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From left to right, Jodi Ülkekul, Debbie Nelson and Erin Vaughan Last week, Eastside FC formally launched PlayHer Way, a long-term initiative focused on creating more opportunities, stronger experiences and clearer pathways for girls and women in soccer. Now, we are introducing the women who will lead the work. Debbie Nelson has been named Director of PlayHer Way, with Erin Vaughan and Jodi Ülkekul serving as Program Managers. Together, they will help shape the initiative’s p

Eastside FC is excited to introduce PlayHer Way, a new initiative focused on creating more opportunities, stronger experiences and clearer pathways for girls and women in soccer. PlayHer Way brings together work that has often happened separately: supporting female coaches and leaders, improving the everyday experience of girls in the game, introducing more girls to soccer, creating opportunities for mentorship and building stronger connections across teams, ages and communit

Eastside FC GU14 ECNL player Marta Odry has been selected to the US Youth Futsal International Team, earning an opportunity to compete in Lisbon, Portugal, this winter. Scheduled for December 27, 2026, through January 4, 2027, the trip will include three international matches, training with US Youth Futsal coaches and opportunities to visit and train with local futsal clubs. Team activities and an excursion day will also give players time to build friendships and experience t

The GU16 ECNL striker shares her journey to Switzerland’s U16 Women’s National Team—and the personal meaning behind her first international goals. When Jenny Reuter steps onto the field for Switzerland, she is representing more than a country on her passport. She is playing for the country where she was born, where her extended family lives, and where her connection to soccer now includes two international goals. The Eastside FC GU16 ECNL striker scored both goals in her seco

Over the past year, the Eastside FC Board of Directors has been evaluating the leadership structure needed to support the club’s continued growth and long-term future. Today, we are pleased to share the outcome of that work: a new executive leadership structure designed to provide Eastside FC with greater organizational capacity, clearer areas of responsibility, and stronger support for our players, families, coaches, and staff. As part of this structure, Chance Fry wil

On a sunny Sunday afternoon at Preston Park, 116 girls came together for something simple: an afternoon of soccer, connection and fun. It was the first-ever PlayHer Way afternoon, and the first step in Eastside FC’s growing effort to create more opportunities for girls to play, connect, grow and see women and older girls leading the way. Our youngest players kicked off the afternoon during the first session, with girls as young as four taking the field. An even larger group f

Come join us for an afternoon of free girls soccer, fun and togetherness. At Eastside FC, we want to see more girls playing soccer and more women coaching the game. One of the best ways to do that is to create fun, welcoming opportunities for girls to experience soccer, bring a friend, meet other players, and simply enjoy being on the field. Our PlayHer Way afternoons are part of a broader initiative focused on growing the girls’ game, not just at Eastside, but throughout our

Join us on Sunday, November 1st at 2 PM for a special Eastside FC & Mercer Island FC Club Night with Seattle Reign FC at Lumen Field. The Reign will take on the Orlando Pride, featuring legendary Brazilian star Marta, one of the greatest players in women's soccer history. As we look ahead to next summer's Women's World Cup in Brazil, this is a fantastic opportunity for our players to watch the highest level of the women's game and be inspired by some of the world's best playe

As the summer of 2026 winds down, we offer a huge congratulations to BU16 ECNL and Coach Shaun Spencer for taking top honors at the prestigious Man City Cup in San Diego this past weekend. Eastside was well represented nationally, with 11 teams competing across three premier tournaments, continuing to showcase the depth and quality of our club at the highest levels of youth soccer. Alongside BU16 ECNL, four more EFC ECNL teams were competing in California, with BU19 ECNL putt

Eastside FC is proud to celebrate the successful completion of its 2026 Coaching Internship Program, continuing its commitment to developing the next generation of coaches through hands-on learning, mentorship, and meaningful experiences both on and off the field. This summer, six interns participated in the program, working alongside coaches across a variety of age groups and competitive levels. The program provides aspiring coaches with a unique opportunity to gain experien

For boys, the college recruiting process often develops later than it does for girls. That can be confusing—and sometimes stressful—especially when families see girls in the same graduating class receiving offers or making commitments while boys are still building lists, attending events and waiting for conversations to become more serious. In most cases, that does not mean a player is behind. The boys’ recruiting market simply works differently. Physical development continue

From left to right: Jodi Ülkekul, Amiah Armstead and Natalie Gram Three members of the Eastside FC family are national champions. Current GU19 ECNL players Natalie Gram and Amiah Armstead, along with Eastside FC coach Jodi Ülkekul, helped Salmon Bay FC capture the 2026 USL W League National Championship, defeating Vermont Green FC in a dramatic penalty shootout after the teams battled to a 1-1 draw through 120 minutes. The championship capped an unforgettable postseason run i

Most players and parents think college recruiting comes down to two things: Performance on the field Grades in the classroom Those two factors absolutely matter. If a player cannot compete at the required level or meet a school's academic standards, the recruiting process usually ends there. But once coaches have identified a group of talented players with strong academics, the evaluation becomes much deeper. College coaches are making a four-year investment (now five years)

This is part three is a series exploring the 2013 Eastside FC G98 Red national championship team. From the defining moment, to the people behind it, to the culture it helped shape, each part traces how one team came to influence everything that followed. There are youth teams that win championships because they peak at the right moment, when talent, schedule, and circumstance briefly align in their favor. And then there are teams that win because something more durable had ta

This Spring marks the beginning of a new cycle for Eastside FC, as teams take the field in our latest match and training kits following tryouts. Designed for a two-year run, this kit represents both continuity and evolution across the club. Built on the adidas Tiro 26 Competition platform, the kits bring a modern, performance-driven look to every age group. On matchdays, boys will wear navy on the road and white at home, while girls will wear red on the road and white at home

A Reflection by Sophie Butterfield Being on G98 Red was the most prominent experience of my youth development. I was on the team from the Developmental Program (U10 at the time) all the way through U18/U19 and went on to play at Western Washington University. Four state titles, three regional titles, and one national title later, I can confidently say that soccer was only a fraction of the skills I learned from my coaches, teammates, and the Eastside FC community. I also rea

This is part two in a three-part series exploring the 2013 Eastside FC G98 Red national championship team. From the defining moment, to the people behind it, to the culture it helped shape, each part traces how one team came to influence everything that followed. As part of our recent brand update in February, we made a small but meaningful change to the Eastside FC crest. The championship star that previously sat within the badge is now positioned above it in a more visible

This is a three-part series exploring the 2013 Eastside FC G98 Red national championship team. From the defining moment, to the people behind it, to the culture it helped shape, each part traces how one team came to influence everything that followed. Nearly 13 years have passed, and the 2013 U14 U.S. Youth Soccer National Championship still sits in Eastside FC’s collective memory the way certain games do in a club’s history, not as nostalgia, but as a reference point. A benc

Eastside FC is excited to announce the addition of accomplished coach and former international player Erin Vaughan to its coaching staff. Vaughan joins the club after most recently serving with Washington Surf, bringing more than two decades of coaching experience and a high-level playing background in both England and internationally with Wales. A former Aston Villa Ladies player and Wales international, Vaughan has built a strong reputation in the Pacific Northwest for deve

At Eastside FC, progress isn’t always linear—but it’s always earned. For Carlos Hernandez, the journey from the lower divisions to ECNL wasn’t about shortcuts. It was about belief, work, and the willingness to step outside his comfort zone. Carlos, 13, now anchors the midfield as a defensive midfielder for the B12 ECNL team under Coach Tariq Walcott. He plays the six—a position built on discipline, awareness, and grit. It’s a role that doesn’t always make headlines, but it wi

Sustained success in youth soccer is rare. Sustained excellence is even rarer. This year, our G10 ECNL team achieved something remarkable—winning the ECNL Northwest Conference for the fourth consecutive season. Four years. Four titles. One standard. At the center of it all is Coach Anderson “Xinho” Prestes, who has led this group since the start of their ECNL journey. Over those four years, he has helped shape a talented roster into a consistently high-performing team defined

Eastside FC is proud to announce an exciting next step in the club’s player pathway: beginning in the 2026–27 season, our top U11 and U12 teams will compete in the Elite Clubs National League Pre-ECNL Northwest. This newly launched conference within the Pre-ECNL brings together leading clubs across Washington to create a more aligned and competitive development environment at the youngest ages of the ECNL pathway. The Pre-ECNL Northwest will feature many of the region’s top c

At just 16 years old, Riley Borman’s journey through Eastside is a clear example of what steady development and readiness can look like when opportunity shows up. A striker and winger for the newly formed BU17 ECNL team, Riley doesn’t overcomplicate why he plays the game. For him, it’s about the experience and the people around him—the memories built with friends through competition, training, and shared moments on and off the field. That simple foundation has shaped a player

There are moments in a club’s calendar that feel bigger than a game or a single season. Yesterday at Preston was one of those moments. On an unseasonably warm spring afternoon, with temperatures in the 70s and the sun out across a packed complex, Eastside FC came together for a tradition that reflects who we are and what we value. It was time to honor our graduating senior girls. Our G07/08 ECNL group, led by Coach Mark Kovats , and our G07/08 ECNL RL team, led by Coach Han