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Palmerin returns to San Diego as Tacoma Stars player

Mikel Palmerin returned to San Diego County as a member of the Major Arena Soccer League’s Tacoma Stars when the Stars played the San Diego Sockers in a Feb. 15 game at Pechanga Arena in San Diego.

Palmerin, who graduated from Fallbrook High School in 2007, saw action in the Sockers’ 6-4 victory which was also Landon Donovan’s first MASL game.

“It’s a great night for the sport, and I’m just happy that I can come back tonight and be a part of it,” Palmerin said.

The game attracted 8,492 spectators, and some of those were from the Rancho Santa Fe Attack club Palmerin has coached.

“My old team’s put a little fire underneath me,” he said.

Palmerin spent three seasons with the Sockers organization but was primarily on the team’s reserve squad. He split 2011-2012 between the Sockers and the developmental team and played nine games for the Sockers, but in 2010-2011 and 2012-2013, he was on the reserve team only. He spent 2013-2014 with the Ontario Fury and played 14 games that season, scoring 12 goals and adding four assists. He was also with the Fury for 2014-2015.

“I took some time off, started my own business,” Palmerin said.

Playing turned out to be Palmerin’s preferred activity.

“Missed it too much,” he said. “I decided to take some time off from coaching and come back.”

Palmerin coached at a camp in Sandpoint, Idaho, along with former Sockers and Stars player Evan McNeley and current Stars player Mike Ramos. Ramos suggested that Palmerin explore the possibility of playing for Tacoma.

“I decided to go up and try out,” Palmerin said. “Coach liked me and asked me to stay.”

Darren Sawatzky began the 2018-2019 season as the Stars’ head coach, although in December he accepted a position as the coach of FC Tucson in the outdoor United Soccer League which will be a new professional league this year. Nick Perera, who has played for the Sockers including one season when Palmerin was with the San Diego organization, became the Stars’ player-coach.

Palmerin scored his first goal with the Stars in the team’s Jan. 4 game at El Paso. Perera provided the assist.

A Dec. 28, 2013, game was Palmerin’s first in San Diego as a visiting player against the Sockers. Palmerin took four shots for the Fury including one on goal in the second quarter. The Sockers goalkeeper who saved that shot, Chris Toth, is also a 2007 Fallbrook High School graduate. Palmerin and Toth have been friends since they were in second grade at Maie Ellis Elementary School and played together at Mira Costa College and the Sockers reserve team as well as at Fallbrook High School and with the Sockers.

Toth was traded to the Ontario Fury in November. Although Toth and Palmerin never played for the Ontario Fury at the same time, they were also with the Fallbrook Fury club team together.

Before the trade Toth and Boris Pardo split time as the Sockers’ goalkeeper. The trade allowed both to be first-string goalies. Pardo stopped five shots in the Feb. 15 game against the Stars.

“He had a couple of amazing saves, kept them in the game, and that was the difference,” Palmerin said.

Palmerin himself did not take any shots in that game.

“It’s good to be home and play in front of all my family,” Palmerin said. “It was really my first game with the Stars where all my friends and family could be out here, so that was real special.”

Donovan, who turned 37, March 4, spent 15 seasons with Major League Soccer teams including 11 with the Los Angeles Galaxy and was on the United States men's national team from 2000 to 2014 including appearances in the 2002, 2006 and 2010 World Cup tournaments. He is the all-time leading scorer for both the U.S. men’s national team and MLS, and he has also played professionally in Germany, England and Mexico.

“I’ve been a big fan of Landon Donovan,” Palmerin said.

Donovan had not previously played professional indoor soccer.

“He’s coming into our world now, and it’s nice,” Palmerin said. “When guys like him step into the indoor arena this sport’s not a joke.”

Many of the fans Feb. 15 were there to see Donovan’s debut, and others had the opportunity to witness Palmerin’s return to San Diego as a MASL player. Fans were also present to see other players on the Sockers and Stars.

“Just appreciate all the support,” Palmerin said. “We do this for back home for all the people who for one reason or another couldn’t continue in their soccer career.”

Author Bio

Joe Naiman, Writer

Joe Naiman has been writing for the Village News since 2001

 

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