We had the chance to chat with two athletes from Snohomish County’s newest semi-pro soccer team, Snohomish Sky. Liv Larson who competes on the Women’s Team and Trevor Davoren who competes on the Men’s Team.
Liv is a 25-year-old Snohomish County Native. She was a 4-year varsity athlete at Arlington Highschool and then went on to play at Western Washington University. She currently plays forward & midfield for Snohomish Sky.
Trevor was born in Boston but has called Washington his home since he was 8 years old. Now 42 and residing in Redmond, he has played for teams all around the county including Sporting Everett, Snohomish Skyhawks, which turned into the now Snohomish County Steelheads, and is currently plays goalkeeper for Snohomish Sky.
SCSC: How old were you when you started playing? What made you want to play soccer?
Larson: I’ve been playing for as long as I can remember. I have two older brothers and they both play soccer and every sport under the sun, so I think growing up around them and being exposed to soccer at such a young age, I just kind of fell in love with it. I played softball, basketball, and ran track, but soccer was always the sport that made me feel really good and I always had fun.
Davoren: I probably started playing at like 4 or 5 years old. I always played all the sports, but soccer was my favorite. Growing up I was a striker, I really liked scoring goals and I was fast. When I was around 24, I transitioned to the indoor game and started playing keeper and I love that more than anything. For the last 20 years I’ve been playing that position all around the northwest, men’s leagues, co-ed leagues, tournaments, semi-pro, and I’ve been in this league for 10 years.
SCSC: What role has your family played in your athletic career?
Larson: My mom was one of my very first soccer coaches, she was always coaching my teams, so she has played a huge role. She always took me to all of my practices throughout high school since I didn’t drive so she was my main supporter. My two older brothers pushed me to be competitive, and it was kind of a “keep up or don’t play with us” mentality. I played on my brother’s soccer team until I was 12, and I had a lot of fun. It helped me to be more competitive and pushed me to become a better soccer player. There was always a family aspect in my sports growing up.
Davoren: When we moved over here, all my relatives were on the east coast, so it was just my parents and me. They sacrificed everything taking me to all the sports, all the tournaments and I just remember they were at every game. I never wondered if they were going to be around, they were always front row and center. It gives me a lot of positivity just knowing that they’re there. Having that support structure was everything.
SCSC: How has growing up in the Snohomish County athletic system impacted you?
Larson: I always played on local club teams, and I think that was a really important factor in my passion for sports. Playing with kids that I went to school with all throughout my athletic career was really important to me and I formed some really great friendships through soccer. All of my coaches were really influential and always supported me and propelled me to do what I wanted to do in this sport, which my ultimate goal was to play at the collegiate level. It was a really good environment to grow up in and play in Arlington.
Davoren: It’s been great, the talent pool for men and women seems to be the strongest in Snohomish County. I saw the sport grow exponentially over the last 20 years. And then with the indoor game, which I’m so passionate about, you have a 100-mile radius where there are maybe 10 indoor facilities, which is crazy, and I doubt that exists anywhere else in the country. For me, as someone who is so passionate for indoor, it’s just great to play at all those different arenas. Washington state is becoming a mecca for indoor. In this corner of the country, I think we’re really building something that could be a national level skill set.
SCSC: What has the dynamic been like playing on a brand-new team (Snohomish Sky)?
Larson: Playing on Snohomish Sky has been a really fantastic environment, I think the things that Jamie and the coaching staff are doing for women’s soccer in the community is really special, so being a part of that has been nothing but a great experience. I’m really happy that we have people like Jamie, putting in the effort to grow women’s indoor soccer in the community. It’s been a lot of fun and really cool to play at the competitive level again.
Davoren: There are a lot of new and young players who don’t necessarily know the indoor game, but they are super fit, super fast, and their skills are off the charts, so they just need to learn it. It’s kind of up to us veterans to teach them and there are no real egos on the team, so everybody gets a long, but everyone competes at a very high level. That is very refreshing. It’s really cool to have a men’s and a women’s team playing in the same place, training on the same nights so that we can motivate each other. My plan was to retire after last year because it wasn’t really fun for me anymore, but once Jamie went out on her own and did this whole thing herself, it motivated me again and once I saw the players, I was back in. I’m having the most fun I’ve had this year and I think I’m playing my best as well.
SCSC: Does the team have any short/long term goals for the season or in the near future?
Larson: Yeah, I think short term our goal is to do the best we can in the league and show up every game and play at a high level. Our eyes are set on making it to the national tournament and winning the league.
Davoren: For me, I’ve been wanting to build an identity for the team. Since this is our first year and we have so many young players, you have to build a foundation and then whoever comes in over the years can get plugged right into the system. I think we found that system finally, and we have had a lot of success. Were 2-2 right now but were not getting blown out in losses. Making playoffs for the first season in the league is a good goal, because I don’t think anyone expects anything out of us, so if we could do something like that, I think that would be a good first step for the first season.
SCSC: Is there a moment in your athletic career that stands out to you?
Larson: My freshman season at Western was a dream to me. From playing on local teams to playing at a really high collegiate level was a really cool step for me and being a part of that Western team my first year was really special. We went on to win a National Championship that year which was the most special experience to have. Playing in that National Championship game stands out to me and it’s something I’ll remember my whole life.
Davoren: Way back in the day my team won a lot of tournaments, so that was always fun. I’ve gotten a lot of accolades which are nice. But winning a championship or tournament was always the goal, I just like the team aspect of everyone coming together though the ups and downs. For me that always feels the best.
SCSC: What are some hobbies you have outside of soccer?
Larson: I like riding my bike, being outside, and fishing. I build trails for a living so I’m outside all day for work as well. I like writing and woodworking as my creative hobbies.
Davoren: I’m pretty artistic, so during covid I got into painting shoes and gloves. I really like karaoke, I’ve done some standup comedy, really anything performing wise, I just like to be on stage. I love watching football and soccer. I just bought a 66 mustang so I’m going to be doing some restoration stuff on that.
SCSC: How do you see soccer playing a role in your future?
Larson: I think that soccer will always be a part of my life. It has always been my go-to if I’m having a hard time or I’m not feeling my best, when I go to practice that all fades away and I can have fun and connect with people. I hope that it continues to play a role in my life whether that’s though playing or maybe coaching at some point.
Davoran: With this team I would really like to play as long as I can. Afterwards, I don’t really have any aspirations of coaching, but I set up the lives stream and I got pretty good at that, so I’d love to stay involved in that capacity.
SCSC: What piece of advice would you give a young athlete who wants to play in college and beyond?
Larson: Be a good teammate, have fun, and keep working on your craft.
Davoran: Keep your body in tip top shape. Focus on proper nutrition early and it will become a lifestyle. I believe in the 10,000 hour rule, do it as much as you can so you’re not even thinking about it anymore, it’s just muscle memory. Constantly practicing and learning, watching the pros to see what they do. Knowledge is power so just keep learning.
You can catch Liv and Trevor at the Snohomish Sports Dome for all home games. To view the Snohomish Sky game schedule, click here.