"It's nice to know we have Yakima guys representing the Yakima Reds," said returning goalie and Eisenhower High graduate Robert McCurdy. "From what I've seen so far, our strength is our local players."

Even though Vega and the Reds want to give players from this area an opportunity to showcase their skills, the quest for a home-grown roster didn't trump Yakima's quest for a winning season, which begins at home Friday against Tacoma FC.