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Every year SOCCER.COM compiles the best players from across the country for a once-in-a-lifetime trip to a location rich with soccer heritage. This year 16 boys and 16 girls will travel to Scotland where they will have the chance to immerse themselves with Celtic FC's academy coaches, test themselves against local opposition and enjoy cultural experiences such as live games, stadium tours and destination sightseeing. Natalie Gram from G08 ECNL has been selected to partake in this wonderful opportunity! Coach Xinho Prestes said of Natalie's selection, "I am so happy to hear that Natalie has been selected for this high-level soccer opportunity! This achievement is a testament to her exceptional talent, dedication, and hard work both on and off the field. I couldn't be prouder of her accomplishment and the recognition she has received for her outstanding qualities. As she participates on this exciting experience, I have no doubt that she will carry the spirit of Eastside FC with her. Her success reflects the values of teamwork, perseverance, and excellence that we continually reinforce to our players on a daily basis. I am sure Natalie will embrace this opportunity with confidence, knowing that she has the support of her teammates, coach, and everyone within our Eastside FC community." Congrats Natalie!

Charlie is one of 15 boys chosen to participate in the Eastside FC Leadership Academy program. Since September, he and his fellow peers have completed nearly 20 hours of learning in the classroom and on the field. On Friday night our young leaders hit the field with Eastside Coaches and the Friday night academy - with our youngest players just 4 years old. Charlie has made a positive impact with his presence on the field - young players look up to him, and he always has players engaged. Charlie has become a positive role model on the field and has been an asset to the Leadership program. I am sure he has inspired so many to continue their love for soccer. We hope Charlie continues to build on his coaching and leadership skills in the future.” Tell us a bit about why you were nominated as a Champion in Life? I was nominated by Claire Knocks, as a participant in the Eastside Leadership Academy. It was a great opportunity to work with the kids and grow their love and passion for the game while helping them grow fundamentally as well. What's your favorite quote? "Work hard in silence and let your success make the noise" – Neymar What do you love about playing soccer? I enjoy the hard work and the struggle to get better.  I appreciate the beauty of the game and when it is played right the harmony of everyone working together as one.  I share the passion people have for the game all around the world. Thank you for this recognition, it is an honor to play for Eastside FC.

Please join with the club to say farewell and good luck to our departing senior boys. Every February our older boys leave for their high school seasons with their next steps in life just on the horizon. This is an exciting time in their lives when many of them head off to college, sometimes leaving home for the first time. But, before they leave, we will give them a proper send-off at Preston Park. We have started a tradition where all the kids at training will form an “honor guard” tunnel, giving high fives and clapping them off the field one last time. Hopefully its not the final time as we encourage our alumni to come back and visit, possibly play for our U23 squad in the summer and, in some cases, join our coaching staff. We have many former EFC players on our staff and seeing them come full circle back to their club is very rewarding. Best wishes to the entire class of 2024 and THANK YOU for being a part of the history of Eastside FC!

Fifteen boys and fifteen girls were chosen from a very competitive pool to participate in this year's program. Our boys kicked off their programming last month and have already completed three on-the-field sessions and two classroom sessions where they have learned what it takes to be a leader as well as learning how to coach and interact with some of our youngest players. Make sure to say hello to our young leaders at Friday night academy. The girls will begin class in the Spring.

The following players from Eastside FC have been selected for their respective 2023 Olympic Development Program (ODP) West Regional rosters:

Sean Rash is an Eastside FC Alumni who recently graduated from the University of San Diego with a BA in Accounting and a minor in Psychology. We are thrilled that Sean has found his way back to Eastside as a coaching intern and GK trainer. Sean has incredible enthusiasm for the game and is driven to grow his coaching skillset. We sat down with Sean to hear more about his Eastside experience and how it helped form him into a Champion in Life. EFC: Tell us about what you are currently doing? SR: I just graduated college and am now helping out with the EFC goalkeeper program both at Preston and Eastside Bellevue. I am also starting to help out with the accounting for my parents' business. EFC: What age did you join Eastside FC and what team were you on? SR:I joined Eastside in 2008, playing for Jake Savette on the U8 Grey team. Over the years, I also played for Kyle Tatro, Mark Kovats, David Wharton, and Milan Ivanovic. EFC: What were some team and personal accomplishments during your time at EFC? SR:We were State Champions twice! The second time, the final was my first time back on the field following a long recovery from a torn meniscus. I was able to save a penalty in that final match for the win. Also, in my junior year at Redmond High School, we finished 3rd in the State tournament. EFC: Please share a favorite memory or two from your time at EFC. SR:A lot of my favorite memories from Eastside come from the coaches and players within the GK program. I also really enjoyed our traveling tournaments especially to San Diego and Bend. EFC: What was the highlight of playing college soccer and what did you enjoy most about it? SR:I played for the University of San Diego Club soccer team and am beyond grateful for that experience. Although I didn't play for an NCAA affiliated team, the connections I was able to build and opportunities to continue to play at a high level were great. I was fortunate enough to be the captain for a year and half and run the club. EFC: How did EFC help prepare you for college and life beyond? SR:Having the support of different coaches at the club and my teammates was the best preparation for moving on. As players, we were all going through that experience together even though we were headed to different places with different concerns like moving out of state, where we were going to play, who we would meet etc. EFC: Did you learn anything impactful about balance and rest over the course of your athletic career? How has this affected your life and success? SR:I learned the most about balance over my career and it really revolves around all aspects of life. You have to balance your time and you should only commit time and effort into something you truly enjoy doing. or if it takes you to a path that is your passion. Forcing effort and time into activities only leads to burnout and exhaustion. EFC: What advice would you give to our current Eastside players? SR:For the future, do whatever leads you to continue enjoyment of the game. Whether that is getting recruited and playing in college, playing for many of the great club programs at colleges, or just pick up games on weekends. Do whatever leads you to continued happiness for the sport of soccer. Such sound wisdom, well-earned and articulated! We are proud to announce that Sean just obtained his USSF grassroots 9v9 and 11v11 coaching certificates and is pursuing his USSF D coaching license. We are lucky to have Sean back at Eastside, growing as a coach and sharing his love of the game.

Along with one of our club sponsors, ProRoofing, our donation day was a huge success! Thank you for all rallying around this important chance to give back to our community and helping to continue to build Champions in Life. Thank you to all who participated and supported this cause. We gathered 1,659 pounds of non-perishable donations thanks to your help.

Benjamin Martin is an EFC alumni currently playing soccer for Pacific University’s men’s team. As a player, Ben was always the first to congratulate a teammate or offer encouragement during a difficult moment in the game. His relentless positive attitude and work ethic defined him and continue to be levers driving his success on and off the field. EFC: Tell us about what you are currently doing? BM: I am currently a freshman at Pacific University, with whom I am a part of the men’s soccer team. EFC: What age did you join Eastside FC and what team were you on? BM: I joined Eastside when I was in 4th grade, so around nine years old. I have been very fortunate to have played under some top coaches. Specifically U9 through U11 with Coach Kinoshita, 04 Red with Coach Andrew Dortch, Boys 04 DA/ECNL with Coach Tom Bialek, and Boys 03/04 ECNL with Coach Xinho. EFC: What were some team and personal accomplishments during your time at EFC? BM: With the Boys 04 DA we had the privilege to play in Idaho for the Far West Regional League tournament. With Coach Bialek we had an undefeated season. I was also a part of EPD for two years and played with Mount Si High School Varsity for three years. EFC: Please share a favorite memory or two from your time at EFC? BM: During the second year with Coach Bialek, we had a home game against PAC NW and ended up winning 6-1. Not only was it a great feeling to win by so much against one of our rivals but it also was a turning point for the rest of the season. Another notable memory was a tie away at Crossfire to secure an undefeated league season.Finally, during the season when the Far West Regional League was implemented for a season, we traveled to play Surf, where anything other than a win would send us to Idaho for a tournament. We ended up winning by 1-0, and I remember having one of the best defensive games with my center-back partner. EFC: What has been the highlight of playing in college thus far? BM: I just wrapped up my first fall season with Pacific, a tough year with results but it can only get better. One highlight was when I was employed as a winger against Whitworth. In the previous game, I was subbed in as a winger simply for defensive stability but in the following game (Whitworth) I was given the start. Since I have played as a defender my whole life, I couldn’t give up this opportunity to play forward. I had a total of three shots, all miraculously saved by the Whitworth keeper. Given this newfound confidence, in the following game against George Fox, I was able to put the ball in the back of the net. EFC: How did EFC help prepare you for college and life beyond? BM: College is an entirely different animal, everything I have experienced is vastly different from anything else. Everything was and is new to me every day. EFC gave me the platform to be able to play in college but also gave me the motivation and confidence to come into a new world and seize it. College soccer tests how much you love the sport and Eastside showed me how special it is. EFC: Did you learn anything impactful about balance and rest over the course of your athletic career? How has this affected your life and success? BM: Rest is just as important as training. Properly recovering after a game, practice, or any kind of training is extremely beneficial for you physically and mentally. Balancing soccer and life may be difficult at times but at the end of the day you aren’t just a soccer player, you need to understand how to take care of yourself and others.This will help you grow as an athlete and as an individual. EFC: What advice would you give to our current Eastside players? BM: Enjoy the sport to the fullest, love it as much as possible, and continue to improve every day, with and without the ball. I do miss playing for this club, it was a large chunk of my life. But for right now don’t worry about the time you have left, worry about today and maybe even tomorrow. Most importantly, make sure you are playing this sport for the right reasons. EFC: Do you have any thoughts or ideas that could help us take EFC to another level? BM: I suppose understanding that every player is different, therefore, communicationis different too. Accepting that isa big step in helping a player improve. I began to appreciate one on one talks with coaches. I would say continue encourage those interactions while offering a positive environment that focuses on improvement as a player and a person since that is vital for the success of the player and the team. Keep an eye out for Ben at Preston this summer as he is one of our coaching interns! After learning a bit about him here, it’s clear that any Eastside player lucky enough to work with him on the field will gain an incredible role model. As Andrew Dortch shared, “Ben was an extremely thoughtful player and teammate who was eager to give his all for the team and club. When I think about the people our club hopes to produce, I think of Ben as an example.”

We recently caught up with Saif Kerawala, who was not only an amazing goalkeeper for Eastside and the UW, but also played professionally. As Chance Fry shared, “Saif is one of those fantastic people who has come through the club that you are super proud to represent EFC. He would look you straight in the eye and was one of the most respectful, nice kids at the club.” Read on to learn more about how Saif became an Eastside Champion in Life and what he is up to today. EFC: Tell us about what you are currently doing. SK: I work in software sales as an Account Executive for a Series A startup called Release. EFC: When did you join Eastside and what team were you on? SK: I joined when I was 12 or 13, playing over the years for Dan Bubar, Michael Smith, Tom Bialek, Tom Bunnell, Mark Kovats, Andrew Dortch, and Kyle Tatro EFC: What were some memorable accomplishments during your time at EFC? SK: In 2014, we won the U17 State Cup in a PK shoot out. Our high school team won the KingCo championship in my junior year. I was the team captain for both teams. EFC: What were some highlights of playing in college and professionally? SK: Playing at the collegiate and professional levels was a wild dream of mine for the longest time. Eastside fosters an environment in which wild dreams are made possible. While it was some of the most physically and emotionally challenging years of my life, playing at that level was exceedingly rewarding in all facets of life and has shaped me into the person I am today. The work ethic, strong mentality, and discipline required to play at those levels serves you well in life. My highlight of college soccer was winning the championship at an international tournament in Sao Paolo, Brazil. These were my first six games back after back surgery and we went on to win it all. The best part about college soccer is the friends you make for life and how much your discipline and attitude are later valued in the workforce. EFC: How did EFC help prepare you for college and life beyond? SK: My coaches at EFC were some of the most influential people in my life. The disciplined practices, culture of togetherness, and emphasis on being a good person off the pitch, all had a huge impact on my ability to make it to the collegiate level and have shaped my personality and perspective today. EFC: Did you learn anything impactful about balance and rest over the course of your athletic career? How has this affected your life and success? SK: While training at the highest level is crucial, finding balance, rest, and active recovery over the course of an athletic career is also pivotal for an athlete's physical and mental health. Not only can it prevent injury and reduce stress/fatigue, but it also allows athletes to perform at their best and reach their full potential, both in training and competition. Overall, prioritizing balance, rest, and active recovery can lead to sustained success and longevity in sports. EFC: What advice would you give to our current Eastside players? SK: Use soccer as a compliment to your school. Understand that while soccer is a beautiful game and a great vehicle to achieve your goals, (whether you play collegiately, etc., or not), there is so much to learn as an athlete playing at EFC that is incredibly valuable, although you may not realize it today. Continue to prioritize your education, be a great teammate, and show up to give 100% every day, and your future self will thank you. Thank you, Saif, for sharing your story and for your inspiration as a role model to our young Eastside athletes today!

Grace McKenzie is the kind of committed, inspiring athlete and teammate that makes you want to go the extra mile. You can be sure that if your coach tells you to run one more sprint, Grace will be first to the line. A relentless defender, Grace could chase anyone down and excelled at stepping up in key moments of the game. Grace played with a look of determination that would make any forward give up the ball, but if a teammate needed support, her ever-ready smile would flash in an instant. Read on to learn about what Grace is up to these days. EFC: Tell us about what you are currently doing? GM: I am a sophomore at the University of Washington, pursuing a business degree at the Foster School of Business. Go Dawgs! EFC: When did you join Eastside and what team were you on? GM: After hopping around club teams, I joined EFC when I was 13 and played until I was 18. I started on the G03 White team with Emily Cole for about half a season, then was pulled up to the Red team with Xhino and following Mark Kovats! Once Eastside joined ECNL, I played the rest of my years in that league. EFC: What were some team and personal accomplishments during your time at EFC? GM: Throughout my four years at Cedarcrest High School, I was a captain in both my junior (first junior captain in history) and senior years. I was a 3x WESCO First Team Defender and a 3x Academic Champion, with a 4.0 unweighted GPA. The biggest individual accomplishment I received was ECNL 1st Team Defender of the Year at 18, as a center defender, playing for Mark Kovats. On the red team, we were 3x consecutive State Champions for our RCL League. We played for consecutive years at the regional tournament. EFC: Tell us something cool you have done or experienced during your collegiate years thus far. GM: At UW, I played on the Women’s Club Team for my freshmen year and have been a part of the Gamma Phi Beta sorority. I am now serving as the Chapter President, leading 100+ girls and dealing with all external affairs. How did EFC prepare you for college and life beyond? GM: I truly attest to experiencing EFC’s core values during the time I played for EFC. Not only was I surrounded by strong and empowering women, but I was also constantly pushed by my coaches to be a better individual on and off the field. My commitment, work ethic, and leadership skills all sparked from the competitive environment EFC instills. EFC cultivates a community-oriented vision that I continue to look for in school, in social aspects, and in the workplace. Incorporating the importance of a team mentality has brought me humility and passion for serving others! EFC: Did you learn anything impactful about balance and rest over the course of your athletic career? During my time at EFC, I was also playing high school soccer, basketball, and track. With many trials of physical and mental stress, I was quick to learn the importance of balance and rest. I was lucky enough to have very understanding coaches at EFC who supported my love for other sports. Their consistent reinforcement outside of soccer guided me in making those tough decisions to rest when I found I was super overworked. EFC: What advice would you give to our current Eastside players? GM: Unfortunately, my time at Eastside aligned with a lot of unexpected adversity in my personal life. However, every single time I stepped foot on the field, I was immediately uplifted by my team and coaches. The best advice I could give is to play with gratitude. It is an incredible opportunity to be part of such a passionate community and I wish I took the time to acknowledge the sacrifices my family made, the places I have been able to travel, the lifelong friendships I have forged, and the amazing experience it is to play soccer! Living in the moment is so true! Time really flies by. --- It's inspiring to hear how Grace is transforming lessons learned on the field into success in the classroom and beyond. In short, she made Eastside better, and we are proud to call her a Champion in Life. As Grace eloquently said “I am honored to be an alumna of Eastside and beyond proud of the loyalty of each player, coach, and family member dedicates to this club. We truly are a family.”

Paul Talens was a Champion in Life even before he became an Eastside alum. A leader by example on and off the field, he was always respectful to teammates, opponents, coaches and referees. Despite being a busy multi-sport athlete, Paul volunteered to help other EFC team trainings and was a referee during winter futsal leagues. Today, Paul runs for Gonzaga University, continuing to shine on the track and in the classroom as he pursues a challenging engineering degree. Read on to learn how Paul’s perspective has created the framework for his continued success. EFC: Tell us about what you are currently doing? PT: I am currently studying civil engineering and running cross country and track at Gonzaga University in Spokane. EFC: When did you join Eastside and what team were you on? PT: I joined Eastside FC in 2011 when I was 8 years old playing for Anderson “Xinho” Prestes on the Red team. I played in the midfield. EFC: What were some team and personal accomplishments during your time at EFC? PT: Playing for Xinho, we won the Labor Day Cup, Spring Starfire Classic and were state finalists, losing to my old Crossfire team. Over the years, we went on to win a few other tournaments around the area including the Far West Regional RCL crown in 2015. In 2016, coach Kovats took over and we won the Rainier Challenge and the Davis Legacy tournament. We also qualified for the National League Showcase held in North Carolina and Las Vegas. I was team captain for seven of my eight years at EFC and a starter every year. I was chosen to play in the Netherlands with Adidas Generation International in 2016. Playing amongst some of the best soccer players in the nation and meeting Ajax legends was an awesome experience! I only played High School soccer my sophomore year, but that was the best season in Mount Si HS history. We were nationally ranked and had a 17-2 record losing by one goal in the district and state championships. I made the All-KingCo 2nd team along with my fellow EFC teammate and Mount Si goalkeeper Colby Ramsey. Outside of soccer, I qualified for the state cross country championships all four years, placing 17th, and leading the team to a 6th place finish my junior year. EFC: Share a favorite memory from your time at EFC. PT: Some of my favorite memories were the team dinners where we would all meet up at someone’s house and enjoy quality time together. We always had good laughs and conversations and often played pick up in the backyard. Another funny and humbling memory was way back in my first couple of years at EFC we had the opportunity to play in the Albion Cup in California. The teams there were extremely competitive, and it was nice to get a taste of that real and passionate way of playing soccer that stuck with me throughout my club soccer career. EFC: How did EFC prepare you for college and life beyond? PT: EFC has significantly impacted my life in athletics and academics. Learning how to cooperate with a team in win-lose situations is something that has benefited my daily social skills in many ways. The commitment of playing for EFC growing up taught me necessary time management skills. Now in college I have a busy schedule and must be efficient with my time to plan and organize school, athletics, work, etc. Eastside was also a big part of building up my work ethic and competitiveness. These attributes are still applicable today with my involvement in NCAA athletics at Gonzaga. EFC: What advice would you give to our current Eastside players? PT: Whether you are on an ECNL, red, or blue team, take advantage of the experiences you have with your teammates. Those people you practice with 3+ days a week, share wins and losses with, and annoy in the hotel room of your travel trips could be your lifelong friends and part of your success! Playing soccer should be fun, competitive, and enjoyable; make the most of it. EFC: Did you learn anything impactful about balance and rest over the course of your athletic career? PT: I’ve definitely learned a lot about balance and rest during my soccer career and my current running career. During middle school and high school I participated in both school sports as well as club at EFC. Playing competitively at both these levels took a huge toll on my body and caused frequent moments of fatigue where I couldn’t perform at my highest level. Unfortunately, this continued into college as well during my freshman year where the increased mileage and increased stress in school caused injury throughout most of the indoor and outdoor track seasons. After lots of time to reflect, my coach taught me a super important mantra to keep in mind: “train to recover, instead of recovering to train.” Although this differs a bit to training for soccer, when trying to maximize your fitness and endurance it is still important to keep this idea in mind. --- It’s incredible to hear how Paul has consistently incorporated lessons from both his success and setbacks. As Coach Xinho said “Paul was an awesome player and tip top person. He was super focused on getting better and a true leader on the team when I coached him.” It’s clear to see that we can all learn from Paul’s commitment to personal improvement!