Seattle Storm (soccer)

American soccer team
the WNBA basketball team of the same name

Football Club Seattle Storm, also known as the F. C. Seattle Storm, was an American soccer team based in Seattle, Washington. F. C. Seattle was a "super club" created to provide Seattle players an opportunity to play at a higher level than the local recreational and semi pro leagues. In addition to playing exhibition matches against top international teams, F. C. Seattle was a member of the short lived Western Soccer Alliance, was a founding member of the American Professional Soccer League and later spent three seasons in the Pacific Coast Soccer League.

In 1984, F. C. Seattle hosted the F. C. Seattle Challenge '84. This series pitted F. C. Seattle against three NASL teams, the Vancouver Whitecaps (2–2 tie), Minnesota Strikers (0–3 loss), New York Cosmos (1–2 loss), as well as the 1984 U. S. Olympic Team. For this challenge cup, the team filled its roster from local colleges, high schools and semi pro teams. However, five F. C. Seattle players had previous professional experience: Jack Brand, Jerry Cameron, Eddie Krueger, Joe James and Robbie Zipp. The team was coached by former Sounders player Tom Jenkins and played its games in Seattle's Memorial Stadium. The series averaged just over six thousand fans per game. At the end of it, NASL officials approached F. C. Seattle about entering the NASL for the 1985 season. F. C. Seattle declined, noting that most NASL teams hemorrhaged money. The club's backers, including owner Bud Greer, preferred to keep it on a semi professional basis and develop players while building a fanbase for a future professional team.

In 1985, F. C. Seattle joined with three other independent "super clubs", F. C. Portland, San Jose Earthquakes and Victoria Riptides, to create the Western Alliance Challenge Series. This series came in response to the cancellation of games F. C. Seattle had scheduled against English teams West Bromwich Albion and Aston Villa. In June, FIFA had banned English clubs from travelling for international games after Liverpool fans sparked massive deaths in fan violence in Belgium. F. C. Portland hosted F. C. Seattle for the first game of the series, a game F. C. Seattle won on the strength of a Bruce Raney hat trick. Other significant F. C. Seattle players included Jeff Durgan, the Schmetzer brothers Andy, Brian and Walter, and Peter Hattrup. However, Bruce Rioch, who had replaced Jack Brand as head coach in February, released Durgan from the team after he was ejected for making several flagrant fouls in the game against the Canada national team in July.

In 1986, three of the four teams from 1985, decided to form the Western Soccer Alliance. Only Victoria declined to join the new alliance, but they were replaced by the Edmonton Brick Men. In 1987, the WSA instituted a two game post season playoff series. F. C. Seattle, which finished second in alliance standings, lost 3–0 to the San Jose Earthquakes in the wild card game. Up to now F. C. Seattle had also been known as the F. C. Seattle Storm. In 1988, the team officially dropped the F. C. and became the Seattle Storm. However, they were still referred to as the F. C. Seattle Storm throughout the season and the new name was not widely used until the 1989 season. The 1988 season was one of the most successful for the Storm when it cruised to the top of the regular season standings, then crushed the Earthquakes 5–0 in the championship game. In 1989, the Storm failed to build on its previous year's success and finished out of playoff contention. As a side note, the WSA changed its name to the Western Soccer League.

In 1990, the Storm, along with the rest of the WSL merged with the American Soccer League to form the American Professional Soccer League. They would play in the North Division of the WSL Conference, which comprised all teams from the former WSL. Despite Chance Fry leading the league with 17 goals and 5 assists, the Storm finished last in the North Division of the West Conference. Following the season, Greer announced his intention to have the Storm sit out the 1991 season. However, in February 1992, he decided to fold the team.

In December 1992, Stuart Lee bought the rights to the team and entered it in the amateur Pacific Coast Soccer League. The team competed through the 1995 season then withdrew from senior competitions. It continues to operate as a local soccer club with boys and girls teams in all age competitions.

YearTeam NameLeagueReg. SeasonPlayoffsOpen Cup1985F. C. SeattleWSA3rdNo playoffsDid not enter1986F. C. SeattleWSA3rdNo playoffsDid not enter1987F. C. Seattle StormWSA2ndWild CardDid not enter1988Seattle StormWSA1stChampionDid not enter1989Seattle StormWSL3rd, NorthDid not qualifyDid not enter1990Seattle StormAPSL5th, WSL NorthDid not qualifyDid not enter1993F. C. Seattle StormPCSLDid not enter1994F. C. Seattle StormPCSLDid not enter1995F. C. Seattle StormPCSL8th Did not qualifyDid not enter

As an independent soccer team, F. C. Seattle original purpose was to play exhibition games. Even after the establishment of the Western Soccer Alliance, exhibition games remained one of the most significant elements of the team's seasons.