Quad Cities clubs joining forces

Beginning this weekend, the top high-school-aged girls' soccer players from Lewiston, Clarkston, Moscow and Pullman will be joining forces.

The Quad Cities Fusion FC program will hold tryouts Saturday and Sunday at Smith Complex in the Lewiston Orchards. Organizers of the Fusion program, which is open to 15-to-18-year-old girls, plan on forming two or possibly three teams that will complete and train during the nine months outside of the high-school season.

The program is called Fusion since it's an amalgamation of the Valley Youth Soccer Association, Moscow United and the Pullman Soccer Club. Those clubs have all fielded their own high-school-aged girls' teams, but they haven't had great success.

"Most of our teams locally here really cannot compete at a state level," said Jim Kirk, who will be the head coach of the Fusion. "They'll go play in those tournaments, and really we're overmatched. But by combining alliances with Pullman and Moscow and here locally in the Lewiston-Clarkston area, we're able to provide a team that probably should compete."

Kirk also hopes that Fusion will provide players with the training and exposure necessary for landing a college scholarship.

"There are some kids who really want to play competitive soccer, and some kids even want to take it to the next level and play in college," he said. "We want to provide those girls with that opportunity."

Kirk and his family moved to Lewiston about three years ago from the Gig Harbor, Wash., area, and he noticed that area soccer teams weren't as competitive as they should be, given the players' raw talent.

Kirk, who has a "C" license in coaching from the United States Soccer Federation, got involved with VYSA after moving to the area, and last summer coached a team that won the River City Cup in Spokane in late July. Many of the players from that team played for the Clarkston High squad that advanced to the state tournament for the first time in school history this past fall.

The move to consolidate the girls' teams was partially inspired by the combination of the VYSA and Moscow boys' programs last year. That was a somewhat desperate move - both clubs found themselves short of high-school boys - and it led to the team winning the Director's Cup at a Boise tournament.

The individual clubs will continue to field their own youth teams, which draw plenty of players. But those numbers begin to thin when players reach high-school age, Kirk said.

The Fusion clubs will practice two or three times a week, play in six or seven tournaments a year, as well as two college showcase events, Kirk said. Athletes who play winter and spring high-school sports are still invited to join the program.

"We don't want to turn anybody away," Kirk said. "We want them to have the opportunity to play at any level they wish. This is also an opportunity to play at the highest level that is available."

Kirk said about the only concern he's heard is that some players want to be on teams with their friends. That won't necessarily be possible with an elite team.

After this weekend's tryouts, Kirk and other coaches will put together the Fusion teams' rosters. The new club's first competition will be in January.

"I think everybody clearly sees that there's a need to do something," Kirk said. "We're just providing the communities an option to continue playing club soccer."

NOTES - Fusion's tryouts will be Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon and 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., and Sunday from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Those trying out can pre-register at moscowunited.org.

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Baney may be contacted at mbaney@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2258.