ECS FC Unveils 2016-2017 Uniforms

ECS FC is proud to announce that the club's new 2016-2017 kits will be manufactured by Diadora and will again be sponsored by our fanastic partners Redhook Brewing. These uniforms will replace our current Adidas uniforms starting in January 2016.

Sales will open to players and supporters on Friday, November 20th and the first run will last through Monday, December 14th. Those who purchase during this initial run will receive their kit by mid-January. For those unable to purchase in the initial run, uniforms will be available on a rolling basis throughout the next two years. However, the price will be lowest during the initial run.

Purchase a 2016-2017 ECS FC kit here

Along with the new uniforms being put up for sale, we want to use this opportunity to re-define our ECS FC kit policies:
- Players who have been playing with the club for multiple seasons and who are financially able will be expected to purchase their own uniforms starting in 2016. We have made a great effort to select an affordable but high-quality uniform. As part of our sponsorship, we will be able to provide sets of club-owned and -maintained spare uniform tops for subs and reserve players on each of our teams, to be collected an kept by individual team managers after each game. As such, we will be able to outfit all players in an ECS FC for every single match.
- We regret that we will be unable to offer payment plans for uniforms due to the large overhead of work that would create for our volunteers. We will need to put the onus on the players for saving up this cost, and in the meantime will be able to provide club-owned spare jerseys for use.
- Additionally, a few of our teams (mostly indoor) will be staying on the Adidas shirts for the time being or will have special arrangements for uniforms. Before purchasing your new ECS FC kit, please consult with your team manager to check if you have any special arrangements.
- Finally, we heard loud and clear from the Uniform Survey that folks are very particular about the shorts and socks that they prefer to wear. As such, we will generally allow players to forego purchase of the new Diadora socks and shorts provided that they wear their own PLAIN BLACK shorts and socks (white trim OK, but need to be black primary). This does mean that we prefer that our current blue-trimmed Adidas shorts be retired in favor of PLAIN BLACK shorts. All in all, we prefer players to buy the Diadora shorts but do want to offer another option due to the feedback received.

We are extremely excited to get started with our new uniforms and to begin a new chapter for our club!

Photos courtesy of Max Aquino Photography

ECS FC Wins Two of Three Matches vs Timbers Army FC, wins fifth-straight Supporters' Cup

Photo: Max Aquino

August 30th, 2015

TUKWILA, WA - Two years, two consecutive penalty shootouts to determine the winner of the Supporters' Cup between Emerald City Supporters FC and Timbers Army FC.

And make that two victory celebrations for ECS FC.

Proving that history loves to repeat itself, the ECS FC Men's I team retained the cup for the second-straight year by coming out victorious in penalties following the 1-1 regulation draw, capping ECS FC's two-to-one edge in the results of the day's matches at Starfire Stadium. Nate Brown opened the scoring in the first half for ECS FC, volleying home a flicked-on long throw. FC Portlandia of Timbers Army FC leveled the scoring immediately from the second-half kickoff, as Charlie Piehler chipped the goalkeeper from 50 yards out on a wonder goal.

As can often be the case in a Cascadia rivalry, the tense penalty shootout did not lack a bit of controversy. FC Portlandia goalkeeper Mike Krasser made three agile saves, only to have two of the saves negated for coming off the goal line prematurely. In the end, ECS FC's Seth Hespe made two vital stops of his own including the clinching save, leading ECS FC to a 4-2 shootout victory.

Also mimicking the 2014 results were the preceding Men's II and Women's matches. In the opening game of the day, ECS FC Men's II overcame a 2-0 second half deficit and rallied for a 3-2 victory over TAFC's North End United, led by a brace by James Hong. In the following match, Whipsaws FC of Timbers Army controlled the run of play en route to a 2-0 victory over the ECS FC Women, getting the opportunity to lift the brand-new Women's Supporters' Cup for the first time.

Despite the stormy weather which downed power lines and caused road closures in the Puget Sound region, over 200 fans and members of both clubs were in attendance for parts of the day's matches at Starfire Stadium, the home of Seattle Sounders in the US Open Cup as well as their USL-affiliate second team. Fortunately for all, the wind and rain which had hit earlier in the morning let up during the afternoon's games, holding off for just long enough before opening the heavens only minutes after the teams left the field.

Special guests were in no short supply on the day as well. Not only did Sounders legends Steve Zakuani, Roger Levesque, and Brian Schmetzer serve as honorary coaches for the ECS FC squads, but Sounders national anthem leader Dr. Stephen Newby also joined in to lead the crowd in the national anthem before the evening's title match.

Preceding the matches of the day were two very special events for youth players. La Barra Fuerza Verde's Copita kicked off the day's festivities, gathering youth teams to participate in a small-sided tournament on an accompanying Starfire field. Then, immediately preceding the kickoff of the Men's II match, Special Olympics teams of Washington and Oregon participated in their annual Exchange match, assisted by both the Seattle Sounders FC and Portland Timbers organizations.

For further recaps of the day's matches:

Supporters' Cup: ECS FC defeats FC Portlandia on Penalties to Win the Men's Supporters' Cup (Prost Amerika photo recap)

Supporters' Cup: Whipsaws FC Defeat ECS FC Women 2-0 to Retain Women's Supporters' Cup (Prost Amerika photo recap)

Supporters' Cup: ECS FC II Defeats North End United in Wild Second Half (Prost Amerika photo recap)

Men's II match photos (Casey Woodrum)

Women's match photos (Casey Woodrum)

MEN'S I TROPHY MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

Thanks to our friend and ECS member Scott Levy, ECS FC is proud to share a special edition of LevyFilms featuring highlights of the Men's I trophy match!

ECS FC vs. Timbers Army FC from LEVYfilms on Vimeo.

Supporters' Cup matches featured on ESPN National broadcast

Capping off the best supporters' derby series in America was a very special short feature during ESPN's pregame to the Sounders vs Timbers match on the day following the Supporters' Cup. Take a look!

ECS FC Announces 2015 Supporters' Cup Series

ECS FC is proud to announce that the 2015 Supporters’ Cup series between ECS FC and Timbers Army FC will take place on Saturday, August 29th. In honor of the “Decade of Dominance” and the 10th anniversary of the formation of the Emerald City Supporters, the matches will be held in Starfire Stadium, the home of Seattle Sounders in the US Open Cup as well as the Seattle Sounders 2.

The three matches will include Men’s I, Men’s II, and Women’s teams, with the Men’s II match kicking off at 2:00 PM, the Women’s match at 4:00 PM, and the Men’s I trophy match at 6:00 PM to wrap up the day. James Woollard and Hugo Garcia, the in-stadium voices of the Sounders and Sounders 2, will serve as PA and game announcers for the matches.

Preceding the Supporters’ Cup matches, La Barra Fuerza Verde will host its fourth annual La Copita youth tournament from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM on Starfire Sports Complex Field #2. Founded in 2012, La Copita is an invitational for local youth teams that focuses on building community, supporting our youth and celebrating the sport that brings us together. Supporters of ECS FC and their families are invited to arrive early for the Copita festivities.

For further information and news regarding the lead-in to the 2015 Supporters’ Cup, please visit ECSFC.com, twitter.com/ECS_FC, or facebook.com/ECSFC.

For highlights of the 2014 matches in Portland, check out the special edition of LEVYfilms “In the 18” featuring the Supporters’ Cup: https://vimeo.com/104451825.

ABOUT THE SUPPORTERS’ CUP:

Since 2010, the recreational amateur sporting clubs of the Emerald City Supporters (ECS) and the Timbers Army have faced off in annual games coinciding with a Sounders vs Timbers match on the same weekend. What began as a single match between the two groups in March of 2010 has grown into an annual event, rotating between host cities. The series expanded in 2012 to include men’s second team matches and again in 2014 to include a women’s match. Over 150 ECS members and Sounders fans attended the 2014 series in Portland, continuing a strong upward trend of increased attendance and participation.

ECS FC has dominated Timbers Army FC since 2010, going 5-2-1 in the entire series. In 2014, ECS FC continued the winning streak in dramatic fashion by winning two of three matches in penalty kicks and retaining the trophy. The results were triumphantly displayed at CenturyLink Field before the MLS match the next day to the delight of ECS members and Sounders fans.

Although the teams are composed solely of recreational soccer players, both supporters groups view these matches with utmost importance as they are playing not only for the pride of their home cities but also for the honor of their fellow supporters. Underlining the importance of this series, the winner of the men’s first team match will hoist the Champions’ Trophy introduced in 2013.

For the 2014 edition, a special episode of “In the 18” was produced by LEVYfilms, well-known for the “American Football” documentary featuring the Seattle Sounders. This short film featured action and highlights of the Supporters’ Cup, and can be seen here: https://vimeo.com/104451825

ABOUT LA COPITA:

La Copita is a youth invitational tournament hosted by La Barra Fuerza Verde which was founded on the principles of community-building, supporting our youth and youth teams, and celebrating the sport of soccer.

In 2012, La Barra Fuerza Verde hosted the inaugural La Copita youth tournament at the Golazo headquarters, then-located in Capitol Hill. The tournament had over 100 attendees and featured Fredy Montero as a special guest of the event.

In 2013, La Copita moved outdoors and was hosted at the Rainier Vista Boys and Girls Club. With seven team entries, there were approximately 100 youth participants and 200 attendees for the event.

The 2014 edition of La Copita was again hosted at Rainier Vista Boys and Girls Club, and hosted seven teams. Gonzalo Pineda of the Sounders was a special guest of the day and took the time to speak to the teams about his experiences as a professional and the importance of education. The tournament was documented by videographer and Barra member Jesus Velasquez, and the highlights of the day can be found here: https://vimeo.com/123020195

Unified Special Olympics Match to Precede Supporters' Cup

ECS FC is honored to announce that the Special Olympics Unified Exchange soccer match between teams from Washington and Oregon will precede the Supporters' Cup matches in Starfire Stadium on Saturday, August 29th. Kicking off at 12:00 noon, this 5 v 5 match will feature athletes both with and without intellectual disabilities playing alongside each other on the pitch. Similarly to the Supporters' Cup, the Special Olympics Unified Exchange matches are scheduled annually between teams from Special Olympics WA and Special Olympics OR in conjunction with a Cascadia Cup weekend. Saturday's match will be the second leg of the 2015 series, following leg one in Portland back in June. Matches are organized by Special Olympics WA/OR as well as the Seattle Sounders FC and Portland Timbers MLS organizations.

ECS FC is so glad to have this match taking place before the kickoff of the Supporters' Cup. ECS FC and Timbers Army FC play for pride and just a bit of bragging rights in the Cascadia rivalry, but these Unified athletes play toward an even bigger goal, which inspires us. Beyond that, one of the things that the Emerald City Supporters believes strongly in is "soccer for all," which emphasizes accessibility and inclusivity in watching, supporting, and playing soccer in the United States. We think there is no better match for "soccer for all" than what the Unified Special Olympics teams are doing with this exchange match, and we're honored to be following them on the field.

Schmetzer and Levesque to coach ECS FC in Supporters' Cup vs TAFC

ECS FC is proud to announce that Brian Schmetzer and Roger Levesque will join us as honorary coaches for the Supporters' Cup matches against Timbers Army FC on Saturday, August 29th. These two Sounders legends will join the ECS FC teams on the field and impart their wealth of experience in Cascadia derby matches!