David Falk. “Vancouver’s bid through Goddard was the strongest in terms of business plan, soccer plan and community outreach plan. Having a team on the border with Portland, Oregon also opens up opportunities for players in a very large metro area.”

The Venom join Bellingham United FC, South Sound Shock FC (Tacoma), Wenatchee United FC, Seattle Stars FC (Tukwila), WestSound FC (Silverdale), FC Three Rivers Tri-Cities (Pasco) and the Spokane SC Shadow as the eight members who will kick off the inaugural semi-pro soccer season in the Evergreen Premier League in 2014.

Next up for the new league is continuing internal organization as club personnel, league founders, supporters and volunteers begin to fill the various committees that will run the state-wide competition.

Follow EPLWA news at www.EPLWA.com and www.Facebook.com/EvergreenPremierLeague.

Road Trip

The Venom will have a tour around the state of Washington in 2014. Here’s the mileage from Vancouver to the other EPLWA towns: Bellingham-254, Tacoma-133, Tukwila-156, Silverdale-168, Wenatchee-292, Pasco-221, Spokane-356.

About the EPLWA

The Evergreen Premier League is an elite adult men’s semi-pro soccer league for college and post-college age players to feature their skills on hometown clubs throughout the state of Washington. The league’s mission is to cultivate “football club” culture while providing opportunities for coaches, owners, supporters, players and towns to enjoy the sport and all of the community-building it can bring. The EPLWA will begin season play in May, 2014 and will be affiliated with the Washington Adult Soccer Association, the United States Adult Soccer Association and FIFA.