Wearing a 30th anniversary hoodie, an “established in 2007” t-shirt and talking on the beaten down bleachers of Memorial Stadium my Supporter Stories video focuses on history. In many ways I was a passive, outside observer of soccer prior to the founding of Sounder at Heart.
But I knew what I wanted in a website. With godfather sites GoalSeattle and Prospect Insider serving as more than inspiration, SaH came to be. Lots of my interview features that. I also looked to Lookout Landing, USS Mariner and Sports Radio KJR for inspiration. And then Sounder at Heart grew, it kept growing. There are about 50ish people that write, edit, photograph, vlog, or podcast in some kind of affiliation with Sounder at Heart.
This community is no longer about me. It’s about our love for soccer in the region and the way we discuss it. Together we make each other smarter, or at least find a little bit of humor and entertainment in life through soccer. As a group we’ve seen so many moments. Many months ago when Supporter Stories talked to me, my favorite moment was that 2007 USL Championship. Sure, there was the Supporters’ Shield or Open Cups, but in ‘07 I learned to believe that soccer in Seattle could succeed, probably not at this level.
Honestly, if I was asked the same question now it would be the hiring of Brian Schmetzer. A lot has changed this year, but our stories remain familiar. They are conversations about love, passion, and unity around a club.