POULSBO — When Kellie Morgan came to Poulsbo to coach a scrappy U-14 team called the North Kitsap Phoenix, she knew that each of the squad’s players had a long way to go.

“They were very inexperienced with soccer, period,” she said. “They were raw talent.”

Fast forward six years into the future: the U-19 NK Phoenix, now a state-caliber select squad, is disbanding as its players head off to college. Through their half dozen years together, they’ve grown both as people and as soccer players, and without realizing it, also became an archetype for the North Kitsap Soccer Club’s other teams.

“Phoenix is the model of what we’re trying to promote in the club,” said Ed Skelly, NKSC select team coordinator and the Phoenix team manager. “We’re trying to promote that too much of anything is no good. You have to strike a balance until you decide to go and chase it.”

Skelly said that being on the Phoenix was more than just about soccer: it was about developing players who are well-rounded individuals, that play the game for fun — not because they have to, but because they want to.

“These guys are citizens, they’re community members, they’re good, strong leaders and strong academically as well,” said Skelly, stating the team GPA hovered around 3.75. “Sports is only a piece of them.”

Given an 11-month select season and a highly demanding tournament schedule, soccer was not something the players took lightly during their years together. And say the name “NK Phoenix” to the area’s best competitive teams, and they’ll know exactly who you mean.

“We’ve earned respect from bigger clubs, who’ve said, ‘These guys are good — don’t take them lightly,’” Morgan said.

Since 2000, the Phoenix has played 162 tournament and fall league matches throughout Washington and Oregon. In its final fall season, the team went 35-15-7 and was one of the top 25 teams in the state in their age group.

The team was formed as a fusion of the recreation-turned-select Phoenix squad and another team, the Strikers. Morgan coached the team for six years, from their beginnings as a select team in U-14 to their disbanding at U-19.

The team won several tournaments along the way, all over the Northwest. Surprisingly, many of the players who excelled in their years on the team aren’t choosing to go onto the collegiate level, though most of them could.

“Most of them are just going for the studies and just play soccer on the side,” Morgan said.

Morgan, a Port Orchard resident, won’t be going anywhere any time soon, however — she still coaches a U-13 and U-17 team.

“No down time,” she said with a laugh.

For the players, it was too hard to distinguish one single memory that stood out, tending to look fondly on their entire time together. Players came and went from the team in Morgan’s tenure, but the core remained mostly intact.

Skill development in every spot on the field was a priority for Morgan, an aspect of the team that her players learned to appreciate.

“When I first started, I was really set in playing one position,” said Erin Gallagher, 18, who played for the Phoenix from U-14 to U-19. “But after playing for Kellie, you can’t — everybody moves around so much. You become a really well- rounded player.”

Gwen Gottlieb, 18, who played from U-14 through U-19 with the team, played for Bainbridge before joining the Phoenix. A quiet player who stuck to her side of the field, Gottlieb said that all changed when she became a part of Morgan’s squad.

“When I first joined the team, I was really cautious and stayed on my side of the field.” she said. “Now, I feel comfortable in every position.”

By being able to play every spot on the field, every player understands the unique challenges that come with any position.

“You really get a sense of unity,” said Jenny Trygg, 18, who joined the U-16 Phoenix. “It was really fun to join with this group of girls and play with them for a long time.”

“It’s such a fun group of girls,” added Kaylee Ross, 18, a King’s West graduate and Poulsbo resident who joined the team at the U-13 level, before Morgan was coaching in the area. “Everyone was out here because they loved soccer. It gave me an extra new love for the game.”

Ross did leave the team to play for an FC select squad, but she returned ultimately to the Phoenix her senior year of high school.

“I wanted to play a level up,” Ross said, “But I came back, because I wanted to have fun my senior year.”

However, Morgan’s practices and style of play was certainly no walk in the park, a few players mentioned, bridging the gap between good, disciplined soccer and enjoying their time on the field.

“Definitely learned about hard work — that was the biggest thing,” said North Kitsap ‘05 graduate Kim Skelly, who played in a Phoenix uniform most of the time from U-11 all the way to U-19.

And everyone mentioned just how much Morgan influenced their soccer game — and their lives.

“I learned a lot from Kellie,” Skelly said. “I don’t think I would be as good a player now had it not been for her.”