U.S. Soccer Fan Stories 2020

First U.S. Soccer Match
3/8/2020 SheBelieves - USWNT vs Spain in Harrison New Jersey

I became a hardcore fan after the  USWNT loss in the 2016 Olympics because at that time in my life I was going through a very tough situation and seeing them lose and come back to dominate showed me that I could do that too. Last year I joined as a founding member of the U.S. Soccer National Women’s Network before becoming a community chair this year.

My favorite U.S. Soccer moment had to be the ticker tape parade in NYC. I loved the atmosphere of the parade. I could feel the game was bigger than I thought it was by seeing all the fans come from all over to experience this event. Additionally, one of the greatest interviews happened during that time too.

During the pandemic, I have tried to support my community by ordering food from local business to ensure they stay open. My family has given money and meals to local after school programs so the kids could enjoy nutritious meals. I have bought clothes from the Beat Everybody brand for others in order to help raise their total profit which was donated to Hunger Not Impossible.

First U.S. Soccer Match
12/8/2004 – USWNT vs. Mexico in Carson, CA.

I started playing soccer at age 3 and continued playing through high school. As a family, we loved watching games on tv and going to LA Galaxy games when possible. We went to David Beckham’s first game for the Galaxy, too. World Cup years are my favorite because watching soccer all the time is acceptable!

One of my favorite U.S. soccer memories was watching the USWNT win the World Cup in 2019. We went to a big watch party in Chicago and finished off the game at a bar where every tv had the game on. It was such an exciting game. Everywhere we went after the game, people were cheering when they saw I was wearing a jersey (No. 9 for the GOAT Mia Hamm). It was such an electric day all around.

We have tried to order take out every week to support small restaurants. We have also tried to purchase items from small businesses from whenever possible. I work in fundraising at a high school and have continued to make sure the school has enough funds to employ all faculty and staff and provide scholarships to students in need.

First U.S. Soccer Match
12/13/1996 – USMNT vs. Costa Rica in Stanford, Calif.

The 1994 World Cup piqued my interest. I bought season tickets for the San Jose Clash in 1996. From that point I was hooked. I became a fan of the national teams, especially attending matches in person. I have 102 caps and was one of the first founding members of the U.S. Soccer Supporters Club in April 2009.

My favorite memory was the epic 2009 MNT victory vs. Honduras at San Pedro Sula, a classic match which qualified the team for 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Thank you, Conor Casey!!! We barely got to the game on time after our first flight had to make an emergency medical stop in Mexico City, missed the connection in San Salvador, caught a later one and rushed from the airport to the stadium with a Bay Area Honduran family we met at SFO Airport. After the match, they hosted us overnight at their San Pedro home.

Throughout the pandemic, I continued volunteering with Food Not Bombs and added volunteer shifts with the San Francisco Food Bank. I couldn't hang with working from home, so I got a job as an essential worker, a grocery clerk!

First U.S. Soccer Match
6/8/2012 - USMNT vs. Antigua & Barbuda in Tampa, Fla.

I always played soccer growing up and I’ve always been passionate about the National Teams. I have had the opportunity to attend 18 MNT games, 2 WNT games and 1 YNT game since my first cap in 2012. I’m hoping this number will grow as soon as it’s safe to be back in the stadium! My next goal is the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

One of my favorite USMNT memories is being at the two games in the summer of 2015 in the Netherlands and Germany - we won both games against two of the highest-ranked national teams in the world. I still remember that moment when Bobby Wood grabbed the winner against Germany - it was a real great feeling.

First U.S. Soccer Match
5/16/1999 - USWNT vs Netherlands in Chicago, Ill.

I’ve played soccer or have been connected to soccer in some capacity my entire life. I’m currently a coach for a local club as well as the Goalkeeper Director for the Illinois Olympic Development Program through the Illinois Youth Soccer Association.

Some of my favorite moments across the years have ranged from watching the USWNT win the 1999 World Cup to seeing the game winning goal the USMNT scored against Algeria at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. I also had the privilege of being a keeper coach for the U.S. Soccer Girls Fantasy Camp in 2019 alongside USWNT veterans Lindsay Tarpley-Snow and Angela Hucles.

Throughout the pandemic, my wife and I have supported our local restaurants. We’ve also donated clothing to our local Goodwill as well as donated to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

First U.S. Soccer Match
7/6/2003 – MNT vs. Paraguay in Columbus, OH

Probably contrary to the norm, I had no experience or exposure to the sport during my youth growing up in Michigan. Shortly after moving to Columbus for college, I befriended my future Best Man, who wound up traveling to Korea for the 2002 World Cup. Upon his return to Ohio State, he encouraged me to attend the Paraguay match on July 4th weekend at Crew Stadium. The rest is history...30+ caps and 17 years later, there is no team more important to me.

There are so many memories to choose from...attending games all over the country for so many years. We have met so many incredible people from different cities that have become lifelong friends. Copa America Centenario 2016 is up there for sure, but the most memorable moment for me happened during our brief time living in Washington, DC. The electricity and emotion in RFK Stadium during the Charlie Davies tribute in the final 2010 World Cup South Africa WCQ will stick with me forever.

We've been lucky enough to experience wonderful outdoor dining weather here in Columbus for a large portion of 2020, and we've taken every opportunity with our family to support the local breweries on those beautiful days. Whether it's weekly growler fills, ordering drinks for delivery or dining in outdoor beer gardens, we've done everything possible to support those local businesses during these tough times.

First U.S. Soccer Match
11/19/2011 – WNT vs Sweden in Glendale AZ

My daughter is a goalkeeper for Pepperdine University and has been an avid competitive player since age seven. She attended Fantasy camp through U.S. Soccer, and we’ve been staunch supporters ever since, joining the Circle Program a few years ago. We’ve been to two World Cup quarter through finals and absolutely love every aspect of the game!

My daughter got to be a ball girl in San Diego for her all-time idol Hope Solo and was High-fived by her after the game. Bar none, best memory!

As a Psychologist with a degree also in Biomedical Sciences and Nutrition, I’ve researched nutritional prevention against COVID-19 and provided plans adopted by South Sudanese minister of health. I organized a mask drive and helped with the prevalent PTSD pandemic. Throughout it all, my daughter’s optimistic training regimen and fitness despite her postponed season and athletes living on deserted campuses has been incredibly inspiring.

First U.S. Soccer Match
7/20/1996 – U.S. Men's Olympic Team vs. Argentina

I've been a fan of the USMNT since the 1990 World Cup. I've followed the USMNT to every World Cup since 1998. Currently, I attend USMNT and USWNT games under the alias, "Eagleman".

My wife, Lila, and I attended our first US Soccer game during the 1996 Olympics. We had to scalp an extra ticket, when we found out our one-year-old daughter needed her own ticket to get into the stadium. It was all worth it when Claudio Reyna scored a goal for the U.S. in the game's first minute.

When the COVID outbreak began, we sewed masks for the community. One batch of masks were made for our local USL team, Las Vegas Lights FC. USMNT legend Eric Wynalda, who was coaching the team, picked up the masks himself.

First U.S. Soccer Match
7/1/1999 – USWNT vs. Germany in Landover, Md.

Both my husband, Tom, and I played soccer when growing up in Virginia and Ohio, respectively. Our daughter, Siena, now 12, has played soccer in Massachusetts since she was 4, and is now finishing her second year playing with a Dutch club in the Netherlands. We've always been fans of the US Soccer teams, but especially the USWNT, seeing how the team (and staff)  serve as role models for girls and women, not only in the U.S., but also internationally, too.

Our favorite soccer memory is absolutely the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final! The weeks leading up to the final were so exciting, whether viewing with friends in the USA or live in Lyon. We especially were thrilled that the USA played the Netherlands as we were moving there in August 2019 for an expat assignment. We found that the community surrounding the WWC was so inclusive and positive, whether American, French, English, Dutch, or from other participating countries. Obviously, the outcome was the pinnacle of a most amazing trip.

During the Pandemic, we are definitely trying to keep in touch with our community - both here in the Netherlands and back home in Massachusetts - shopping local, supporting local businesses and restaurants, and reaching out to friends and family around the world.

First U.S. Soccer Match
10/13/2004 – USMNT vs. Panama in Washington, D.C.

I grew up playing age-group soccer, but wasn't very good -- however, I enjoyed rooting on my childhood friends as they won several state high school championships. I watched soccer on PBS as a child, "Soccer Made in Germany," but never knew I had the chance to watch soccer outside of a World Cup until the early 2000s. Since then, I’ve gone to see the USMNT play at Azteca three times, Costa Rica once, and at the World Cup in Germany and Brazil, and places around the USA — 49 games in all!

I’ve loved watching games in person and in bars with the Sammers and American Outlaws. I’ve also enjoyed getting to meet the players as well as media covering the team. It was incredible to be there for Charlie Davies and Michael Bradley’s goals at Azteca and when we beat Ghana in Natal, but being there when the team qualified for the World Cup and came back on the field to celebrate with the approximately 200 fans still in the stadium about two hours after the game ended in Columbus in 2013 was a memory I’ll never forget.

Honestly, it’s hard to say how we've supported our community during the pandemic because nothing feels like enough. Certainly, our friends and family have tried to be there for each other during this difficult time; it’s been good to have the Greenville Triumph locally who did a great job of masking up and enforcing social distancing for games as they brought the fans back as well as a championship for Greenville!