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OLYMPIA, Wash. – The Oly Town Artesians are excited to announce that their men’s outdoor side has joined the USL League Two for the upcoming 2022 season. The Thurston County based soccer club will compete in the Northwest Division and joins fellow newcomer Ballard FC as the second Washington based club in the division.

“This move will positively impact so many parts of Thurston County from the soccer community to local businesses and the national exposure opportunity is endless,” said Oly Town FC Owner Ryan Perkins. “Olympia is wonderful in so many ways and can’t wait for our new soccer partners and guests to enjoy the city and region when they travel here to play our Oly Town Artesians.”

The Artesians were founded in 2014 by Brandon Sparks and Tim Smith as a men’s indoor soccer team playing in the inaugural season of the Western Indoor Soccer League. They added men’s outdoor soccer in 2017 when they joined the Evergreen Premier League and have played four seasons in the EPLWA. The club also operates a women’s indoor and outdoor teams playing in the Northwest Premier League. Oly Town was purchased by Perkins in 2021 and since formed an ownership group with local soccer coaches Matt Herrera and Jason Smith.

2021 Oly Town GK Sawyer Price

Oly Town FC taking the step up to the USL2 is the continuation of the vision the club was founded on.

“One of the reasons I pursued founding a club in Olympia originally was seeing DeAndre Yedlin and Jordan Morris, among others, play in town during an annual visit by the Sounders U23s and Timbers U23s, then of the PDL,” said Sparks, who stepped away from the club in 2021. “Having the new ownership and management group take the step to bring that same level of pre-professional soccer to the Olympia area is very exciting and I’m proud to see the club continue to grow.”

The Artesians will face five opponents they have never faced during the 2022 season as part of the Northwest Division: Ballard FC (Seattle, WA), Lane United (Eugene, OR), Oregon Valley Futbol Alliance (Albany, OR), Portland Timbers U23 (Salem, OR) and PDX FC (Portland, OR). Alumni of Lane United include Khiry Shelton (Sporting KC), Hassani Dotson (Minnesota United) and Oly Town indoor great Willie Spurr (Ontario Fury) and two Timbers U23 players were recently drafted in the top 25 of the MLS SuperDraft. Sixteen out of the first 27 picks in the MLS SuperDraft were alumni of USL2 teams.

“This is the next step in the evolution of local soccer – being nationally competitive and bringing great soccer minds to Oly Town FC,” Matt Herrera said. “USL2 coming to Olympia will provide new challenges like the Portland Timbers U23s and Ballard FC and we will see a different caliber of player and coach this region hasn’t seen before.”

Oly Town Midfield/Defender Collin Tate

“The exposure for Oly Town FC players will be incredible and we cannot wait to compete and grow in this USL expansion. The goal is to win the division and make dreams come true at the national tournament to get a berth to the US Open Cup. Imagine that: Oly Town FC versus the Seattle Sounders,” said Perkins.

Follow the Oly Town Artesians as they continue their indoor schedule and move outdoors later this spring by visiting www.olytownfc.com, following them on Twitter and liking them on Facebook.

A major thanks to Kasey Keller for wanting to be a part of this steppingstone for the Oly Town Artesians. 

THANK YOU for being a part of our Oly Town Community. We would not be able to do this without your help and continued support. #Path2Pro

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The Oly Town Artesians are the new focus for Ryan Perkins, Matthew Herrera and Jason Smith as the club formally announces change in ownership on the cusp of the first Western Indoor Soccer League (WISL) season since the pandemic canceled the women’s inaugural indoor season in early 2020.  The club offers both women’s and men’s WISL and Outdoor Premier League adult competition. Oly Town teams are comprised of NCAA players, transitioning professionals, and former collegiate athletes in a high level, competitive atmosphere. The Oly Town Artesians were one of the first to offer semi-professional soccer in the region, with the former Tumwater Pioneers’ inaugural season in 2014.
New Artesian Owners: Ryan Perkins and Matthew Herrera

“There have been Artesians Players that have played for professional teams, including the Portland Timbers, Seattle Sounders, Tacoma Stars and clubs overseas. Most come back for alumni games and exhibitions that we host for the community,” said Matt Herrera, part-owner of the Artesians. Herrera was part of the Oly Town club as a player, coach and director before he eventually stepped into his new ownership role.

From a strategic leadership perspective, Ryan Perkins is excited to set new, refreshed goals to position the club for success. “We want to develop a program that promotes soccer excellence and inspires local youth. Ground up approach. Winning is our top priority and we want to do that in a way that creates a fun, fantastic atmosphere for fans too.” Perkins believes that the foundation laid by the club’s original founder (Brandon Sparks) and former managing partners (Tim Smith, Tom Boatright, Tom Arndt) was crucial to this region’s adult soccer development.

“For years, players had to travel to Seattle for competitive soccer outside the collegiate ranks. Now that opportunity is here, minutes away in Olympia with the Artesians” remarked Perkins.

New Oly Town Owner: Jason Smith

Jason Smith, Varsity Head Soccer Coach at Shelton High School and youth soccer coach at Black Hills FC, is new to the club and brings a fresh outlook to the ownership team. Smith contributed to Oly Town as a Business Sponsor in 2021 (through his construction company, GGCW Renovations), but realized he had wanted to contribute on a greater scale this season, as an owner.

“I started playing soccer in the Thurston County youth programs 41 years ago.  I played for Tumwater High School and later at Tacoma Community College.  After high school and college I continued playing in many different adult leagues.  Soccer in this community has been such a big part of my life; I’m excited for this opportunity with the Artesians where hopefully I can give something back.” – Jason Smith.

Matt Herrera, who oversees the North Thurston High School Soccer program knows the soccer community well with a considerable local history playing both high school, club, collegiate and competitive adult soccer. Herrera was named Pac-9 League MVP in 2005 representing North Thurston High School. Herrera created the annual Austin Kelley Tournament for local soccer players to come together to play and donate to Austin Kelley’s Family, specifically Austin’s daughter. He and St Martin’s Soccer legend Austin Kelley were best friends and played the inaugural Artesians’ squad together before Kelley’s untimely passing in 2017.

Ryan Perkins, former Artesians goalkeeper, General Manager, and Partnership Director, comes from a mixed soccer and football background. Perkins played high-level youth soccer, traveling with the Seattle Sounders to German Bundesliga ID Recruitments and the Olympic Development Program. Perkins eventually accepted a football scholarship to the University of Washington and was the starting kicker for the Huskies. Now, Ryan Perkins is a Sales Executive for global healthcare firm Halyard, where he is responsible for business strategy and development in 7 western states.

All owners agree that the “Win Together, Win Often” mission statement is balanced by their vision: To cultivate community soccer excellence through opportunity, training and growth.

Matt Herrera, previously Head Coach of the Oly Town Artesians

The Western Indoor Soccer League kicks off the first week of November, with the Artesians Men’s team traveling to Snohomish November 6th. Artesians fans can expect the first home game at the Evergreen State College Pavilion on Saturday, November 20th!

The Oly Town women’s indoor team will have try-outs in early January to prepare for their WISL season which begins in February. Be on the lookout for schedule details this winter!

To learn more about the club and view game schedule, visit the Oly Town Artesians website.

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Artesians-for-Oly-Town-Button

OLYMPIA, Wash. – The Oly Town Artesians have teamed up with Integrated Solutions Group and Forma Construction to host “Artesians For Oly Town”, a metaphorical game to raise funds and provide more than 1,000 meals for Interfaith Works. The Artesians are aiming to break their single game attendance record during this “game” with a goal of 500 tickets sold and ISG and Forma will match the money raised from tickets with a donation of up to $5000. Fans can purchase tickets by heading to olytownfc.square.site.

Tickets for the “game” are $10 and purchasers will receive a ticket to a future Artesians game, fans who purchase 10 tickets will receive a scarf, and purchasers of 25 tickets and up will receive an Artesians jersey. Then, on Thursday, June 4th, Oly Town FC will host an all-day celebration of Olympia soccer on their social media pages and website including the rebroadcast of two of the team’s biggest games.

“We want to give something back to the Olympia community that supports us during this Coronavirus crisis and help out one of our favorite non-profits,” said Artesians Co-Founder and Director of Communications Brandon Sparks. “We also want to celebrate 10 seasons of Artesians soccer so what better way to do that than to attempt to break our single game attendance record and host an all-day celebration benefitting Interfaith Works.”

Well 80 Brewhouse in Downtown Olympia has committed to providing reduced cost meals to Interfaith Works that will be purchased with the funds from ticket sales and matching donations from ISG and Forma.

interfaith-works

Interfaith Works is “a non-profit association of faith communities and individuals of diverse faith traditions” that operates the Interfaith Works Emergency Overnight Shelter that has the mission to “advance the social inclusion and empowerment of the homeless through innovative practices of sheltering, mental health and emergency basic needs coordination.” Learn more about IW and their response to the Covid-19 crisis and their needs during this time by visiting their websites at www.interfaith-works.org and www.iwshelter.org.

Stay up to date with the Artesians as they celebrate ten seasons of soccer by visiting www.olytownfc.com, following them on Twitter at twitter.com/OlyTownFC, and liking them on Facebook at FB.com/OlyTownFC.