Western Indoor Soccer League (WISL) Preview Part II: Tacoma Stars Reserves
Two-time WISL league winners Tacoma Stars Reserves kick off the defense of their most recent title on Saturday, November 16th at home in the Tacoma Soccer Center (TSC). Visitors Snohomish Skyhawks look to exact some revenge after being outscored 26 to 7 over three matches, including a playoff semifinal which sent the Skyhawks home for the year. Historically, TSC has been quite good to Stars Reserves, who won the league’s inaugural season back in 2014-15 by going undefeated, including exhibition matches against out-of-league competition. In fact, Tacoma Stars Reserves carry a legacy of winning with them and represent the larger Stars programs which has existed, through a couple different iterations, since 1983.
Whether they were playing in the Premier Arena Soccer League, the Professional Arena Soccer League, the Major Arena Soccer League or the Western Indoor Soccer League, the Tacoma Stars have a pedigree of being, if not competitive, then at least very entertaining and have always drawn large crowds to matches. Currently, the Stars first team plays in the MASL while the Stars Reserves competes in the WISL. In looking forward to their first match of 2019-20, I reached out to John Crouch, the Commissioner of the Western Indoor Soccer League and VP of Operations for EPLWA, to tell us more about their rich history, systems of play, what similarities indoor has to the outdoor game, and how players can transition from the reserves to the first team.
The Tacoma Stars are one of the most recognizable indoor soccer teams, perhaps ever - how do you leverage that in a modern soccer landscape which includes the Timbers and Sounders? How do you continue to draw sizable crowds?
We run the WISL Tacoma Stars Reserve team (TSR) so we leverage the location of the iconic Tacoma Soccer Center and the grassroots environment and fun, fast paced game. A lot of the players are staples in the community and draw fans themselves. On the pro side, it's all about the excitement of the game, lots of goals, and always the kids love the fun in game activities like ball toss, jumbotron dance cams, etc. The pro game also is a great place for groups to do outings or celebrate accomplishments. The Tacoma Stars pro team has strong ties with local youth soccer teams that love to come watch the Stars. There is something to be said for the hometown hero and what that player can draw for the fanbase. The Tacoma Stars pro team would draw much stronger crowds if there were a venue to play in Tacoma proper and people could get to games easily.
Tacoma Soccer Center is home to both Stars Reserves as well as in town rival Tacoma Narrows FC.
Are you able to briefly describe the technical and tactical differences between arena soccer and full pitch soccer? Do the players transition well between the two, or are there certain players who manage one very well but the other, not so much?
Well first off, the walls and the size of the field in indoor are both limitations and tactic changers. Defending it's easier to mark players out or drop in and defend in a zone to disallow the penetration of the attack. Attacking can be different as well with strong service out of the back and sometimes almost blindly playing the ball into a target forward that can collect the ball, hold up and distribute or just be dangerous himself. Indoor formations are typically 2-2-1 (sometimes referred to as a 'house' formation with the target being the peak of the house shape) as employed by the Stars or 2-1-2. Comparatively, outdoor relies heavily on a lot of play in the middle of the field and players will for the most part occupy certain regions on the field where an indoor player could find himself anywhere around the field and usually making runs into the MF but not occupying it to open space for play to move into the area. This is a key difference.
Tacoma Stars pro have Nick Perera one of the best target forwards in the league so he is heavily utilized as described above. A good goalkeeper is key in indoor as they will see sometimes as many as 20+ shots a game and he must be able to play with his feet. Outdoor players don't always transition directly into indoor, defending techniques and making runs to create space or open passing lanes is a different style than outdoor. Indoor players sub, a lot, sometimes they will go as little as 1 hard minute on the field and sub with their line partner.
Tacoma Stars Reserves set up in a 2-2-1 “House”
I wouldn't say that one type of player manages indoor better than outdoor, but certain characteristics are key in indoor that might not be the same in outdoor. A defender can't hide from handling the ball in tight spaces and must be good with his feet as he will handle the ball often and will be needed to attack. Target forwards are key to many teams’ successes and require a specific type of forward. 2nd Forward or MF positions in indoor usually will be a player that has a lot of pace and wants to attack the goal facing it.
Passing in small spaces with creative running to open up space or passing lanes can create opportunities or overloads that lead to goals. Backdoor goals are very prevalent in indoor and a sign of good movement and usage of strong and creative tactics. Indoor teams at times will set a goal of scoring first or winning one quarter at a time, indoor is a game of runs and scoring first and keep the inertia is key as a game can be lost quickly and goals come fast. Like outdoor, scoring on set pieces is key and drawing up tricky plays to do this (like basketball) is always fun and great for the spectators. Indoor offers power plays where a team will have to send a player to the penalty box, these are key moments for the offense to take advantage of the 5 v 4 and teams that are strong in these situations also are using all advantages to win.
Winners in 2014-15 & 2018-19, Tacoma Stars Reserves aim to win the WISL title again in 2020.
After coming off a WISL championship, how do you balance which players make that squad versus ending up on the MASL team? Is it largely the same guys, is there guaranteed rotation, or are certain guys who never see one or the other squad? How does it work?
We hope that top level players in the WISL Stars Reserves squad will move on to the MASL Pro team, in fact we hope that top players on any WISL team will move on to support the Stars Pro. We believe we may see more of this with Perera's stronger engagement into the WISL team and with the 2 teams really forming a true 1st-Reserve team relationship, something that didn't happen much with previous management at the helm of the pro team.
Which players should we look out for in 2019-20? Will JJ Schmeck be back on the reserves to add to his 13 goals from last year or has he earned a call up?
JJ was training with the Pro team last year along with a few others. I don't have much inside knowledge to who is moving where but I'd say Eddie Na, Adrian Correa, Logan Jones, JJ Schmeck, Danny Minniti, Nate Ford and TSR captain Micah Wenzel have the best chance to move and support the pros this year off the top of my head. What Nick and Stars owner Lane Smith are doing to capitalize and integrate on the strength of the TSR side is going to be exciting for the upcoming MASL 2019-20 season around here. Fans would love to see nothing more than to see their local favorites playing in the big arena. Stars pro management see opportunity in developing young players because the culture of indoor (thanks to a long lineage dating back to the 80's of Tacoma Stars) is so strong and thriving!
- Joshua Duder
Snohomish Skyhawks, fellow co-founder of the WISL, look to bare their talons against last year’s champs, Tacoma Stars Reserves in Week-One action. Then they play host to Oly-Town Artesians for their second league fixture of the season.