Soccer is back in Seattle in a major way.

With the return of the Seattle Sounders to the Pacific Northwest last year, fans clamored to see the action in numbers that exceeded expectations.

Seattle is once again a soccer town, and on the heels of that excitement the MLS partnered Sounders youth program has joined the U.S. Development Academy this season.

Tryouts were held for the teams as late as March for July registration, but the enthusiasm could not be tempered by any time constraints.

Prospects like Discover Europe player DeAndre Yedlin, Sean Okoli, Darwin Jones, Michael Gallagher and Connor Adkisson will be representing the new program with pride.

“The culture here is amazing,” said Director of Youth Development Darren Sawatzky. “Having played on three other MLS teams I would say the culture here is as good as anywhere in the United States. “About 130,000 kids play youth soccer in (Washington State); there are around 12 big clubs and the many incarnations of professional soccer here have led to many professional players settling in the area.

“This has affected the local coaching in a very good way.”

The appetite for the game here is obvious following a season in which the Sounders set plenty of records for attendance while reaching the playoffs.

The Development Academy season has just begun for the Sounders with the U15/16 starting 2-0-0 and the U17/18 squad opening with two ties.

Perhaps more here than at other MLS youth programs, the young players will benefit from taking part in a professional culture that is still very much in its Honeymoon stage.

The Development kids enjoy the use of Starfire Sports Complex, a high quality venue with both a grass and Field Turf pitch and all the weight and training room amenities imaginable.

Top players are brought in to train with the reserves and the full team when it makes sense, giving them a taste of the next level.

“Our expectation is to develop and produce players for the first team,” Sawatzky said. “We will help get players to the appropriate college programs if they are not ready for professional soccer. We want to help the growth of the game at the developmental level.”

No mistake about it, there’s a love affair developing in the Emerald City and the Sounders are at the heart of it.