Written By:  Sam Palmer
​             West Region Contributor

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This is the second time that Macy Jo Harrison will retire from the WPSL. The first time was two years ago, when the COVID-19 pandemic reached the United States, resulting in the cancellation of that year’s WPSL season. At that time, it seemed like the end had come prematurely.

 

“I thought I was retired. As soon as COVID-19 hit I was like, ‘Oh yeah, I’m done, there’s no way I’m going to be able to play again'."

 

If that had been the case, Harrison would have been able to look back on a WPSL career filled with almost nothing but success. Her story is entwined with that of her club, ISC Gunners, which has only played one of its eight seasons in the WPSL without Harrison in the lineup.
 

During that time, the Gunners have secured four postseason appearances and put together a record of 42 wins, 16 losses and 16 draws. Harrison herself has had several extraordinary seasons, including 2015 when she led the league in goals and assists.

She will return in 2022 for a final season with the Gunners. 

According to Harrison, the club’s success is down to recruitment and camaraderie. Harrison and her fellow coaches have been able to bring in players from all over the world, notably including Erin Vaughan and Hayley Crackle of Aston Villa LFC, as well as Georgia Katsonouri, a goalkeeper with the senior Cyprus national team.

The Gunners have also recruited well from western Washington colleges by snagging the current captain of the University of Washington team, Claudia Longo, in addition to second-team Division II All-American Makena Rietz out of Seattle Pacific University.

As one of the few constants in the churning environment of northwest WPSL soccer, Harrison has helped foster a club culture that emphasizes togetherness and pride. For her, the team is more than a vehicle for personal athletic ambitions – it’s about the development of the team as a group and the enjoyment of a fundamentally enjoyable game. “Our team is like a family”, Harrison says, “and we really pride ourselves on that”. Between barbeques and hang-outs, Harrison is sure that the team’s unity will pay dividends on the field.
 

Harrison began her time with the Gunners after a successful college career at Oregon State University and the University of Nevada - Las Vegas. At the time, she was training with the Seattle Reign, now OL Reign, the NWSL professional club in Seattle. Almost ten years later, Harrison is blown away by the growth of the women’s soccer scene in the state, particularly the WPSL.

 

“I think that the Northwest region, in terms of the WPSL, is one of the most competitive conferences in the league. We used to have the Sounders Women and we have the PacNW [women’s team] and the really competitive teams, so that’s really nice to see. I would say the landscape, overall, in Issaquah and in the Northwest…it's grown. Especially women’s soccer or girl’s soccer, it’s significantly grown. And there’s a lot of traction for it…it’s grown a lot since I got here in 2013…and it’s been a joy to see”

 

For this vibrant soccer culture, the return of competitive WPSL play after two years means a tremendous amount. Although Harrison admits to initially vacillating on the question of her own return to the field, she is now thoroughly excited by the prospect, and for the opportunity to take the field with younger players who are just getting started.

 

“Of course, I want to win, I’m very competitive…but the most important part for me is, while we’re competing, to really enjoy it, and make sure my teammates are enjoying it, and they’re getting out of it what they want. We have a handful of youth players coming into the team, and I want to make sure that they enjoy it, that they are successful and that they grow as players and as people. That would be a real blessing for me”

 

As for her plans after hanging up her studs for good, Harrison feels that she is right where she’s supposed to be – as a coach and mentor with the Gunners. 

 

“I thoroughly enjoy my job, I love coaching the youth teams that I have…for me it’s really about fostering in these young kids how to be strong and confident young women as they grow older. So, I don’t see myself leaving this profession…for quite some time”

 

For a woman who has given so much to Northwest women’s soccer as a player, coach and administrator - what’s one more season? 

 

Macy Jo Harrison kicks off her final season with the ISC Gunners tonight at 7:30 PM PT vs. PacNW at Starfire Stadium in Tukwila, Wash. 

 

All matches will be available on Eleven Sports, the official streaming partner of the WPSL.