Salem, OR--"It is with much sadness, we announce the termination of our Cascade Surge PDL soccer franchise." announced Surge President Dave Irby. "For fifteen years the we have entertained fans and spent quality time with youth throughout the area; but changes in the economy made it harder to keep the team operating."
     And while the team won't continue locally, the Cascade Surge will live on with an emphasis on their school assemblies and and soccer clinics in the USA and international projects, primrily still send players to Europe.
     "With a deal to sell the team falling through, even after the league extended the sale deadline, we felt it was time to close the team down and concentrate on other phases of our operations," Irby added
     Along with the Yakima Reds and Spokane Shadow the Surge were truly the "backbone" of the PDL's NW Division from the beginning. Eventually even the well financed Shadow closed up shop, leaving the Surge and Reds as the only remaining original teams from the 1995 season.  After the 2008 season the Reds folded only to be revived at the last minute, and they will alone carry on the founding team's legacies.
     The Surge's "heyday" was from 2002-2005 when the team:  went to the playoffs all four seasons (under three different coaches), won the NW Division twice; the league's Fair Play award twice;  were inducted into the USL's Hall of Fame; and General Manger Mark Geissbauer was honored as the league's Executive of the Year.
     2006 was probably the beginning of the end for the Surge, when the team's main sponsor, staff and key players all went to Cleveland to found the Cleveland City Stars professional team.  With eight former Surge players on the roster the Stars advanced to the D-2 Pro Semi-finals in 2007.  Then in 2008 the Stars defeated the Charlotte Eagles for the D-2 Pro Championship with six former Surge players on the roster.  Because of Surge President Dave Irby's influence on both the Stars and Eagles teams the USL called (unofficially) the Championship game "The Irby Humanitarian Bowl."  Along the way, former Surge GM Mark Geissbauer was again named Executive of the Year, this time as the GM for the Stars.
     But success for Cleveland didn't help the Surge as with limited funding and staffing the team struggled to two last place finishes, then a next to last place finish before posting a wining record this season, and being in the "playoff hunt" through 13 games.
     In the meantime the Surge's soccer and outreach projects were taking off in and around Vienna, Austria and into Kosovo.  Irby says,  "We are going through a 'natural shift' of priorities.  We see soccer as a way to reach people in need and we need to concentrate our efforts on the programs and projects that help us fulfill those goals.  We will have dynamic programs for collegiate men's and women's soccer players, and teams, that would like be involved in our soccer missions projects to Europe."
     The message from the Surge to the Salem and Keizer is "Thank you to all of our loyal fans and sponsors you helped us serve this community for over 15 years."