Darren Sawatzky joins the Sounders FC staff after serving as assistant coach the past two seasons with the USL-1 Seattle Sounders. He is responsible for developing programs, in cooperation with other local soccer clubs, college programs, professional and semi-professional organizations in Washington State and the Washington State Youth Soccer Association, to identify talent and create environments that help foster their growth to get to the highest level.

A former MLS player and member of the Seattle Sounders, Sawatzky was a four-year letterman at the University of Portland from 1991-94. After graduating from Portland in 1994 with a bachelor of science degree in Organizational Communication, Sawatzky played stints in the MLS with the New England Revolution (1996-97), the Dallas Burn (1998) and the Colorado Rapids (1999). Sawatzky, 38, has two children, daughter, Kylie and son, Skyler.