PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers help play host to one of the top Olympic Development Program (ODP) tournaments in the country, the Friendship Cup, over Memorial Day weekend at Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District’s Howard M. Terpenning Recreation Complex in Beaverton, Ore.
The Friendship Cup, running May 25-28, features 37 teams, both boys and girls teams in various age groups, from across the Northwest, Montana, California and British Columbia. All five of the Timbers ODP Pre-Academy boys teams (1995-99 ages) and all five Timbers ODP girls teams (1995-99 ages) will be in action. The tournament field will also include pre-academy teams from Major League Soccer clubs Seattle Sounders FC, Vancouver Whitecaps FC and the San Jose Earthquakes.
For nearly three decades, the Friendship Cup has provided elite competition for youth clubs throughout the region. A number of professional and national team players have played in the Friendship Cup in previous years. The tournament has also served as a valuable scouting resource for local men’s and women’s collegiate soccer coaches.
To help kick off the tournament, the Portland Rain, an adidas Timbers Alliance club, open their 2012 Women’s Premier Soccer League season on Friday against the Bend Rush on the stadium field at the Howard M. Terpenning Recreation Complex at 7 p.m.
Rogue Valley Soccer Club joins adidas Timbers Alliance
The Timbers have formed a partnership with Southern Oregon’s Rogue Valley Soccer Club, which sees the youth club become the newest member of the adidas Timbers Alliance. Based in Medford, Ore., Rogue Valley SC becomes the fourth youth club affiliated with the adidas Timbers Alliance.
A network of strategic partnerships between the Timbers and elite clubs in the Timbers’ development territory, the adidas Timbers Alliance is designed to build unique working relationships and development opportunities for its member clubs. Through the adidas Timbers Alliance, the Timbers share coaching resources and curriculum with alliance clubs to aid in player development. At the youth level, the adidas Timbers Alliance helps channel top youth players – both boys and girls – towards the Timbers’ development programs and the Timbers Academy. The adidas Timbers Alliance also includes elite Portland-area youth clubs the Eastside Timbers, Vancouver United Timbers and Westside Timbers, as well as the Portland Rain of the Women’s Premier Soccer League.
Additionally, alliance clubs are allowed the unique privilege of incorporating the Timbers brand into their club name. On the field, alliance clubs wear the same color jerseys – red and white – in recognition of the partnership with the Timbers, featuring a special adidas Timbers Alliance badge on the uniform.
Founded in 1974, Rogue Valley SC is one of the largest youth soccer clubs in Oregon. The club’s mission is to provide opportunities for children of all ages and abilities to enjoy the game of soccer in a healthy and safe environment. Rogue Valley SC annually provides more than 1,500 children, boys and girls ages 5-18, across Southern Oregon the opportunity to play soccer.
