MOUNTLAKE TERRACE, WA (December 10, 2008) – The Board of Directors of Northwest Nationals Premier Soccer Club announced today that Cliff McCrath, legendary Hall of Fame soccer coach, formerly of Seattle Pacific University, has agreed to serve as Club Advisor for the remainder of the 2008 and 2009 seasons.

This decision was made due to NWN’s tremendous growth, strength and standing in the community. With Cliff’s stature and visibility in our State as well as Nationally, it can only promise greater achievements for its 37-plus teams going forward into 2009.

McCrath, a native of Detroit, Michigan, where he honed his competitive skills as a foster kid and learned “…dreams have no limits and adversity is a stairway to the stars…” stated he is honored and elated to be affiliated with “…such a quality club!"

McCrath earned a bachelor of arts in sociology from Wheaton (IL) College where he turned out for soccer “on a dare” and three years later graduated an All American and was named Head Coach when his mentor departed for doctoral studies. After leading his “…ragamuffins…” to a conference championship (featuring such powers as Indiana, Purdue, Michigan State and others…) he was named founding coach of soccer at Gordon College (MA) where he led the Fighting Scots to a third place national finish (1960-66) before repeating the same at SPU’s sister school, Spring Arbor (MI) University (1967-69).

In 1970 he arrived at SPU – then SPC – as Dean of Students and men’s soccer coach. After a 0-7-3 beginning, Cliff, and the Falcons, never looked back. In year two (1971) they were in the postseason and during his tenure at the helm, the team appeared in 30 postseason tournaments, fifteen final fours, ten championship games winning five National Championships. Lastly, under his leadership, SPU achieved 37 consecutive winning seasons – an NCAA record that some say will stand forever.

In addition, McCrath’s professional and administrative achievements are so expansive as to be borderline mind-boggling. He is the Secretary-Rules Editor of the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Soccer Rules Committee – (the longest serving SRE – four decades – by 20 years over the next longest tenured colleague…); the founding chair of Soccer in the Streets as well as Co-Founder Director of the ever-popular Northwest Soccer Camp. Further, he was recruited by the original owners to assemble the inaugural NASL Seattle Sounders.
 
Finally, he continues to serve on numerous national and international committees and is highly sought as an entertaining motivational keynote speaker.

Dan Smart, Club President, and Sylvia Young, Treasurer and spokesperson for the Northwest Nationals, stated: “We are a relatively young club with a great future and lots of goals to achieve. Cliff has been a big fan of NWN and a great help - in our fundraising
activities – and, knowing we had vacancies in the technical area, the Board was unanimous in their desire to have someone of his stature join our team!”