By Darbi Lockridge // @sonchyenne
As someone who loves hot weather as only a happy-to-be-here Houston transplant can, February begins the best part of my year. Houston is almost done with our blessedly short winter season, and my family and I have just shivered through our first spring youth soccer tournament.
The Houston Dynamo’s season is coming at us faster and bigger than those in the recent past, as our Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Championship means that our MLS season is preceded by two CONCACAF Champions league matches before DynamOpening Day even comes along.
For me, this means lots of excitement and even more work. I’m the team manager for my stepson’s U13/U14 soccer team and am on the leadership team of Houston’s Independent Supporters Council-recognized supporters group, the Texian Army. In the last month, I’ve collected spring team fees and used youth equipment. I’ve had pre-season meetings about tailgate trailers, sponsorships, and tifo. Throughout the pre-season, I’ve spent hours stalking through the new signings’ social media accounts to get a feel for the soul of the new season’s team.
Despite all of the soccer already on my calendar, my sage husband ran across the MLSFemale call for a Houston Dynamo writer and knew that he should share that information with me. I have always loved to write and never shy away from sharing my opinions on soccer or any other subject. I sent an email, took the next steps, and that’s the short story on how my words have gotten on this screen in front of you today.
The longer story of my soccer fandom includes a misspent youth, a Portuguese roommate, and the 2002 FIFA World Cup. It also involves my family’s efforts to share that passion and continue to find new ways to love and support the beautiful game.
Very soon the MLS season and the Houston weather will rocket from mild days to muggy nights. My family and friends will gather in that heat to stand, sing, and support our team through every match. We will set up our sections, put out our flags, clean it all up, and do it again. We’ll match the beat of the supporters’ drums with our supporters’ hearts and give it all we have for each 90 minutes that our team gives for us.
And then I’ll be back here in front of my PC to share my insights and opinions soon after. I’m truly looking forward to sharing my thoughts here. The season is starting soon and the weather is turning warm. Grab your sunglasses and the SPF50, friends – Houston’s heating up!
Featured image: @HoustonDynamo
Follow and chat with me on Twitter // @sonchyenne
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Awesome article!