TACOMA, WA — (league release) The Western Indoor Soccer League (WISL) and the Tacoma Stars are excited to announce that the Stars will be a founding member of the new indoor soccer league. The club will return to its historic roots in the Tacoma Soccer Center.

“The Tacoma Stars name is one that many soccer people in Washington and even around the country have always held in high regard,” says Lane Smith, who will be majority owner of the Stars. “We are thrilled to be bringing that famous name back into competition and at the same time helping to start a league for fans, players and owners that understands and respects local indoor soccer culture and history.”

The Tacoma Stars of the WISL will proudly wear the colors and crest of the traditional Stars that first brought indoor excitement to the City of Destiny back in 1983. They will return to the Tacoma Soccer Center, a home for the club over the years since that time.

Unifying the Tacoma indoor soccer scene, the South Sound Shock will take their highly-regarded pool of players and stock the Stars roster. Tacoma will rally behind one cause, one team, the Stars.

“We were kids when the Stars of the MISL were really big,” says South Sound owner John Crouch. “We know what the name means, and as Tacomans first, we are happy to work with Lane Smith in bringing back the Stars.” Crouch will be an active presence with the Stars in ways that will be clarified at a later time. “The South Sound Shock name and brand will carry on outdoors in the Evergreen Premier League,” Crouch explains.

The Western Indoor Soccer League (WISL) was announced in June of 2014. The Tacoma Stars join the Wenatchee Fire, WSA Rapids, Arlington Aviators and a new Snohomish County club as the five members who have entered the WISL so far.

The WISL (it can be pronounced “whistle”) movement gained steam after the outdoor Evergreen Premier League made its debut this spring and summer as another outlet for owners and talented players. Several of the people and clubs involved in the successful launch of that grass-roots league are also involved with the creation of the WISL.

The league is committed to sustainability and using local indoor arenas as venues. “We want to build a community of indoor soccer hotbeds where players can compete and fans can support their local clubs from the stands during our sometimes long Northwest winters,” says Crouch. “It’s vital for us to make our league good business sense for owners of clubs and owners of arenas.”

Smith believes the Tacoma Stars are right where they belong. “We are excited to start helping our state and region build new traditions in indoor soccer in the WISL.”

Fans and players can join the development of the WISL and chart its progress online at www.WISLnews.com, www.Facebook.com/WISLnews and www.Twitter.com/WISLnews. Any questions from prospective owners, players or fans can be sent to WISLnews@gmail.com.