West Seattle, Washington
06 Saturday
(WSB photos)
More than 120 players tried out this past week for our area’s new “pre-pro” soccer club, West Seattle Junction FC. It’s been three weeks since club leadership went public with plans to start playing this May in the USL2, joining more than 120 teams nationwide (including future crosstown rival Ballard FC, the current league champions). Also this past week, the team’s owners announced Junction FC’s head coach, Erik Oman, who was working with the prospective players who turned out for tryouts at Delridge Playfield:
Junction FC describes Coach Oman’s background as “impressive,” and provides these highlights:
Erik holds numerous licenses including US Soccer A license, his Premier Diploma for coaching, and a National Goalkeeper coaching license. With over 30 years of coaching, including a 15-year collegiate coaching career with University of Northern Colorado, UW, University of Montana, Colorado College, and the US Air Force Academy. He has coached numerous National team and professional players and mentored hundreds of coaches as a national coaching educator. Since returning to Seattle in 2007, Erik has been in various high-level leadership roles, most recently serving as the League Technical Director for the Washington Premier League as well as the League’s Academy program serving top players across the State.
Junction FC’s announcement quotes the new coach as saying, ““I saw in West Seattle an amazing community with the potential to build a passionate following for a team and a group of owners who were truly dedicated to their community and the development of the game there.” Ownership-team members were there for Friday’s tryouts too:
From left in our photo are Kaitlyn Jackson, Jessica Pierce, and Tom Gaffney, who say the team was formed by “soccer enthusiasts that have supported our youth soccer community for over 25 years.” They plan to start Junction FC with the men’s team (U23) this year and add a women’s team next year. They’re still working on finalizing the plan to play home matches at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex; they’re aiming to start ticket sales next month.
Also ahead this week: The next general gathering of the Admiral Neighborhood Association, in person on Tuesday (January 9th). Among other agenda items, ANA says it’s a chance to talk with police about community-safety concerns. Here’s the preview sent by ANA:
Join us Tuesday as we begin 2024 with updates from the Southwest Precinct, a conversation highlighting a campaign to create a more safe and livable, people-oriented district. We will also be giving previews and dates for 2024 events as well as presenting volunteer opportunities to get involved with us. The gathering will be held at Admiral Church, 4320 SW Hill St., at 7 pm.
Here’s our report on what happened at the ANA’s last general gathering, in November.
That video is from new District 1 City Councilmember Rob Saka‘s first newsletter, and it includes some news – his council-committee assignments beyond what’s already been announced (new Council President Sara Nelson said Tuesday that Saka will chair the Transportation Committee). He promised to carry on the weekly-newsletter tradition started by predecessor Lisa Herbold, and sent his first one on Friday. (If you didn’t receive it, read it here.) In the newsletter video, Saka says he’ll be vice chair of Public Safety (which will be chaired by new District 7 Councilmember Bob Kettle) and a member of two other committees, Housing and Human Services and Sustainability, City Light, and Arts & Culture.
In addition to council committees, councilmembers serve on various regional entities, and a document filed in the city system shows that Saka will be appointed to serve on the King County Regional Transit Committee, the Puget Sound Regional Council‘s Economic Development Board, Executive Board, and Transportation Policy Board, plus the SeaShore Transportation Forum, Watershed Forums for WRIA 8 and 9, and the Move Seattle Levy Oversight Committee.
NEXT MEETINGS: This week the new council has its first briefing meeting, at which members talk about what they’re doing in the week ahead, at 2 pm Monday (including a staff presentation on what the council has the power to do and an update on the process of filling the council vacancy). Then on Tuesday at 2 pm, it’s their second official weekly meeting (here’s the agenda). Both will be streamed by Seattle Channel.
The video is from Natalie, sent late last night:
Caught this video tonight of two coyotes, one in our yard and one on the sidewalk. You can see a rabbit run away on the sidewalk right as a coyote chases an animal (likely rabbit) in our yard, which also gets away. We are on 46th between Graham and Raymond. Thought this might be interesting to know and see.
We publish coyote-sighting reports – with or without video/photos – for awareness, not alarm, and recommend that everyone read up on coyotes, including urban coexistence, via infopages like this.
(Highland Park Way/Holden pole installation last Wednesday – photo by Kay Kirkpatrick)
Another SDOT alert for people traveling in the Highland Park Way/Holden intersection vicinity – the next phase of the installing the permanent traffic signal:
We recently installed new metal traffic signal poles at the Highland Park Way SW and SW Holden St intersection. We will now add the mast arms, which are cross bars that attach to the poles and extend out over the street. These mast arms will hold the new permanent traffic signals.
This work is scheduled for the week of January 8, though that could shift based on weather and crew availability. Our work hours are from 7 AM – 4 PM and the installation process and other related work should take about three days.
Alternating traffic lanes will be closed during installation, but there will always be one lane open for cars to get through. There will also be temporary sidewalk closures and detour routes for people walking.
The permanent signal replaces the cable-suspended lights that were installed shortly after the March 2020 West Seattle Bridge shutdown started overwhelming the intersection with detour traffic.
The next session of “Write Your Story” – a series of free workshops for young readers/writers – is open for registration, and this time it’s happening in West Seattle. Here’s the announcement from founder Julia Douthwaite Viglione:
Winter / Spring 2024 Enrolling now!
Theme: Friends
Who is invited? People age 8-12 who like stories
When? Every Tuesday, January 16 – April 2, 2024, 4:30—5:30 pm
Where? Upstairs activity room, Curious Kidstuff toy store, 4740 California Ave SW
Stories we’ll read:
“The Brownie of Fern Glen” by Kate Forrester
“The Queen Bee” by the Brothers GrimmWrite YOUR Story, est. 2012, is a free workshop led by local writers for local kids. “We read, we write, and we have a lot of fun.” For info or to enroll, contact: juliawsea@gmail.com
(Saturday photo by Dan Ciske)
Here’s what’s ahead for the last day of the first week of 2024:
P-PATCH CLEARING: As reported here, the West Genesee P-Patch (4401 41st SW) is shutting down because of an impending construction project, and its remaining plants and other items need good homes, so it’s open dawn to dusk if you want to help ensure nothing goes to waste.
WESTIES RUN CLUB: Meet at 9 am at rotating locations – today it’s C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor).
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm, the market is open as usual between SW Alaska and SW Oregon on California, offering early-winter vegetables and fruit as well as cheese, fish, meat, baked goods, condiments, fresh-cooked food, beverages (from cider to kombucha to beer/wine), nuts, candy, more! Here’s today’s vendor list.
WEST SEATTLE BEE GARDEN WORK PARTY: 10 am-noon, show up and give a little TLC to the West Seattle Bee Garden in High Point (here’s where to find it).
MISFIT STRENGTH STUDIO GRAND OPENING: This new business continues its grand-opening open house today, 10 am-6 pm, as reported here. (9443 Delridge Way SW)
MUSICIANS FOR THE WEST SEATTLE FOOD BANK: 3-5 pm at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), live music and encouragement to support the West Seattle Food Bank with monetary and/or food donations.
ASTRA LUMINA: The celestially inspired light show continues on the grounds of the Seattle Chinese Garden at the north end of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus, opening at 5 pm. Tickets and info here.
LIVE MUSIC AT THE ALLEY: Triangular Jazztet plays The Alley (4509 California SW) as usual, 8-10 pm.
Something in the future for our calendar – one-time or recurring? Please email us the info – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
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