ROYAL CITY – On May 28, Knights soccer player, Anderson Brown, announced his commitment to play for the University of Washington’s soccer program. According to Brown, he is glad to finally put this decision behind him.  

“It was a long decision, but (I feel) little sense of relief, but also some hunger, too, to get ready to be at the division one level,” Brown said.  

The Huskies soccer program checked all of the boxes for Brown when he was assessing his options, he said. Huskies Assistant Coach, Richard Reese, developed a personable relationship with Brown and his family throughout the recruiting process, which stood out to him, he said. In addition to loving the scenery of campus, Brown also is drawn to their academics. He hopes to study business or law while at UW.  

“The coaching staff there's is world class,” Brown said. “I talked to them all the time... and they're great coaches. and their program shows it too.”  

Brown said he’s played every sport since he was five years old, including soccer. When he reached middle school, he said that was when he began to focus more on soccer. What drew him toward soccer over other sports was the mental aspect. To him, soccer is more of a mind game than an athletic game.  

“If you look at some of the best players in the world, they're not super athletic, they're just super good with their mind and make really good decisions,” he said.  

Grant County District Court Judge and Coach with the Basin Sounders youth soccer program, Nick Wallace, has worked with Brown to develop his skills. He noticed Brown had what he called, “a god given talent,” when he first started training with Wallace. His attention to the mental side of soccer stood out to him, too.  

“He had a very high soccer IQ at a very young age, and he had a thirst for knowledge. He was always picking my brain on tactics and concepts, and ‘Why are we doing this, and what do I need to see?’ So, from an early age, I just knew he had the whole package,” Wallace said.  

Wallace said he realized Brown would need to seek out other experiences that had more than Moses Lake could offer at the time. Brown began a long journey of traveling to different towns in Washington to work on his development. He had stints in Spokane and Seattle before eventually settling in Royal City where he plays for the Knights.  

Part of what he believes stood out to UW, Brown said he can play more than one position on the field. His versatility has helped him stand out in the recruiting process, he said.  

“I can play more than one position on the soccer field. So that's what I think made (UW) pursue me more than other players, is my versatility. I'm able to do a lot of things good, instead of a player who's really good at one thing but not so good at another,” Brown said.

What has helped him develop his versatility is the hours he puts in outside of practice and the games. According to Wallace and Brown, they review game tape after every game to see where he can improve. Wallace said the dedication and work ethic Brown possesses has helped him stand out.  

“I think film kind of watching yourself from a different angle, and seeing like what you need to do in different situations helps a lot,” Brown said.  

As he looks ahead to his senior year with the Knights, Brown is eager to represent Royal once again before closing the chapter on his high school career. He’s thankful to be from Royal City and is grateful for the support he’s felt over the last few years, he said. Brown said he looks forward to signing his official letter of intent this fall.  

“It's a small town, a lot of farmers, so I think the culture is just different, and it's such a tight (community), I know everybody in royal. That's what probably makes it so unique, is that we're all so tight, and we're all good friends, and they all have my back, and I love it,” Brown said.  

Seeing Brown have success in high school and reach the division one level gives Wallace a lot of encouragement as a coach, he said. He believes athletes from rural communities are wired a little different than athletes from a metro area like Seattle.  

“It's encouraging to me that I can pass on the message to other local kids through the Basin Sounder Soccer Academy that, ‘Hey, you can make it. You just got to have the talent and the willingness to work,’” Wallace said.  

    Knights boys soccer player Anderson Brown, advancing the ball up field in the 1A District Championship game against Wapato last spring. Brown announced on May 28 his commitment to play for the University of Washington Huskies in 2026.
  

    Anderson Brown, a University of Washington commit, at a recent visit to the Huskies athletics facility. Brown said the coaching staff's efforts to establish a personable relationship with him and his family helped him decide to commit.
  

    Huskie commit, Anderson Brown, in uniform on a visit to the University of Washington. Brown said his versatility and dedication to the sport helped him stand out in the recruiting process.
  

    Anderson Brown, a rising senior for the Knights, prepares for a penalty kick in the 1A District Championship game last spring. Brown said he is grateful to be from Royal City and looks forward to representing the community in Seattle.
  

    Knights boys soccer player, Anderson Brown, fights off defensive pressure in the 1A District Championship game last spring. The Knights won 3-1, two goals came from Brown.