Yakima Reds Press Release – www.yakimareds.com

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

YAKIMA, WASHINGTON – The USL Premier Development League Yakima Reds announced today the continuation of the Yakima Reds organization under a new ownership group headed by Perry Piercy. The news comes at the very last moment before all team officials will meet at the United Soccer Leagues annual AGM conference in Tampa Bay, Florida Thursday November 20 through Sunday, November 23, 2008. The conference will include scheduling for the 2009 season.

“All fans of the Yakima Reds should be grateful to the club’s founder, Jere Irwin for keeping this team alive for so long,” said Piercy. “He has invested significant money into this community. I have the utmost respect for Jere and am honored to continue the Reds tradition. My goal is to unite the community behind this fantastic team. The only way this team will survive is with the support of this community. This is an act of faith. I believe this team to be beneficial to the entire community.”

Perry Piercy is a Yakima Reds fan who wanted to save the team. He plays, coaches and coordinates soccer programs, including Soccer and Scouting with the Boy Scouts of America. Piercy’s soccer experience has seen him play all over the state of Washington and most of the cities in the Pacific Northwest Division in which the Reds participate. He played for Everett Community College and Eastern Washington University. He currently plays in the Mexican Warehouse & Indoor soccer Leagues here in Yakima. He is a Financial Advisor at Clear Choice Insurance & Financial Services. Piercy is fluent in Spanish and is looking forward to working with the Hispanic population as well.

The Reds are also excited to announce the retention of Vice President/Head Coach Hector Vega. Teresa Vega will also remain as the General Manager.

“Hector and Teresa have been huge advocates of this team and the community since the inception of the Reds,” said Piercy. “I am grateful to have them continue with the Reds.”

"I am very excited to have the opportunity to coach the Yakima Reds again,” said Hector Vega. "We will have the majority of our 2008 season squad back in 2009. Hopefully we can just take off where we left off in 2008. We had an outstanding team that gave it their all and succeeded.”

“Our efforts were recognized by the United Soccer Leagues, by several "Team of the Week" and "Player of the Week" awards last season,” added Vega. “Junior Garcia received was the MVP of the PDL and made the All-League Team for 2008. Both Garcia and Juan Viveros made the Western Conference Team of the Year as well. We are very grateful to Jere Irwin for transferring the franchise to Perry and allowing him to continue the Yakima Reds."

For more information contact Perry Piercy at (509) 654-0464, or Hector Vega at (509) 930-0358.