YAKIMA, WA— Yakima United FC are underway with preparations for their 2015 season in the Evergreen Premier League even as the sport of soccer is making news with two field complexes under consideration in The Valley.



The Hoppers held open tryouts on March 14 at Wide Hollow Elementary School. The trialists who are called back will join with returning players for the first YUFC pre-season match, coming up Saturday March 21 when the Hoppers travel to Portland to take on NPSL side Portland Spartans at 6 PM at Buckman Field.

Soccer is front-page news right now in Yakima. For years the area has needed more soccer fields. Now it appears that not one but two efforts are underway to build a “Starfire-like” complex in The Valley. One would be located in Union Gap, the other in a plot of land that the city of Yakima would annex in.

Yakima United will watch with interest to see where the developments go and how the efforts proceed. The Hoppers are hopeful of one day having an indoor field for the winter and playing arena soccer in the Western Indoor Soccer League.

Outdoor is the focus for now, and YUFC will continue pre-season play when they travel to Spokane on March 28 to match up against the Gonzaga Bulldogs at 1 PM at Gonzaga Soccer Field.

The Hoppers will be back in Yakima on April 11 for a match against Alianza FC of Tri-Cities.

Yakima opens Evergreen Premier League play on Sunday April 26 in Yakima against Vancouver Victory FC.