Fawzi Belal remembers what it’s like to be a teenager without an identity.

When the former midfielder for the Seattle Sounders moved to Washington at 15 from Algeria, he had no friends and no idea who he would or could become. The lasting memory of that feeling inspired Belal to take the reins of Federal Way’s youth soccer program as its director of coaching via Federal Way FC, build it up, and once again bring the title of “Soccer Town” to the city.

“Federal Way is a diverse community,” Belal said. “Soccer has its own language that helps bring people together, and it’s more of a vehicle to teach. Any time we can reach out to kids and give positive messages, soccer is a tool to do that.”

Out of place

Belal said he remembers not being thrilled when his parents broke the news they would be uprooting the family and moving to Washington state.

And why would he be? Belal was a promising player as a teen in Algeria.

His family landed in Rainier, and Belal recalls those early months of high school as a strange and somewhat uncomfortable time. But he said there were a few members of the Mountaineers soccer team determined to make him feel at home.

“I went to Rainier High School and I played there, and some kids on the team helped me get connected with Highline [College] Football Club. So I played there a little as a guest player.”

It was at Highline where everything began to fall into place. Belal went on to have a professional career with a number of United Soccer League clubs and then joined the Sounders for four seasons.

The coaching bug bites

Belal was with Seattle when he discovered his passion for coaching youth players – it’s what MLS players did as a “day job” prior to the league’s salary cap increase in 2012.

“When I came back to Washington to play for the Sounders, I worked with the Sounders (youth) camp,” Belal said. “And back then, that’s what we did because we didn’t get paid like the guys do now. So that was our other job.

“It was fun, and I found out that I got pretty good at it. I found it’s a great way to relate to kids, and it inspired me to learn more about it.”

Belal said he didn’t initially notice his aptitude for coaching kids, but Sounders Director of Youth Development Darren Sawatzky saw it immediately.

Sawatzky said Belal’s ability to take his playing experience and translate it to kids 16 and younger seemed to come so natural.

“Fawzi is perfect for a profession like ours. Not just coaching, but coaching kids,” Sawatzky said. “He is such a personable guy. A real get-along guy. And that’s exactly what you want.”

Life was looking up for Belal. He had a great job with the Sounders and coaching youth players, and he met and married his wife. But the constant travel required for the Sounders wore on the newlyweds.

So Belal took a community engagement position with Highline College, and it was there that he saw a nearby city, once an indomitable soccer mecca, in need of help.

Club getting its swagger back

Some of today’s most-recognizable MLS soccer players come from Federal Way: Wade Webber, Lamar Neagle, Kelyn Rowe and the O’Brien brothers, Claran and Leighton, to name a few.

Belal notes, however, that the once-intimidating reputation of the city’s soccer production at the youth level has dimmed in recent years.

It’s why Belal accepted the director of coaching position in February with the Federal Way Soccer Association. The goal is to bolster the association’s reputation, outreach and production.

“I want to work in an environment where there’s more kids that have the same story as me,” Belal said. “Different backgrounds, new to the area. Soccer enabled me to have that career here and assimilate to society here.”

With a blank drawing board and full autonomy, Belal went to work. Since taking over, he’s put an emphasis on making sure the association’s volunteer coaches are properly certified and trained to coach.

Belal expressed initial concerns to FWSA President Josh Cheatham about turnout, wondering whether his plan for Federal Way soccer’s return to the mountaintop would be successful. To his surprise, Belal turned out 14 ready and eager volunteer coaches who shared his vision of returning the city to soccer greatness.

“Bringing him into Federal Way and this organization has absolutely been a breath of fresh air,” Cheatham said. “What you notice immediately about Fawzi is that his focus and his energy for making soccer a priority in Federal Way is like no other.”

Belal designed Federal Way FC so kids of all backgrounds and experience levels could discover and participate in the sport.

Transparency problem

The challenge youth soccer faces in the city is a two-part obstacle for Belal and the team at the FWSA. Belal said the first is a transparency issue between city parks and fields and the city’s diverse youth community.

“Not every (ethnic) community knows that they have a place to play here in Federal Way,” Belal said. “Sometimes you see something like a fence around a park and some kids don’t know if they’re allowed to play beyond that fence. We would like to work with the city to better that awareness.”

The other challenge, Belal said, is increasing promotion and outreach. Dealing with a lack of space in which to provide mass group instruction is also a looming obstacle.

What’s next

Belal said his work with Federal Way FC, the association, and the city are far from over. He wants to go before the City Council at some point to inquire about providing soccer and coaching as a consistent after-school program.

Belal is also seeking more space so the Federal Way FC platform can offer youth soccer clinics and coaching trainings more frequently. While Belal has yet to meet with the city, he is reaching out to members of MLS for support and advice.

Belal will fly to San Jose in the coming weeks to meet with his friend Ian Russell, a Seattle native and the current midfielder for the San Jose Earthquakes.

“Soccer is results-oriented. We need to be the best,” Belal said. “I know we have the staff to do it. We need to help the younger ages reach their potential. We are working with everyone in the association to build that identity.”

Despite its challenges, Belal and Federal Way FC are moving to turn the city back to its soccer powerhouse ways one kid at a time, and the consensus around the local soccer community is there’s no better person for the job than Belal.

“When you do something like this, you have to manage all kinds of personalities,” Sawatzky said. “And I can’t think of anyone better to succeed at this than him.”

For information on Federal Way FC, visit www.federalwaysoccer.com/fwfc.