Picture this. A warm night in May, the smell of dirt rises in the air and the picture of a run down looking building is staring at you square in the face. What's known as fowling to some, is now known as the weirdest thing you've seen to this day. Walking outside, tons of people gathering around wearing only the colors of rouge, gold, and black. Drums start pounding in your ears and excited screams fill the air now. Colorful smoke bombs with the terrible smell of sulfur surround you, and the anxiousness to begin marching fills your stomach with butterflies. The feeling of being a soccer supporter, being one with the people called "The Northern Guard."
For many years growing up, it's been a great divide in sports for me. My mom and the rest of my family loving Georgia Bulldogs football, but myself liking Detroit Redwings hockey, and Chelsea FC soccer. I could never get into football, or any other sport that wasn't hockey, baseball, or soccer. Not able to understand any other sport, or the complex nature of it's drama filled debates (i.e. the Tom Brady deflated footballs gimmick), I settled on giving up on sports only really paying attention to them when I was at games, or when ESPN just happened to be on TV. That all changed when I decided to visit my dad in Michigan this summer.
On May 20, 2016, I got to experience my first Detroit City Football Club game ever! Only hearing stories from my dad about the supporters section at a Seattle Sounders game, and how crazy The Northern Guard got at a DCFC match, I couldn't wait to experience it for myself! Pulling up to the fowling warehouse and looking around I couldn't believe how much I stood out! But I slowly started learning once we began marching through the small neighborhood in Hamtramck, MI that Keyworth Stadium was surrounded by! "DC...FC!" we shouted as smoke bombs went off, and the neighborhood filmed us walking by.
The game began with Ann Arbor's team having no supporters and The Northern Guard taunting them for it. The people around me getting insane as the field began to fill with both teams. "Ooooohhhh!" we began as we eagerly awaited the first kick off of the game and season, mass amounts of shouting and the beating of drums start building as the game takes off. Known for their foul chants, eclectic dancing, and bouncing around, the Northern Guard was the supporter section not to be messed with. Not afraid to tell it like it is, I knew right away I was backing the right team.
What really stood out to me was the relationship between the team and supporters. How the team appreciates what the supporters do and makes sure to show it often. Every match I've gone to has ended with as many supporters that can line the fence high-fiving the team and cheering, win or lose! The last match I went to on June 25, also showed that the supporters don't just care about screaming their creative chants, but also for the players. As one man went down, the whole crowd took a knee and was shouting praises and encouragement that whatever happened we would win. Taking home a 5-0 game that night and probably lots of confetti in people's hair proved this team is serious!
Although this is semi-professional and not at all like what we would see on television, this team has come so far in their 4 short years of playing. Thousands of people in attendance packing the stadium out at every game, the goal being to build this team into something amazing and huge to the public. Already seeing how Keyworth Stadium is brand new and selling out every week, I foresee Detroit City FC going very far, and I'm proud to quote many in saying "City 'Til I Die!"
