As with any first-year operation, there were plusses and minuses for the Maine Sting and Maine Tide of the National Premier Soccer League and the Women’s Premier Soccer League, respectively.

The players enjoyed it.

There were also some kinks.

Seth Brown, the vice president in charge of soccer operations, said they are working toward having both teams return next season.

” We’re here to stay. We want this to work,” said Brown.

The crowds weren’t large, rarely over 100, but Brown pointed out that “the number one team in the country, Soccer Plus (Conn.), averages less than 300 per game.

“This is something that has to be fostered. You’ve got to take it one year at a time. You’ve got to make a commitment. We believe we’re here for the right reasons,” said Brown.

Brown said some of the stumbling blocks included finding jobs and lodging for the players and obtaining sponsorships.

“The hardest part was finding jobs. Atlantic Landscaping in Ellsworth has been fantastic to us [by hiring our players],” said Brown. “They went out of their way to make it work out for the kids and I can tell you the kids really worked hard for them.”

Sting back Stephen Grooms from Alabama said Atlantic Landscaping is a first-class company but if the players were able to work in Bangor and get more involved with the townspeople, they might have drawn better crowds.

“By showing our faces around [Bangor], we would have let people know we’re here,” agreed goalkeeper David Stevenson.

Kiaran McCormack, who played for the University of Maine and for the Sting, said it would help if the players could worry primarily about “performing on the field rather than the little things off the field [i.e. jobs, money]. The players came here to play soccer [first].”

Several players left early.

The players were housed in Orono and McCormack suggested it might be better to find lodging in Bangor closer to the Boucher Field.

“I think there were only two players with their own cars,” said McCormack.

McCormack said the positives included the level of play which he said was “better than anything else available in the state right now.”

And he said if the teams are more successful in the future, the crowds will improve.

McCormack and Brown said attracting the best players from the state or those who have ties to the state would be beneficial next summer.

The men wound up 0-5-4 and the women are 3-6-1 with two road games left.

“Everyone had a good time. We did a lot better than people expected,” said Hampden’s Kim Stephenson, a midfielder for the Tide and UMaine.

“For the first season, I think we’ve been pretty successful. It was definitely a learning experience,” Stephenson added. “It will prepare all of us [well] for the fall season.”

“It has been a very interesting summer. I’ve learned a lot. The competition was very enjoyable,” said Tide goalie Vanessa Peters from California. “We played with and against players from all over the country as well as some international players.”

“Now that we’re established, the only way to go is up. A lot of players want to come back next year,” said Tide striker and former Maine star Laura Harper. “Hopefully, they’ll get more community support.”

“It has been a good summer. It has been a good experience. I’ve made some really good friends,” said Englishman Stevenson.

lmahoney@bangordailynews.net

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