{"id":7352,"date":"2015-09-30T17:33:19","date_gmt":"2015-10-01T00:33:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/spiken.wpengine.com\/news\/tacoma-stars-add-former-seattle-sounder-steve-zaukuani-to-coaching-staff\/"},"modified":"2016-10-23T06:40:30","modified_gmt":"2016-10-23T13:40:30","slug":"tacoma-stars-add-former-seattle-sounder-steve-zaukuani-to-coaching-staff","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/sports\/tacoma-stars-add-former-seattle-sounder-steve-zaukuani-to-coaching-staff\/","title":{"rendered":"Tacoma Stars add former Seattle Sounder Steve Zaukuani to coaching staff"},"content":{"rendered":"

For the Reporter <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

T<\/strong>he<\/span> Tacoma<\/span> Stars<\/span> have hired <\/span>Steve<\/span> Zakuani<\/span> as<\/span> the<\/span> club\u2019s<\/span> assistant<\/span> coach<\/span> for<\/span> the<\/span> 2015-16<\/span> Major<\/span> Arena<\/span> Soccer<\/span> League<\/span> season.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cAdding<\/span> Steve<\/span> to<\/span> our<\/span> coaching<\/span> staff<\/span> is<\/span> incredible<\/span> for<\/span> the<\/span> young<\/span> players<\/span> looking<\/span> to<\/span> work<\/span> their<\/span> way<\/span> up<\/span> the<\/span> professional<\/span> playing<\/span> ladder,\u201d<\/span> said\u00a0Darren Sawatzky,\u00a0Stars<\/span> head<\/span> coach<\/span> and<\/span> general<\/span> manager<\/span>.<\/span> \u201cHe<\/span> brings<\/span> with<\/span> him<\/span> a<\/span> wealth<\/span> of<\/span> knowledge<\/span> and<\/span> experience<\/span> from<\/span> the<\/span> highest<\/span> level<\/span> you<\/span> only<\/span> gain<\/span> by<\/span> playing<\/span> there.<\/span> Considering<\/span> the<\/span> adversity<\/span> he<\/span> has<\/span> faced,<\/span> I<\/span> can<\/span> think<\/span> of<\/span> no<\/span> better<\/span> person<\/span> to<\/span> help<\/span> young<\/span> players<\/span> grow<\/span> as<\/span> men<\/span> and<\/span> young<\/span> professionals.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Zakuani,<\/span> 27,<\/span> has<\/span> established<\/span> himself<\/span> as<\/span> a<\/span> fundamental<\/span> part<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> sports<\/span> world<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> Pacific<\/span> Northwest<\/span> <\/span>since<\/span> being<\/span> drafted<\/span> by<\/span> the<\/span> Seattle<\/span> Sounders<\/span> as<\/span> the<\/span> first<\/span> pick<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> 2009<\/span> Major<\/span> League<\/span> Soccer<\/span> SuperDraft.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m<\/span> excited<\/span> to<\/span> continue<\/span> my<\/span> involvement<\/span> with<\/span> soccer<\/span> in<\/span> this<\/span> region,\u201d<\/span> Zakuani<\/span> said.<\/span> \u201cWorking<\/span> with<\/span> young<\/span> players<\/span> is<\/span> a<\/span> huge<\/span> passion<\/span> of<\/span> mine<\/span> and<\/span> this<\/span> is<\/span> a<\/span> great<\/span> chance<\/span> for<\/span> me<\/span> to<\/span> learn<\/span> from<\/span> Darren<\/span> in<\/span> a<\/span> professional<\/span> environment<\/span> as<\/span> I<\/span> try<\/span> to<\/span> give<\/span> back<\/span> to<\/span> a<\/span> sport<\/span> that<\/span> gave<\/span> me<\/span> so<\/span> much.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

After retiring\u00a0from<\/span> professional<\/span> soccer<\/span> in<\/span> October<\/span> <\/span>2014,<\/span> Zakuani<\/span> decided\u00a0to<\/span> pursue<\/span> his<\/span> career<\/span> in<\/span> coaching.<\/span> Joining<\/span> the<\/span> Stars<\/span> provides<\/span> Zakuani<\/span> with<\/span> the<\/span> opportunity<\/span> to<\/span> learn<\/span> under<\/span> Sawatzky,<\/span> who<\/span> established<\/span> and<\/span> ran<\/span> the<\/span> Sounders<\/span> FC<\/span> Academy<\/span> from<\/span> 2008-14.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cAs<\/span> someone<\/span> who<\/span> wants<\/span> to<\/span> one<\/span> day<\/span> work<\/span> with<\/span> young<\/span> players<\/span> on<\/span> a<\/span> day-to-day<\/span> basis,<\/span> this<\/span> is<\/span> a<\/span> great<\/span> opportunity<\/span> for<\/span> me<\/span> to<\/span> start<\/span> learning<\/span> some<\/span> valuable<\/span> lessons<\/span> in<\/span> a<\/span> great<\/span> setting,\u201d<\/span> Zakuani<\/span> said.<\/span> \u201cI<\/span> know<\/span> the<\/span> Stars<\/span> name<\/span> very<\/span> well,<\/span> as<\/span> does<\/span> the<\/span> whole<\/span> soccer<\/span> community<\/span> in<\/span> this<\/span> region,<\/span> so<\/span> it\u2019s<\/span> great<\/span> to<\/span> be<\/span> involved<\/span> with<\/span> the<\/span> organization<\/span> in<\/span> a<\/span> direct<\/span> way<\/span> now.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Since<\/span> stepping<\/span> off<\/span> the<\/span> field<\/span> as<\/span> a<\/span> player,<\/span> Zakuani<\/span> has<\/span> established<\/span> Kingdom<\/span> Hope,<\/span> a<\/span> charity<\/span> that<\/span> provides<\/span> scholarships<\/span> to<\/span> young<\/span> athletes<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> region.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cSteve<\/span> is<\/span> a<\/span> local<\/span> hero<\/span> in<\/span> a<\/span> lot<\/span> of<\/span> ways<\/span> –<\/span> through<\/span> his<\/span> work<\/span> as<\/span> a<\/span> player<\/span> with<\/span> Sounders<\/span> FC<\/span> and<\/span> with<\/span> the<\/span> young<\/span> people<\/span> he<\/span> has<\/span> reached<\/span> through<\/span> Kingdom<\/span> Hope,\u201d<\/span> Stars<\/span> owner<\/span> Lane<\/span> Smith<\/span> said.<\/span> \u201cHaving<\/span> someone<\/span> of<\/span> his<\/span> caliber<\/span> working<\/span> with<\/span> young<\/span> players<\/span> on<\/span> and<\/span> off<\/span> the<\/span> field<\/span> is<\/span> very<\/span> exciting<\/span> and<\/span> aligns<\/span> with<\/span> our<\/span> mission<\/span> here<\/span> at<\/span> the<\/span> Tacoma<\/span> Stars.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Zakuani<\/span> was<\/span> raised<\/span> in<\/span> London<\/span> and<\/span> spent<\/span> time<\/span> playing<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> Arsenal<\/span> Youth<\/span> Academy.<\/span> His<\/span> dedication<\/span> to<\/span> the<\/span> game<\/span> earned<\/span> him<\/span> a<\/span> scholarship<\/span> to<\/span> play<\/span> collegiately<\/span> at<\/span> Akron<\/span> University<\/span> under<\/span> current<\/span> Portland<\/span> Timbers<\/span> head<\/span> coach<\/span> Caleb<\/span> Porter.<\/span> After<\/span> scoring<\/span> 20<\/span> goals<\/span> and<\/span> tallying<\/span> seven<\/span> assists<\/span> during<\/span> his<\/span> sophomore<\/span> year<\/span> at<\/span> Akron<\/span> he<\/span> was<\/span> a<\/span> finalist<\/span> for<\/span> the<\/span> Hermann<\/span> Trophy,<\/span> awarded<\/span> annually<\/span> to<\/span> the<\/span> nation\u2019s<\/span> top<\/span> college<\/span> soccer<\/span> player.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The<\/span> Congolese<\/span> native<\/span> made<\/span> 80<\/span> appearances<\/span> and<\/span> scored<\/span> 17<\/span> goals<\/span> between<\/span> 2009-13<\/span> with<\/span> the<\/span> Sounders<\/span> before<\/span> moving<\/span> on<\/span> to<\/span> play<\/span> one<\/span> season<\/span> with<\/span> the<\/span> Portland<\/span> Timbers.\u00a0Zakuani retired due to <\/span>difficulties<\/span> recovering<\/span> from<\/span> injuries,<\/span> .<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Tacoma<\/span> continues<\/span> to<\/span> build<\/span> towards<\/span> the<\/span> 2015-16<\/span> season<\/span> and<\/span> strives<\/span> to<\/span> become<\/span> the<\/span> winter<\/span> destination<\/span> for<\/span> soccer<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> Pacific<\/span> Northwest.<\/span> The<\/span> Stars<\/span> season<\/span> begins<\/span> on<\/span> Oct.<\/span> 24<\/span> with<\/span> a<\/span> road<\/span> contest<\/span> against<\/span> the<\/span> Dallas<\/span> Sidekicks<\/span> and<\/span> will<\/span> feature<\/span> 10<\/span> home<\/span> games<\/span> played<\/span> at<\/span> the<\/span> ShoWare<\/span> Center<\/span> in<\/span> Kent<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

For more information, visit T<\/span>acomastars.com.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Tacoma Stars have hired Steve Zakuani as the club\u2019s assistant coach for the 2015-16 Major Arena Soccer League season.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":106,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"yst_prominent_words":[],"class_list":["post-7352","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7352"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/106"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7352"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7352\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7352"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7352"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7352"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=7352"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}