College soccer: Pirates host pros, big schools at soccer extravaganza

The Peninsula men and women will join college teams representing the University of Washington, Seattle University and Saint Martin’s University, as well as professional clubs including the Kitsap Pumas and Victoria Highlanders, in the first annual Rumble in the Rainforest soccer exhibition extravaganza, set for April 27 at Sigmar Field at Peninsula College.

The event features seven soccer games, a car show, a children’s zone and food vendors.

Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for youths ages 9-15, free to children 8 and younger, or $30 for a family pass.

For those who can’t catch the action in person, watch it online for a $10 fee. See www.ciactionsports.com/peninsula_college/rumble.html.

The event is sponsored by Windermere Realty, State Farm Insurance, the Olympic Peninsula Boys & Girls Clubs, High Energy Metals, Gastro Pub, Togas, Olympic Medical Physicians, Peninsula Bottling Co., 7 Cedars Casino, Wilder Auto Center and Therapeutic Associates.

The teams

The Kitsap Pumas are an American professional soccer team based in Bremerton. Founded in 2008, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference. The Pumas are the 2011 PDL Champions.

The Victoria Highlanders FC is based in Victoria, British Columbia. The team plays in the USL Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. Highlanders FC players are Canadian CIS and NCAA Division I University and College players, Canadian U20 National Team Players, local Vancouver Island players and recruited players from around the world.

The Washington Huskies men’s soccer team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of the University of Washington. The team is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and plays in the top level of college soccer in America, NCAA DI.

Saint Martin’s teams participate in the NCAA’s Great Northwest Athletic Conference at the Division II level. In 2009, the men’s soccer team seized the first team title in any sport for Saint Martin’s University, winning the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

The Seattle Redhawks are the intercollegiate varsity athletic teams of Seattle University and compete in the Western Athletic Conference and are a NCAA DI program. Former PC standout player Miguel Gonzalez plays for them, and he will be back in action on Wally Sigmar field.

The Peninsula College Women and Men Pirates are the defending Northwest Athletic Association of Community College champions. They play their regular season in the fall and are allowed a short exhibition season each spring. The Pirate women and men each won 22 games last fall, tied one and lost one en route to becoming the first NWAACC double winner since 1999. It was the first NWAACC Championship in the history of women’s athletics at Peninsula College and the second for the Pirate men’s soccer team, who also won it in the fall of 2010.

Car show, Kids Zone and food

In between the world-class soccer games, there will be plenty more to do on campus. Soccer fans and car lovers are invited to visit the free car show, hosted by the Peninsula College Auto Shop and Wilder Auto.

For the children, there will be a special free Kids’ Zone, sponsored by the Boys & Girls Club of the Olympic Peninsula.

Everyone is invited to try out some great food and drink from the vendors who will be on hand to sell some real crowd-pleasers to the hungry and thirsty. Vendors include Toga’s Soup House, The Next Door Gastropub and the Pepsi wagon, which will be staffed by members of Port Angeles Youth Soccer serving soda, hot dogs and candy. No outside food or beverages are permitted.